Today, we’re reviewing the Texas Whopper from Burger King. Over the years, Burger King has introduced many limited-edition variations of its signature Whopper hamburger. The Texas Whopper, which launched in September 2026, features bacon, jalapeños, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onions, mayo, and mustard, all piled onto the signature flame-broiled hamburger patty and served on a sesame seed bun.
The Whopper’s origins date back to 1957, when Burger King co-founder James McLamore noticed a rival restaurant in Gainesville, Florida, thriving on large burgers. To compete, he created his own oversized burger and named it the “Whopper.” Later, in 1973, they introduced a smaller version called the Whopper Jr. Earlier this year, the Whopper got a slight makeover, including upgraded buns, a better variant of mayonnaise, and better packaging (more on the packaging later).
The Construction
Normally, I order a menu item for assessment with the default options. However, I chose the Texas Whopper without mayonnaise. As many know, I am not a fan of mayonnaise, and I usually avoid it when possible. Additional customization options include Swiss cheese, ketchup, onion rings, and BBQ Sauce. None of these options were utilized in this assessment.
- Flame Broiled Beef Patty (Default)
- American Cheese (Default)
- Bacon (Default)
- Pickled Jalapeños (Default)
- Pickle Slices (Default)
- Lettuce (Default)
- Tomato (Default)
- Onion (Default)
- Lightly Toasted Sesame Seed Bun (Default)
- Mustard (Default)
- Mayonnaise (Not included for this assessment)
- Length: n/a (x)
- Weight: n/a (x)
- Sandwiches Eaten: 2
- Location: Mint Hill, NC
- Price: $7.59
(x) – measurements were not available for this assessment
The Texas Whopper is available in three options. All three options come with the same available toppings. and customization options.
- Texas Whopper (Single Large Flame Broiled Patty)
- Texas Double Whopper (Two Large Flame Broiled Patties)
- Texas Whopper Jr. (Single Smaller Flame Broiled Patty)
The Appearance (*)
This time, the appearance comparison shocked me. Burger King’s hamburgers do not have a reputation for matching how they look as advertised. What I can say is the Texas Whoppers, while not exactly like the advertisement photo, look pretty good. I attribute this to the paper sleeve and the cardboard clamshell box now being used in the packaging. This prevents the Whopper from getting squished like in the past.
Comparison Rating: Good
(*) This is not factored into our overall assessment rating but is included for reference.
The Experience
We scored the Texas Whopper like many other hamburgers we have assessed, including the Burger King BBQ Brisket Whopper. As we have been doing for a while, we scored cheese as a condiment. We also scored the bacon as a condiment rather than a meat.
- Meat (Hamburger): 4 points
- Bun: 2 points
- Condiments: 2 points
- Intangibles: 2 points
Meat (Hamburger)
For the most part, I am happy with the flame-broiled Burger King hamburgers. In both Texas Whoppers I tried, the burgers lacked the flame-broiled grill marks and appeared somewhat dry. However, they didn’t taste dry; they still had a good amount of charbroiled flavor. While the seasoning was not excessive, the burgers were still flavorful and savory enough.
One thing I learned after completing the Texas Whopper assessment is that there is a “Hot off the broiler” option. I did not know this existed. Essentially, this is a request to ensure your beef patty is freshly cooked just for you rather than taken from a warming tray. I will be using this option on future Burger King assessments.
Score: 2.25 out of 4.0 points
Bun
Burger King’s improvements to their Whopper buns are noticeable. The bun had a nice crust while staying soft and pillowy inside. This bun seemed more resistant to getting squished. As I expected, the bun had good bread quality, had a touch of sweetness, and got some nuttiness from the sesame seeds.
Score: 1.25 out of 2.00 points
Condiments
Since there are a lot of condiments, let’s break each one down for the Texas Whopper. The lettuce, tomato, and onions reflect the upgraded toppings Burger King has introduced on its Whoppers.
- Lettuce: This has the mild vegetal flavor common to most lettuce. While there was a slight wilt to it, it was not as wilted as others.
- Tomato: The tomato was ripe and sweet. It still had nice firmness.
- Onion: The onion was slightly sweet and had a slightly pungent taste.
- American Cheese: This was a mild, creamy cheese. It added a little sweetness to the equation.
- Bacon: The bacon wasn’t as well-done as I like, but it certainly wasn’t undercooked. It had the smokiness and saltiness one would expect from bacon.
- Pickles: These were soft, sliced pickles. These had salty and dill flavors.
- Pickled Jalapeños: These pack some heat, and they contribute that heat to the Texas Whopper. The jalapeños have a slight saltiness from the pickling.
- Mustard: This yellow mustard had a strong vinegar component, but it was not excessive. It was bolder than most mustards I have had on a hamburger. The vinegar contributed a tangy, acidic taste.
Score: 1.25 out of 2.00 points
Intangibles
First, as always, we look at whether the overall experience exceeds the sum of the parts. In this case, the answer is a strong yes. In my opinion, while I didn’t get the best beef patty for either of my Whoppers, the better-quality condiments combined with the better-quality bun really worked here. The jalapeños added heat, but the lettuce, pickle, tomato, and cheese balanced it nicely. The bacon and onion also added some smokiness. Finally, the mustard adds some tanginess. The combination of heat (spicy), smokiness, and tanginess elevated this hamburger.
I found the Texas Whopper filling. I’m not sure you even need to buy a combo meal here, but if you add fries or onion rings, you won’t need to go too big here. The condiment ratio was really good. As I said, the mustard is on the lighter side, but I think that was a good thing here because it was a bolder mustard.
This was a slightly messy sandwich. There were a lot of condiments, so some lettuce, tomato, and onion did fall off from time to time.
Score: 1.50 out of 2.00 points
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
A lot has been made about Burger King’s upgrade of its core Whopper sandwich. Even though the mayonnaise (part of the upgrade) wasn’t selected here, I still think the upgrades to the bun and some condiments made a difference. I can’t help but wonder if opting for the “Hot Off the Broiler” version would have improved my experience and elevated my score. Just as the cigar industry often leans too heavily on limited editions, I believe Burger King has made a similar mistake with its limited-time Whoppers. That said, this was still one of the better offerings. The combination of smokiness, tanginess, and a bit of heat created an enjoyable flavor profile. At $7.59, I found the price to be reasonable. This is something I would consider revisiting, and I hope it returns sometime in the future.
Summary
| Meat (4) | 2.25 |
| Bread (2) | 1.25 |
| Condiments (2) | 1.25 |
| Intangibles (2) | 1.5o |
| Total | 6.25 |
Score: Slightly Above Average 6.25 (out of 10 points)
Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted
