SPOT.ph Roadtest: Does More Equal Better in the "Secret" KFC Triple Down?

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(SPOT.ph) Life, we've come to realize, is too damn short for restraint. Hedonism is back, baby. And there's no better time to embark on this treat-yo'-self, consequences-be-damned era, either, as fast-food joint KFC recently debuted an even more beastly version of their infamous Double Down sandwich—this time, with (literal) added layers of the artery-clogging elements most of us secretly crave. Ladies and gents, we're talking about no other than KFC's Triple Down. But does the IRL execution live up to its drool-worthy premise?

Also read: A Waffle Double Down Exists And It's as Crazy-Good as It Sounds

Here's what we think of fast food chain KFC's Triple Down:

Yup, it's real. The Original Recipe Triple Down (P289/ala carte, P355/combo with fries and a drink) is part of KFC's "secret" menu, only available for delivery orders through their website, app, or landline number. We had two members of the SPOT.ph team order the dish independently (i.e., from different locations at different times) for, ahem, science.

There's nothing particularly new here, especially if you dine at KFC often (and/or are a patron of the original Double Down). As with the OG, it has Original Recipe fried-chicken fillets serving as the "buns"; mayonnaise; cheese; and bacon. But as the name implies, you get three chicken patties instead of two—and with that comes two slices of cheese instead of one, plus an additional layer of mayo.

Presentation

Okay, granted, no one goes to KFC expecting Michelin-starred establishment caliber plating or anything. But we can't not compare expectations and reality. Face it: fast-food joints' food actually living up to their product photos is more an exception to the rule, than the rule.

We've gotta give it to KFC on this front, because—slightly wonky layering aside (which, factoring in the fact that we got it delivered, isn't too surprising)—it's more or less close to what the brand shows on their website. Yup, golden-brown patties, generous amount of mayonnaise, and unmelted cheese (!) and all. (That last bit, we'll talk more about in a bit.)

There is one ingredient in particular, though, where there's a clear discrepancy between expectations and reality: the bacon. As opposed to the seemingly crisp, subtly charred strips peeking out from underneath the chicken in KFC's photos, what the SPOT.ph team got (on two separate occasions, at that) was more on the limp, flabby side. 

Taste

Alright, so it could use improvement in the looks department, but could the actual taste make up for it? Does having more layers on this sandwich make for a better experience?

You're probably already familiar with its parts if you've had the OG Double Down, but for the benefit of everyone we'll talk about them anyway. The chicken patties (seemingly fillets of the breast) are seasoned Original Recipe-style—yup, that insanely salty, slightly spiced-slash-herby taste you either really hate or love. The mayo is your standard fatty stuff—creamy, a tad oily, a tad sweet—which helps cushion against the salty push of the chicken.

The cheese, we have mixed feelngs about; by cheese, of course, we mean American cheese slices in their glossy, neon-orange glory, which we'll always have a soft spot for. But it's oddly unmelted, giving you a perplexing plastic-y mouthfeel that you could argue to be a case for ~textural contrast~ or whatever, but we say it'd just taste so much better melted for a gooier, creamier bite. Still, this bit is more or less forgivable, in that you still get the (processed-) cheesy, slightly sharp note that does the job of heightening the savoriness of the chicken... and reminding you this is junk food. (We mean that in a good way.)

It's the bacon we have problems with—because as mentioned, in both sandwiches we independently ordered, we were met with strips that were limp, flabby, and, well, sad for lack of a better term. Rather than the crisp-crackly porky goodness we dreamed of, we got borderline-rubbery, greasy strips of pork that hardly appealed on the taste, visual, or even spiritual front.

Consumed as a sandwich, at best, the Triple Down is basically the sum of its parts—which can be a good thing or a bad thing. It matches the description and tastes exactly like what you'd expect—which is to say there is no magic to be had here. The parts sadly don't form any sort of extraordinary congruous whole that's beyond its constituents.

To be clear, it's not like we went into this expecting something uber-complex like you would at fine-dining restaurant, nor were we looking to unveil the meaning of life and reasons for our existence or anything to that effect (it's not that deep, we get it)—but still. Other KFC menu items, like their crisp-spicy Zinger or the creamy-comforting Chicken Ala King Rice Bowl, manage to produce great-tasting, seemingly intentional totals that make sense and don't just taste like random ingredients thrown together to produce a thing. And sure, you could deconstruct the sandwich and go at the components one by one—but that goes against the essence of the dish being a singular, harmonious menu item.

It's not particularly more glorious than the original Double Down, either—in fact, the added layers of cheese and chicken make for an even saltier, less-balanced mix when you consume the layers together.  If you needed rice to stomach the original Double Down, expect to need 1.5 to two times the amount of rice for this sandwich—great if you're decidedly fueling up slash loading up on the carbs (no judgment, we've all got those days); not great if you're looking to end the meal actually feeling like your rational human self than lethargic and bloated.

Our bigger gripe, though, is the issue of consistency. As mentioned, we had two members of the team order independently to different addresses; one member, who quite literally lives just across a KFC branch herself, received a sandwich that was cold—which only made the flabby-bacon and unmelted-cheese issues worse. (Reheating barely did it any favors.) Another member of the team, who lived roughly two kilometers from her nearest KFC, got her sandwich rightfully hot—but still had the same issues with the bacon and the cheese.

Accessibility and price

The Triple Down is available for delivery (exclusively for delivery, to be specific), so it's not too hard to get your hands on one. Ala-carte orders go for P289—which, considering this is fast food, ain't exactly the light-on-the-wallet meal we go to KFC for, but considering its parts (for reference, the Original Recipe Double Down goes for P205; a two-piece order of chicken with rice is P199) it's not too too unreasonable either.

If we were to rate price for the satisfaction we got, though, we can't say this is it. You're not missing anything if you stick to the original Double Down, or just go for KFC's simpler menu items—like the plain Original Recipe chicken with gravy. As we'd learn in this instance, more does not always mean better. 

For delivery orders, download the KFC app for Android or iOS; visit KFC's website; or call 8887-8888. You can also check out KFC's Facebook page.

For other menu items, KFC is also on foodpanda.

Links are updated regularly and as much as possible but note that products can run out of stock, discounts can expire and listed prices can change without prior notice.

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