Tournament of Chompions: Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s v. In-N-Out Burger

"Tournament of Chompions: Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s v. In-N-Out Burger" is Episode 43 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Tournament of Chompions: Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s v. In-N-Out Burger" was released on March 17, 2016.

## Synopsis

Actor and comedian John Gemberling (*Broad City*) joins the ‘boys for the first semifinal match of **#MunchMadness 2016: The Tournament of Chompions**, as 4-seed Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s has advanced to take on 1-seed In-N-Out Burger. Plus, Food Court is once again in session.

## Nick's intro

    Southern California is Ground Zero for America's drive-in fast-food culture: the birthplace of numerous now-nationwide burger chains. Today, two SoCal stalwarts from this burger Mecca face off in a no-holds-barred meat melee.

One challenger is now national and narrowly edged out Fuddruckers in the Mild Card round to advance to today's match-up.

Its opponent has stayed local, the towering one-seed, the charter member of the Platinum Plate Club, the iconic burger eatery that's as much a part of California culture as sunshine and surfboards.

Whoever wins will be our first finalist.

This week on *Doughboys*, the first matchup of the Semi-Soft Finals Round of **Munch Madness 2016: The Tournament Of Chompions: Burger Brawl**: four-seed Carl's Jr./Hardee's vs. In-N-Out Burger.

*Let's a-go!*

## Burger Brawl rules

The rules for the **Munch Madness: Tournament of Chompions: Burger Brawl** are as follows:

1. Restaurants must have previously appeared on *Doughboys*.
2. The three categories that each burger is ranked by are Presentation/Creativity, Condiments/Bun, and Burger/Taste/Juiciness.
3. Categories are rated on a scale of 0-10 Basketballs, which are arbitrary and meaningless, and they can be overruled by final decision, which is answered by "which burger would you put on a Golden Plate and shot into space?"
4. Burgers only! Sides stay on the sidelines. Drinks stay in the Gatorade jug, which is also on the sidelines. Other mains stay in Maine.

## A Statement from The Commissioner

To overrule an episode's verdict robs the Tournament of credibility and threatens to undermine the legitimacy of the eventual winner's title.

All that said, while it is fully in my power as Commissioner to reverse the ruling of the episode, I will not.

Five Guys stays in the Tournament.

However, as a disciplinary action for the transgression, I am declaring an emergency minisode. For Five Guys to fully advance to the Semifinals, it must defeat not Burger King, not Steak 'N Shake, but the newly opened (in Los Angeles), Shake Shack.

The rules have previously only allowed for reviewed restaurants to be entered into the Tournament; but desperate times call for desperate measures.

That is all. I will now accept questions.

## Basketball ratings 🏀

	+ Protein Style
	+ Onions, Chilis
 Mike Mitchell
	+ Armen Style (Animal Style, plus Onions)
 John Gemberling
	+ Animal Style

	+ Lettuce Wrap
 Mike Mitchell
	+ Pickles, Onion
 John Gemberling

Mitch got a Diet Coke from In-N-Out and drank it with both burgers. Gemberling had a Perrier.

## Burger Brawl winner

 Mike Mitchell
 John Gemberling

Carl's Jr. wins! Nick vows to fight this result! Mitch almost switches his vote to In-N-Out immediately, but Gemberling talks him out of it.

But then:

In the following episode (#44), upset by reports of Carl’s Jr./Hardee's CEO Andy Puzder’s plan to replace workers with robots, Nick changed his vote for the earlier episode (#40) where Carl's Jr. defeated Fuddrucker's. As a result, this episode’s matchup *should have been* In-N-Out vs. Fuddrucker's. Nick and Mitch both agreed that In-N-Out is better than Fuddrucker’s, so the results of today's episode are thrown out as meaningless (sorry Gemberling), and In-N-Out advances to the Finals, even though it lost to Carl's Jr.

## Food Court 🧑‍⚖️

Food Court consists of Nick acting as the presiding judge over a series of food-related debates. If Mitch and the guest disagree in the debate, Nick casts the deciding vote.

 for here or to go?
 St. Patrick's Day Green Beer
* fun celebration or gross concoction?

## #hashtags

* #MagicBulletorSilverBullet
* #ImJustLikeSpoonman
* #QuickestToTwo or #QuickestTattoo

## The Feedbag

My question is: do either of you have a go-to dish that always hits the spot during a time when you're not feeling 100%?

 Mike Mitchell
 John Gemberling
* pad see ew

## Related Episodes

* 41. Eat-In Minisode
* 42. Mild Card Round 2
* 43. **Semi-Soft Finals Round 1**
* 44. Minisode
* 45. Semi-Soft Finals Round 2
* 46. Finals
* 24. Hard Rock Cafe (The Leftovers)
* 40. Burger Brawl: Mild Card Round 1
* 43. **Burger Brawl: Semi-Soft Finals Round 1**
* 103. Carl's Jr. / Hardee's 2
* 137. Carl's Jr. / Hardee's 3
* 171. Outback Steakhouse 2 (Breaking Chews)
* DD. Beyond Chicago
* 242. Mac Attack: Round of 32 (Part 2)
* DD. Cookie Draft (Snack or Wack)
* 43. **Burger Brawl: Semi-soft Finals 1**
* 46. Burger Brawl: Finals
* 90. In-N-Out Burger 2
* DD. Secret Menu
* 174. Octdoughberblessed: Chick-fil-A vs. In-N-Out
* 196. Mouth of the Border: Finals
* 269. In-N-Out Burger 3
* 144. The Slice Is Right - CEO Region
* DD. Mac Attack - Round of 32 (part 1)

## Photos (via @doughboyspod)

Carl's Jr. The Big Karl (Lettuce Wrap)In-N-Out Double-Double (Protein Style)