After my visit during opening week at Cheeburger Cheeburger of Oaks, I decided I needed to visit Max & Erma's for comparison.
At Max & Erma's, I ordered an Erma size (6oz burger) Tortilla Burger platter. That comes with french fries and a soufflé cup of their signature tortilla soup, for dipping. I have to admit there was no cole slaw as at Cheeburger Cheeburger. There were more fries, however. I asked for sriracha sauce in case the jalapeños didn't deliver enough heat. Max & Erma's doesn't have sriracha sauce. They do have Tabasco sauce. I ordered unsweetened iced tea. The glass was 16oz. and tapered like a pint beer glass not a mason jar with threads near the lip, as at CC. The price of a soft drink includes free refills.
Now for the food review. The burger was cooked as I requested. The toppings that came with the Tortilla Burger made it downright tasty. The fries were a bit thicker than those at CC and as at CC, cooked correctly. The dipping portion of the soup was great with both the fries or poured over the burger. But I do have a fondness for a bowl of tortilla soup at M&E's. Overall, I liked the platter better than at CC.
Apart from the food, one difference between the two is that M&E's has a rewards card they call Good Neighbors. CC doesn't. If you ask for a Good Neighbors card, you immediately receive a 5% discount on every order. If you visit M&E's 27 times within a calendar year, the following year you receive a 10% discount with every purchase. Register your card with an email address and you will receive special offers via email.
I have a Good Neighbor card. The night before I stopped in for this meal I was offered $3.00 off any burger platter, plus the 10% discount. So for this meal I spent a grand total of $8.21 including 6% PA sales tax.
Now maybe I entered this contest between Cheeburger Cheeburger and Max & Erma's with some bias. However, I believe I made a rational decision. I still think CC is too expensive for a cheeseburger platter and the decor and comfort of seating doesn't come near that of M&E's.
As for the ambiance, there is quite a difference. M&E's is all artificial light in the bar, where I usually eat for speed of service, compared with mostly daylight streaming through the entire glass exterior at CC. There are no tables near the vestibule door, as compared to CC. There are two big screen TVs, which only show sports or news networks without sound, as compared to CC which has one larger screen TV.
I did hear the bartender/server at M&E's say that CC is pricing their menu to compete with M&E's. So, when I return to CC, after a period of time when I think they have worked out the kinks, I will test the burger platter again for taste and to see if there is any price competition for burgers in Oaks. For now, I will continue to go to Max & Erma's when I want a burger, comfortable seating and tortilla soup.
©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved
Now for the food review. The burger was cooked as I requested. The toppings that came with the Tortilla Burger made it downright tasty. The fries were a bit thicker than those at CC and as at CC, cooked correctly. The dipping portion of the soup was great with both the fries or poured over the burger. But I do have a fondness for a bowl of tortilla soup at M&E's. Overall, I liked the platter better than at CC.
Apart from the food, one difference between the two is that M&E's has a rewards card they call Good Neighbors. CC doesn't. If you ask for a Good Neighbors card, you immediately receive a 5% discount on every order. If you visit M&E's 27 times within a calendar year, the following year you receive a 10% discount with every purchase. Register your card with an email address and you will receive special offers via email.
I have a Good Neighbor card. The night before I stopped in for this meal I was offered $3.00 off any burger platter, plus the 10% discount. So for this meal I spent a grand total of $8.21 including 6% PA sales tax.
Now maybe I entered this contest between Cheeburger Cheeburger and Max & Erma's with some bias. However, I believe I made a rational decision. I still think CC is too expensive for a cheeseburger platter and the decor and comfort of seating doesn't come near that of M&E's.
As for the ambiance, there is quite a difference. M&E's is all artificial light in the bar, where I usually eat for speed of service, compared with mostly daylight streaming through the entire glass exterior at CC. There are no tables near the vestibule door, as compared to CC. There are two big screen TVs, which only show sports or news networks without sound, as compared to CC which has one larger screen TV.
I did hear the bartender/server at M&E's say that CC is pricing their menu to compete with M&E's. So, when I return to CC, after a period of time when I think they have worked out the kinks, I will test the burger platter again for taste and to see if there is any price competition for burgers in Oaks. For now, I will continue to go to Max & Erma's when I want a burger, comfortable seating and tortilla soup.
©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved
