Places: McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's
Items: Double Quarter Pounder, Double Whopper, Classic Triple
Prices: $2.99, $2.99, $3.99

Yes, we're meatheads. In a beefy indulgence, we tackled the big three at the Big Three, ordering the top-of-the-line burgers at McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's.

Turns out we're not alone. Twenty-something males and Atkins dieters are fueling up with these bovine beauties, though sales aren't as strong as the single-patty versions. So for those special days when you could eat a cow, which one should you get? We downed nearly 4 pounds of meat between us for the answer.

Tom: I hope my arteries don't clog as I type. The Wendy's Triple is the most obscene of the big burgers. With three 1/4-pound burgers oozing over the helpless bun, it reminded me of a 300-pound woman trying to squeeze into a bikini. Unappetizing as that may sound, the Triple is delicious.
    The Double Whopper exudes the heralded flame-grilled Burger King taste. Its two meaty offerings are on an oversized bun, so the sandwich is much more manageable. And I could even

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the most like a homemade burger with hints of fresh pinkness. This is the heavyweight champ.

Tom: I don't see how you can have Wendy's as a clear-cut winner. You can't possibly eat that thing in one lunch hour. I'd order the Triple if I had just spent a month in Asia eating only fish. Get the Double Whopper if you want a lot of tastes in an unmessy package, and the Double Quarter Pounder when you need a big McFix.

Chris: Hey, I've hit for the cycle at Wendy's, ordering the Single and Double at other times. I know the Triple has a size advantage over the BK and McD sandwiches, but it's all about juicy meat, no matter the number of patties. I'm ready to take on the Classic Quadruple!

Ratings: Double Quarter Pounder, 4 sporks (out of 5). Double Whopper, 4 sporks. Classic Triple, 5 sporks.

Food facts: Double Quarter Pounder: 760 calories (57 percent from fat), 48g fat, 46g protein, 38g carbohydrates. Double Whopper: 975 calories (57 percent from fat), 62g fat, 52g protein, 52g carbohydrates. Classic Triple: 940 calories (54 percent from fat), 56g fat, 69g protein, 38g carbohydrates.

E-mail The Lunch Guys:
tomandchris@thelunchguys.com

identify the lettuce, tomato and onions in each bite. The McD's Double QP delivers , too. The meat itself may not be as tasty as the other two, but the perfect amount of condiments—onions, pickles, mustard and ketchup—made it a winner. Is this a dead heat?

Chris: It's close, but I've got a clear favorite. Despite two meat pancakes, the first things I tasted on the Double Whopper were the condiments. Not good. With a super burger, I want the beefiness to wash over me like a flame-grilled tsunami. The patties were comparatively dry and rubbery with a uniform grayness, allowing the excessive mayonnaise to dominate (the bun was first rate, though). In second place is the Double Quarter Pounder. Extra saltiness in the 1-inch-thick meat gives oomph.
    But my winner, no question, is the Classic Triple. Weighing in at 3/4 pounds, it's a cube of meaty perfec-tion. The juiciness is unsurpassed -- it eventually saturated my bottom bun. The cheese and mayo were the fatty icing on the cake. And it tasted