And us Lunch Guys — to the extreme.

Really, this could be getting out of hand. First, that crazy King introduced the Extreme Spicy Tendercrisp Chicken Sandwich loaded with tongue-melting flavors. Then, for punch No. 2 in the one-two combo, the chain now has a line of piled-extremely-high Stacker burgers, from the double to the four-patty Quad Stacker.

We might not look it from our picture, but we're pretty extreme, too (Chris just got a Whopper tattoo across his chest). Still, are these new lunch items too extreme even for us?

Tom: The word extreme is so common these days that my grandmother recently said she was doing some "exteme knitting" at the retirement home.

So, when BK started calling its new Spicy Tendercrisp sandwich "extreme," I figured we were in for another ho-hum sandwich slathered in a mildly spicy orange sauce.

Imagine, Chris, how excited I was to learn this sandwich was so loaded with jalapeños that it actually was spicy and, yes, extreme.

But as I was eating the Tendercrisp, I spotted what turned out to be the real star of the extreme movement at Burger King — the Quad Stacker.

In a brilliant move, BK uses its small burger patties for this sandwich, then virtually welds them together with slices of melted cheese. It's like eating an eight-layer wedding cake made from hamburger.

The key to this burger is that it's manageable. Small and dense, the package feels more like a baseball than some monster burger, but it's loaded with flame-grilled taste. And did you notice this burger wasn't loaded down with sloppy lettuce and condiments? Chris, this is the Tony Hawk of hamburgers, and more extreme than any chicken sandwich could ever be.

Chris: Tom, props to you for getting both the Extreme Spicy Tendercrisp and the Quad Stacker at one lunch. Me, I had to get the Tendercrisp on a Friday, take the weekend to recover, then come back for the Quad on Monday. I recommend that our readers space it out, too.

I made the mistake of taking Burger King's challenge of ordering the Tendercrisp with extra jalapeños, meaning I had 10 of those bad boys melting through the crispy chicken shell like 10 drops of green acid.

But I loved it, even if all those jalapeños burned my mouth to the point where I could barely taste the pepper jack cheese and peppery sauce, let alone the tomato and lettuce. I actually found that ketchup could put out the fire.

Once the smoke cleared, I sat down with the Quad Stacker and enjoyed quite possibly the world's most perfect burger. I used to think the Wendy's Triple was fast food's Mona Lisa. No more. This tower of the regular flame-broiled patties is topped with at least six big bacon strips and a dollop of Thousand Island-y dressing, then adds those slices of American cheese between each patty. Still, nary a drop landed in my lap. You're right, it's very manageable, and that's the key. The Triple Whopper is over the top; the Quad is at the top.

Tom: Yes, I agree, this is the new King of all burgers. But let's not overlook the Extreme Spicy Tendercrisp, which should be commended for being the spiciest thing you can get at a national drive-through. If these items aren't available at your local Burger King, you should consider moving.

Chris: I would drive 1,000 miles for either of these sandwiches, but especially the Quad. I'm standing up from my cubicle chair right now to give Burger King a standing O for swinging for the fences on two wild lunch sandwiches and hitting two grand slams.

The Lunch Guys are based in Orlando and their column runs weekly. E-mail them at tomand chris@thelunchguys.com.
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