Bacon & Swiss Buttery Smashed Jack

Product Details & Review

Bacon & Swiss Buttery Smashed Jack

In the highly competitive world of fast food, there has been a race to the top. Chains are no longer satisfied with selling cheap, mass-produced cheeseburgers; they want to compete with "fast-casual" giants like Shake Shack, Five Guys, and even sit-down restaurants like Red Robin.

Jack in the Box has made its boldest move yet in this direction with the Bacon & Swiss Buttery Smashed Jack™.

With a price tag hovering around $9.99 (depending on your location), this is one of the most expensive items ever to grace the Jack in the Box menu. It promises a gourmet experience that combines two of the chain's most successful culinary innovations: the "Smashed" patty cooking technique and the "Buttery Jack" flavor infusion.

But does a $10 fast-food burger actually make sense? Does the flavor justify the cost? In this comprehensive review, we will strip away the marketing hype and dive deep into the ingredients, nutrition, and taste profile of this decadent creation.

The Concept: A "Hybrid" Masterpiece

To understand this burger, you have to understand its lineage. Jack in the Box has two popular premium lines:

1. The Buttery Jacks: Burgers topped with melting garlic herb butter.

2. The Smashed Jacks: Burgers featuring a patty pressed on the grill for crispy edges.

The Bacon & Swiss Buttery Smashed Jack is the marriage of these two concepts. It takes the superior texture of the smashed patty and drenches it in the rich, savory garlic herb butter of the Buttery Jack line. Then, it doubles down on the savory notes by adding bacon and bacon mayo. It is designed to be the ultimate "umami bomb."

Flavor Profile Breakdown: A Symphony of Fats

This burger is not subtle. It is designed to overwhelm your palate with richness. Let’s break down the sensory experience layer by layer.

1. The "Double Bacon" Punch

Most bacon burgers just toss a few strips of cured pork on top and call it a day. This burger takes it a step further.

• Hickory Smoked Bacon: You get the traditional crunch and smokiness from the bacon strips.

• Bacon Mayo: This is the secret weapon. Instead of standard mayonnaise, this burger uses a creamy, smoky, savory Bacon Mayo. This ensures that even if you take a bite without a bacon strip in it, you still get that deep, cured meat flavor permeating the bun.

2. The Garlic Herb Butter Melt

This is the signature move of the "Buttery Jack" series. A dollop of garlic herb butter is placed on the hot patty just before serving. As it melts, it seeps into the nooks and crannies of the smashed meat and soaks into the brioche bun. It provides a glistening, juicy coating that tastes like a steakhouse garlic steak topper.

3. The Cheese Selection: Real Swiss

For this premium item, Jack in the Box swaps the standard American cheese for Natural Swiss Cheese. Swiss cheese has a milder, nuttier, and slightly sweeter profile than American cheese. It doesn't overpower the delicate garlic butter flavor but complements it perfectly. It also adds a more sophisticated "adult" flavor profile compared to the processed tang of American slices.

4. The Smashed Patty Texture

The ¼ lb patty is smashed on the grill to create a dark, caramelized crust (the Maillard reaction). This crispy exterior provides a necessary textural contrast to the soft bun, melting butter, and creamy mayo. Without this crunch, the burger might feel too soft or greasy.

 

Ingredient Analysis: Premium Components?

Is the $9.99 price tag justified by the ingredients? Let's look closer.

• The Bun: A Signature Brioche Bun. It is richer, eggier, and slightly sweeter than the standard bakery bun. It is toasted to hold up against the heavy liquids (butter + mayo).

• The Meat: 100% Beef, seasoned and smashed. The "quarter pound" weight is pre-cooked, which is a standard size for premium burgers (comparable to a McDonald's Quarter Pounder).

• The Sauce: Bacon Mayo. This is a specialty item not found on the lower-tier burgers.

• The Fat: Garlic Herb Butter. This is real butter infused with herbs, adding a calorie density that defines the burger's character.

What’s Missing? Noticeably, there are no fresh vegetables. No lettuce, no tomato, no pickles, no onions. This is a "brown" food. The focus is entirely on meat, dairy, and bread. For some, this is pure purity; for others, the lack of an acidic crunch (like a pickle) might make the burger feel too heavy or greasy after the first few bites.

 

Nutritional Information: 800 Calories of Indulgence

Let’s be real: you don’t order a burger with "Buttery" in the name if you are on a diet. However, knowing the numbers is essential.

• Calories (800): While 800 calories is high, it is actually surprisingly lower than the Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger (930 cal). This is likely because it has one patty instead of two. However, 800 calories is still a significant portion of a daily diet.

• Fats: This burger is a fat bomb. Between the beef tallow, the bacon fat, the bacon mayo oil, the Swiss cheese, and the garlic herb butter, the fat content is the primary macro-nutrient.

• Sodium: Expect high sodium levels. The bacon, cheese, and seasoned beef all contribute to a salt profile that likely exceeds 1500mg (though exact current data varies by location).

• Protein: With a quarter-pound patty, bacon, and cheese, you are looking at a solid protein hit, likely in the 35g - 45g range.

 

Price Analysis: Is $9.99 Too Expensive?

Average Price: $9.99

This is the biggest point of contention. $10 for just the burger (not the combo) pushes Jack in the Box into a new price tier.

The "Restaurant" Comparison:

• At Applebee’s or Chili’s, a similar bacon burger with fries often costs $14.00 - $16.00 plus tip.

• At Five Guys, a Bacon Cheeseburger is typically around $11.00 - $12.00.

• At Jack in the Box, you pay $9.99.

Verdict: The Bacon & Swiss Buttery Smashed Jack is cheaper than a sit-down restaurant but expensive for a drive-thru. It sits in a strange middle ground.

• Is it worth it? If you value convenience and crave that specific garlic-butter flavor, yes. It is cheaper than Five Guys and faster than a restaurant.

• Value Alternative: If you just want fullness, the Ultimate Cheeseburger offers more meat for less money ($7.49). You pay the premium here for the quality of ingredients (Swiss, Brioche, Smashed) rather than the quantity.

 

Competitor Comparison

How does it stack up against other premium fast-food offerings?

1. vs. Wendy’s Baconator: The Baconator is bigger (two patties) and meatier, but simpler (ketchup/mayo). The Jack in the Box option feels more "gourmet" due to the garlic butter and Swiss cheese. The Baconator is for volume eaters; the Smashed Jack is for flavor chasers.

2. vs. Smashburger / Shake Shack: Jack in the Box has successfully mimicked the "smash" style. While Shake Shack’s meat blend might be slightly superior, Jack in the Box wins on flavor complexity with the addition of the garlic herb butter, something Shake Shack doesn't offer.

3. vs. Culinary Center Innovation: This burger feels like something developed by a chef, not an accountant. The layering of bacon flavor (cured meat + mayo) shows a level of culinary thought that is rare in fast food.

 

Consumption Scenarios

• The "Payday" Treat: Because of the price, this isn't an everyday lunch. It’s a "treat yourself" meal when you have extra cash and want something decadent.

• The Flavor Explorer: If you are bored with standard ketchup/mustard burgers, the garlic herb butter offers a unique taste profile that you can't find at McDonald's or Burger King.

• The Keto Hack (Modified): If you order this without the bun, you are left with a high-fat, moderate-protein bowl of beef, cheese, bacon, and butter. It is arguably one of the most keto-friendly flavor profiles (high fat/protein, low carb without bun) on the menu.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is the Bacon & Swiss Buttery Smashed Jack spicy? No. It is purely savory, salty, and creamy. There is no heat.

2. Can I add vegetables to it? Yes. You can customize it by adding lettuce, tomato, or onions. Adding Grilled Onions is a highly recommended "hack" as they pair beautifully with the Swiss cheese and butter.

3. Is it messy to eat? Yes, very. The garlic herb butter melts into a liquid, and combined with the bacon mayo, this burger can drip. It is definitely a "grab extra napkins" situation.

4. Why is it so expensive? The price reflects the premium ingredients (Brioche, Real Swiss, Bacon) and the more labor-intensive "smashing" cooking process. You are also paying for the "Buttery" branding.

 

Conclusion

The Bacon & Swiss Buttery Smashed Jack™ is a bold statement from Jack in the Box. It is an unapologetically rich, high-calorie, high-price burger that aims to dethrone the "better burger" chains.

Does it succeed? In terms of flavor, absolutely. The combination of garlic herb butter and bacon mayo creates a moisture and flavor level that dry fast-food patties simply cannot match. The Swiss cheese adds a touch of class, and the smashed patty brings the texture.

If you can get past the $9.99 price point, you are rewarded with one of the most flavorful, decadent, and satisfying burgers currently available at a drive-thru window. It is not a meal for every day, but as a savory indulgence, it hits the mark perfectly.

Ready to indulge? Head to Jack in the Box and try the Bacon & Swiss Buttery Smashed Jack today.