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McDonald's Prosperity Burger is arguably one of the best burgers the fast food chain has ever released (the editor disagrees).

The downside (or perhaps the reason why it is so irresistible), however, is that the sloppily delicious black pepper sauce-slathered burger is only available during the Chinese New Year period.

New McPepper burger

But lo and behold the McPepper, a burger made with two beef patties coated in a sweet and spicy black pepper sauce and topped with diced onions.

Yup, we did a double take too.

From S$5 a meal, the McPepper is a more affordable option compared to the seasonal Prosperity Burger (a single patty version starts from S$5.70 à la carte).

At first bite, it tastes almost exactly like the Prosperity Burger: peppery, beefy and slightly sharp (from the diced raw onions).

McPepper is the everyday Prosperity Burger.

It's the non-seasonal close cousin of the Prosperity Burger.

Slight differences

But if you have more refined tastebuds because you occasionally order McDonald's fancier signature collection, you may taste some nuanced differences.

Obviously, it's a no brainer that the burger is shaped differently. The McPepper is round while the Prosperity Burger is oblong.

And that's a good thing because it makes for a less messy meal.

Look ma, no black pepper sauce on my hands.

One would also notice fewer onion slices in the McPepper, which is welcoming news for me because let's be honest: Most of us remove most of the raw onions in our Prosperity Burger anyway.

Unlike the Prosperity Burger's black pepper sauce, the McPepper tasted more peppery and was just a notch less sweet than the former. But it's not so peppery that you have to upsize your drink.

But don't be fooled by the double patty, because the patties aren't as thick as the ones in the Prosperity Burger.

I appreciate how generous they were with the black pepper sauce though.

Prosperity Burger or McPepper?

A tough fight, but I'd probably still get the Prosperity Burger when it's in season.

Mostly for its novelty and the curly fries.

But since beggars can't be choosers, I'll take the McPepper every other non-Chinese New Year day.

Rating: 4.5/5. There's really no big difference. And that's a good thing, because why fix it when it isn't broken?

Top image from Fasiha Nazren.

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