This post is one in a series on prominent company nicknames. See all 25, and share your thoughts and memories about BK below in the comments.

Is there any advertising icon more creepy than the Burger King (NYSE: BKC) King? I get nightmares myself every time the mascot appears on the small screen. My opinion, though, may be in a minority since the character seems to be wildly popular.

Unlike McDonald's (NYSE: MCD), Burger King isn't afraid to be edgy and even annoying. I always have to turn the volume down on my TV whenever a BK spot is on the air or my ears will start to bleed otherwise. Burger King tried being like McDonald's and got its butt kicked. I am old enough to remember when the king was a cuddly cartoon. That strategy has now shifted and all of the in-your-face marketing appears to be paying off.

Shares of the number two burger chain are up 17% over the past year as cash-strapped consumers forgo casual dining chains for fast food. Wall Street analysts consider the stock a buy. The company is expected to post earnings of 34 cents per share on revenue of $633.26 million when it reports results Aug. 21, according to Thomson Reuters. Those are respectable numbers especially given the current economic environment.

All is not completely calm in Whopper land. Franchisees are balking at new late-night hours, and the Miami company, like every food business, is being slammed by high commodities prices. But at the end of the day, Mel Brooks had it right in History of the World Part I: "It's good to be the king."

This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and watch out for more Battle of the Brands posts.

The Hamburglar vs. The Creepy King

Looking at the financial data for McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) and Burger King Holdings Inc (NYSE: BKC) tells us that McD's cooks BK on market cap ($53.7B to $2.9B), and that both stocks are up big since BK started trading last May (McD's is up 29%, BK is up 24%). But these brands aren't really found in the numbers. Let's look at the factors that make these fast-food giants the top two burger chains in the land.

The Menu

What's the first thing you think of when someone says McDonald's or Burger King? Probably their signature sandwiches -- the Big Mac and the Whopper -- because they are what make the brands. There are two factors to look at here -- taste and health.

As far as taste goes, my nonscientific survey says that both sandwiches are flawed (yes, I used writing this blog as an excuse to eat fast food twice in the same week). With the Big Mac, most of my problem was finding the two all-beef patties in a sea of buns and lettuce it was surrounded by. With the Whopper, my criticism is that the burger should come with cheese on it without you having to ask (or pay extra). The burger is supposed to be their top-of-the-line; they could at least throw a slice of cheese on it for you, without you having to make it "your way."