Review: Jack In The Box's Cosmic Menu Isn't Quite Out Of This World, But It Should Be In Your Orbit

Jack In The Box unveiled a trio of new burgers on August 18 at its Inglewood, California restaurant. Dubbed the Cosmic Jack Combos, these new sandwiches are a limited-time drop consisting of three cheeseburgers that fuse the bun around the fillings. The pressed buns create a crispy outer ring, making a pocket that resembles a giant empanada, or, in the eyes of Jack and Chef Ciarán Duffy, a very tiny Saturn. Hence, the Cosmic Jack Combos were born. 

The specialty buns were made using a machine typical for ice cream sandwiches. The Jack in the Box team tested a plethora of different fillings before landing on the final three: The Loaded Breakfast Cosmic Jack, the Bacon Ultimate Cosmic Jack, and the Philly Chili Cosmic Jack. 

The three new burgers are currently only available for a limited two week period at the Inglewood, California location at 1220 Centinela Ave. Chef Duffy did hint, though, that the Cosmic Jack Combos may see a wider release in the future.

I attended Cosmic Hour, an advance tasting of Jack In The Box's three new burgers, one hot, mid-August afternoon. After speaking with some special guests, including Chef Ciarán and Jack himself, I was given a school-lunch style tray filled with three very different burgers and a side of Jack In The Box's iconic curly fries.

I tried the Loaded Breakfast Cosmic Jack sandwich first, which felt right in the moment even though it was nearly already 2:30 p.m. I quickly followed up with the Bacon Ultimate Cosmic Cheeseburger and the Philly Chili Cosmic Jack, eating half of each sandwich while jotting down my thoughts on each one.

The team at Jack In The Box also offered a large fountain drink and promised a special surprise at the bottom of the cup. After returning from the soda fountain where I poured myself a classic Cherry Coca Cola, I popped open my cup to find a Jack In The Box-themed blind box containing a small "Jibbi Bag Charm". Jack In The Box was full of little surprises today, with the biggest being the lineup of burgers that awaited me. 

The Loaded Breakfast Cosmic Jack sandwich, Jack in the Box's sole new breakfast item, is stuffed with a sausage patty, egg, American cheese, bacon mayo, and a hash brown. It's a mild sausage, but still has enough flavor to carry over the entire sandwich. The hash brown adds a nice crunchy texture to the middle of the burger that layers wonderfully between the conjoined bun. 

The Bacon Ultimate Cosmic Cheeseburger contains everything you'd expect in a classic bacon cheeseburger: Tomatoes, American cheese, sliced onions, pickles, and hickory-smoked bacon. It's topped with Jack In The Box's Smashed Jack sauce that adds a nice tanginess to the burger without taking away from the other ingredients. It's a tasty burger, and the one that I would likely order time and time again.

Lastly is the kookiest of the three new combinations — the Philly Chili Cosmic Jack. Part Philly cheesesteak, part chili crisp sandwich, this burger is a little sweet, a little savory, and a little spicy. The heat level is never overwhelming, despite the copious amounts of chili crisp piled on top of shaved Philly steak, grilled peppers and onions, Swiss-style cheese, and mayonnaise. There are certainly bites that are hotter than others, but altogether it has a pleasant umami flavor and is a wholly unique sandwich. The red peppers and thin steak add a nice hearty flavor and make this burger standout amongst the rest. 

I'd certainly eat any one of these sandwiches again, and I hope that Jack In The Box does decide to issue a wide release for all three of it's new burgers. It's a unique idea in the fast food industry and, pending availability of the ice cream sandwich machines, seems simple enough to incorporate into menus around the country. As of now, the Cosmic Cheeseburger Combos are available from August 19 to September 2. 

Of the three, I probably enjoyed the Ultimate Cheeseburger Cosmic Jack the best. It's a new twist on a tried and true classic, and reminded me a bit of one of Chili's many cheeseburgers. The Loaded Breakfast Cosmic Jack surprised me the most. It's a hefty sandwich for breakfast time, and I understand why Jack In The Box doesn't hesitate to consider it a part of it's cheeseburger drop. 

I do feel like the breakfast sandwich was a bit of a missed opportunity to try something different with the bread. It utilizes the same buttery bakery bun as the Bacon Ultimate, but should offer a bit of sweetness with a nice brioche instead. Even better, this sandwich could utilize a pancake as the bun and, as the kids say, absolutely breakfastmog McDonalds's famous McGriddle.