I like LEGO® food trucks. When the Monster Burger Truck (31104) came out in January 2020, I added it to my wish list quickly. There is something comical yet ingenious about a monster food truck. I cannot believe that I have never come across one in real life. It seems like the sort of crazy gimmick that would sell. Regardless, the comic element of this set is right up the LEGO® Group’s alley. Let’s see if it lived up to my expectations.
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MONSTER BURGER TRUCK (31104) SUMMARY
- NAME: Monster Burger Truck
- SET #: 31104
- THEME: Creator 3-in-1
- COST: $69.99 CAD
- BRICK COUNT: 499
- MINIFIGURES: 2
- RELEASE DATE: January 1, 2020
MONSTER BURGER TRUCK (31104) QUICK REVIEW
- VALUE: 90% (Average cost-per-brick, excellent built time value.)
- BUILD: 97% (I had to nitpick details I did not like on this set.)
- MINIFIGURES: 70% (I love the chef character, but I expect more Minifigs in a kit this size.)
- ENTERTAINMENT: 100% (This set is quirky and a novel concept.)
- OVERALL SCORE: 89%
MONSTER BURGER TRUCK (31104) REVIEW
VALUE: 90%
Monster Burger Truck retails for $69.99 in Canada. Additionally, the set contains 499 bricks. This means the cost-per-brick is $0.14. That is right on average based on the last few years of LEGO® sets I have purchased. Therefore, you are not getting a great value, but you are also not getting a bad one. I rate the cost-per-brick at 80%.
In terms of build time, I assembled Monster Burger Truck in one hour and 44 minutes (104 minutes total). Consequently, each minute of build time cost me $0.67. Comparatively, my average cost-per-minute is $0.81 presently. Therefore, Monster Burger Truck gives you a lot of build time for the price. It is worth mentioning that I only built one version of this 3-in-1 set. Building all three gives you even more bang for your buck. Just the main build alone earns 97% in this category. With two extra variations, the score is easily 100%. Averaging the cost-per-brick and cost-per-minute scores gives an overall value score of 90%.
BUILD: 97%
The main build of the Monster Burger Truck drew me to this set. In all honesty, the other set variants do not interest me. One looks like a monster off-roader, the other a farmer’s truck. That is a shame because even though I normally only build the main variant of a 3-in-1 set, at least other times I am intrigued or inspired by an alternate build. However, that is not the case this time. With that said, the burger truck is awesome on its own. I really like that it is full of believable details despite being an outlandish concept.
First and foremost, the cab has doors! I harp on many LEGO® sets for not having proper doors that Minifigures can use. Second, a set of stairs folds in and out of the chassis. This allows Minifigures to walk up to the ordering window in the side of the truck. Third, the roof comes off for easy interior access. There is a grill, drink fountain, fridge, burger prep station, and a fire extinguisher inside. The roof sports a giant burger. Finally, the truck sits on an awesome suspension system with a lot of spring.
In addition to the truck, you assemble a small table and umbrella sitting on old tires as well as two folding chairs and a dog. The design of this set is awesome. I am hard-pressed to find anything that I do not like about it. My only complaint is that the alternate builds are rather uninteresting, and I do not like most brick-built animals. I would have loved to get the new bulldog piece in this kit. Additionally, some more signs would make the exterior more interesting. However, since my complaints are so minor, I rate this build at 97%.
MINIFIGURES: 70%
Monster Burger Truck comes with two Minifigures. Both come with all the standard Minifigure parts as well as front and back torso printing. Sadly, neither one has a double-sided face or any leg printing. However, I really like the burger cook. He looks like rough old biker who undertook a career change and became a food truck owner. There are not many accessories in this set, but you do get two bottles and a cash register brick. I rate their design at 24/30 (80%).
With 499 pieces in the kit, the brick-to-fig ratio is about 250:1. That is passable, but not great. Comparatively, my average ratio is currently 153:1. I expect to see 3-4 Minifigures in a set this size. This ratio earns a score of 60%. Averaging the ratio and design scores gives an overall Minifigure rating of 70%.
ENTERTAINMENT: 100%
I enjoy this set and it will look great in my LEGO® city. I have a few food trucks already, and this one will tower over them. However, there is a quirkiness to the set that I love. I generally feel that the LEGO® Group produces too many vehicles that are similar in nature. The Monster Burger Truck breaks the mold. While monster trucks have hit the market before, I cannot say that I have seen a monster food truck before. As an AFOL, I give this set 100% for entertainment.
OVERALL SCORE: 89%
I bought the Monster Burger Truck because it appealed to me as a new, quirky idea. The kit did not disappoint. It is a fun, well executed idea. Additionally, there is a good amount of detail and thought that went into this set. My only major complaint is that it did not include enough Minifigures. A set this size should have at least three. Overall, it is a great set and I recommend it. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below or on social media.
Until next time,
-Tom
Want to know what others think?
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