Unique is a Binary State!!!

I don't consider myself a word snob. Those of you who regularly read this blog know that my abilities in both phonics and syntax are less than world-class. (To say nothing of my typing.) However, there is one particular crime against syntax that I find particularly irritating.

I am a believer that the word "unique" describes a binary state. That is that something either is, or is not, unique. Thus it is impossible to to modify the word unique when used in a sentence. Some examples of that I have seen recently: "extremely unique, very unique, sort of unique," etc.

But tonight, as I attempted to enjoy my Angus Burger from McDonalds, the box the burger came in perpetrated the most heinous transgression against "unique" that I have ever seen. It proudly declared the angus burger to have "unique authentic taste and flavor."

Now I'll disregard the obvious repetition (taste and flavor). But I couldn't get past the idea that the word "authentic" and "unique" mean the exact opposite thing. Something is authentic if it conforms to some expected (and generally enjoyed) standard. For example, authentic Italian food conforms to established norms of Italian cuisine.

Unique describes something that in one-of-a-kind. It conforms to no established norms. It is a norm unto itself. That is what it means to be unique.

So my question is...am I the only crazy person howling at the moon here? Does the blatant abuse of the word unique bother anyone else?