25 Best Fast Food Burgers, Ranked
Burgers are a staple of American food culture and arguably one of the most delicious foods. A good fast-food burger makes the perfect lunch, dinner, or even hangover cure. Paired with fries, it’s a meal made in heaven!
Of course, not all burgers are created equal. To help you narrow down your choices, I’ve rounded up the best fast-food burgers in America. These are affordable, accessible, and most importantly, delicious!
25. Checkers/Rally’s: Big Buford
Checkers and Rally’s are technically the same fast-food restaurant operating under two different names. They have over 500 locations in the US.
Whether you’re visiting a Checkers or a Rally’s, the menus at both restaurants are the same. The signature burger on the Checkers and Rally’s menu is the Big Buford. It’s made with two large, 100% beef hamburger patties, two slices of American cheese, iceberg lettuce, tomato, red onion, dill pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise, all on a toasted bun.
For an additional charge, you can add an extra slice of cheese, a hamburger patty, or bacon. If you’re super hungry, you can also order the Big Buford Combo, which comes with fries and a drink.
24. Dairy Queen: Signature Stackburger
Although Dairy Queen is best known for its ice cream treats, select locations also serve burgers. They have almost 4,500 locations in the US, but not all of them serve food.
To check whether your local Dairy Queen serves food, go to the locations page on their website and enter your zip code. Find the location you’re interested in. If it says “Treat Only” under the address, the location only serves ice cream. If it says “Food and Treat,” it means that the location serves food too.
Dairy Queen’s signature burger is the Double Signature Stackburger. It’s made with two seasoned, 100% beef hamburger patties, sharp American cheese, pickles, ketchup, and mustard, served on a toasted bun.
You can turn your Double Signature Stackburger into a Triple by adding an extra hamburger patty for an additional charge. You can also customize it by adding mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion, or bacon.
Lastly, you can also order the Combo, which comes with fries and a medium drink of your choice.
23. A&W: Papa Burger
Many people know A&W as a root beer company, but they’re also one of the oldest restaurant chains in the US, dating back to 1919. There are over 500 A&W locations in 38 states.
A&W’s signature burger is the Papa Burger. It’s made with two 100% beef hamburger patties, two slices of melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and A&W’s signature Papa Sauce, all on a lightly toasted bun.
22. Burger King: Whopper
Burger King is one of the largest and most popular fast-food chains in the US. There are over 7,000 Burger King locations in all 50 states, making it one of the most widely available fast-food restaurants in America.
Burger King’s signature burger is the Whopper. It’s made from a ¼ lb flame-grilled beef patty, tomato, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, mayonnaise, and white onion on a toasted sesame seed bun.
If you’d like, you can add bacon and/or cheese to your Whopper for an additional charge. You can also upgrade it to a meal by adding a side of fries or onion rings and a drink.
21. White Castle: 1921 Slider
White Castle is a fast-food chain most well-known for popularizing the mini hamburger slider. They have nearly 400 locations in the US, most of which are in the Midwest or New York.
White Castle serves a wide variety of hamburger sliders, but one of their signatures is the 1921 Slider. It features a seared and seasoned 100% beef mini hamburger patty, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, Roma tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles, all in a mini hamburger bun.
If you prefer, you can swap out the cheddar cheese for American cheese or jalapeno cheese. You can also add an egg or a bacon slice for an additional charge.
You can also upgrade your order to the 1921 Combo, which comes with two 1921 Sliders, small fries, and a small soft drink of your choice.
20. Del Taco: Double Del Cheeseburger
Although Del Taco is best known for Mexican fast food, it also has some American fast food items, including burgers. There are nearly 600 Del Taco locations in 16 states.
The signature burger on the Del Taco menu is the Double Del Cheeseburger. It’s made with two grilled, 100% beef hamburger patties, American cheese, two fresh tomato slices, shredded lettuce, diced onions, and Del Taco’s burger sauce, all on a grilled sesame seed bun.
For an additional charge, you can add extra hamburger patties to your Del Cheeseburger, as well as bacon, sour cream, or jalapenos.
You can also upgrade it to a Double Del Cheeseburger Meal, which comes with crinkle-cut fries and a drink.
19. Jollibee: Big Yumburger
Jollibee is a Filipino fast-food chain best known for its fried chicken, but it also sells some delicious burgers. They have over 60 locations in 13 states.
Jollibee’s signature burger is the Big Yumburger. It’s made with two beef hamburger patties, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and Jollibee’s signature sauce, all on a fresh hamburger bun.
For an extra charge, you can customize your Big Yumburger by adding bacon or extra cheese. You can also turn it into a meal by adding a drink and a side of French fries, steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or adobo rice.
18. Jack in the Box: Double Jack
Jack in the Box is a fast-food chain with an extensive menu, including fried chicken, tacos, egg rolls, and burgers. There are over 2,000 Jack in the Box locations in 21 states.
Jack in the Box serves a wide variety of burgers, but their signature is the Double Jack. It’s made with two grilled, seasoned, 100% beef hamburger patties, American cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise on a buttery-baked bun.
You can customize your Double Jack by adding onions, extra cheese, or a hamburger patty for an additional charge. You can also upgrade it to a Large Double Jack Combo, which comes with large fries and a drink.
17. Carl’s Jr.: Famous Star With Cheese
Carl’s Jr. is a fast food chain well-known for its charbroiled burgers. They have over 1,000 locations in the US, mainly on the West Coast and Southwest regions.
The signature burger on the Carl’s Jr. menu is the Famous Star With Cheese. It’s made with a charbroiled all-beef hamburger patty, melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, sliced onions, dill pickles, mayonnaise, and Carl’s Jr.’s Special Sauce, all on a seeded bun.
You can customize your burger by swapping the bun for a lettuce wrap or by adding bacon, jalapenos, guacamole, pepper jack cheese, or Swiss cheese for an additional charge. You can also upgrade it to a Combo, which comes with fries and a drink.
16. Wendy’s: Dave’s Single
Wendy’s is a popular fast food chain specializing in burgers, fries, chicken sandwiches, and Frostys. There are nearly 6,000 Wendy’s locations in all 50 states, making it one of the most accessible restaurant chains in the US.
There are many burgers on the Wendy’s menu, but their signature is Dave’s Single. It’s made from a ¼ lb fresh beef hamburger patty, American cheese, tomato, lettuce, onions, pickles, ketchup, and mayonnaise on a toasted bun.
You can also customize it by adding deluxe toppings for an additional charge, including crispy onions, avocado, pepper jack cheese, applewood smoked bacon, crunchy dill chips, and bourbon bacon sauce.
15. Johnny Rockets: The Original Single
Johnny Rockets is a 1950s diner-themed restaurant chain specializing in American fast food classics like shakes, fries, and burgers. They have almost 150 locations in 26 states.
Johnny Rockets has a wide variety of burgers on the menu, but their signature is the Original Single. It’s made with a single beef hamburger patty, lettuce, tomato, chopped onion, relish, pickles, mustard, and mayo on a brioche bun.
There are a ton of ways that you can customize your Original Single. You can swap the beef patty for a chicken breast, veggie burger, or turkey burger. You can also switch the brioche bun for a wheat bun or a gluten-free Udi’s bun.
14. Red Robin: Bacon Cheeseburger
Red Robin is a casual dining restaurant chain specializing in gourmet burgers with over 500 locations in 44 states.
There are dozens of burgers on the Red Robin menu, but one of the most popular is the Bacon Cheeseburger. It’s made from a beef hamburger patty, hardwood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, and your choice of cheese on a sesame bun.
You can customize your Bacon Cheeseburger by choosing from different kinds of cheese. You can also substitute the sesame bun for a lettuce wrap, gluten-free bun, or brioche bun.
In addition, you can add a variety of toppings to your Bacon Cheeseburger for an extra charge, including avocado, extra bacon, caramelized onions, crispy onion straws, a fried egg, crispy jalapeno coins, house-made salsa, and sauteed mushrooms.
The Bacon Cheeseburger comes with a side of steak fries, but you can swap those out for kettle chips, a house salad, steamed broccoli, or carrot sticks.
13. McDonald’s: Big Mac
McDonald’s is the largest and most popular fast food chain in the world, famous for its burgers, among other popular menu items. There are almost 13,500 McDonald’s locations in the US alone.
The signature burger on the McDonald’s menu is the Big Mac. It’s made with two 100% pure beef hamburger patties, American cheese, pickles, shredded lettuce, chopped onions, and Big Mac sauce on a sesame seed bun.
You can customize your Big Mac by adding tomato or mayonnaise for an additional charge. You can also upgrade it to a Big Mac Combo Meal, which comes with a medium order of fries and a drink.
12. Fatburger: Medium Fatburger
Fatburger is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in burgers with over 100 locations in 14 states
Fatburger’s signature burger is available in four sizes, but the most popular is the Medium Fatburger. It’s made with ⅓ lb beef hamburger patty, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, relish, mustard, and mayo on a freshly toasted sponge-dough bun.
You can customize it by adding extra toppings like a fried egg, bacon, American cheese, Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, chili, onion rings, or dairy-free Daiya cheese. You can also swap the sponge-dough bun for a gluten-free Udi’s bun.
11. Habit Burger: Grill Original Charburger
Habit Burger is a fast-casual restaurant chain whose claim to fame is its charbroiled hamburgers or charburgers. There are almost 350 Habit Burger locations in 16 states.
The Original Charburger is the signature burger on the Habit Burger menu. It’s made with a fresh, charbroiled, 100% beef hamburger patty, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo on a toasted sesame bun.
You can customize it by adding bacon or avocado for an additional charge. Each Original Charburger also comes with fries and a medium drink of your choice.
10. Fuddruckers: The Works
Fuddruckers is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in fresh, customizable burgers at over 75 locations in 22 states.
There are over a dozen burgers on the Fuddruckers menu, in addition to their Build Your Own Burger option. But the signature burger at Fuddruckers is The Works. It’s made with a fresh, 100% beef hamburger patty, smokehouse bacon, American cheese, and grilled mushrooms on a white bun.
You can customize almost everything about The Works burger. First, you can choose the size of your patty, from a standard ⅓ lb to a whopping ⅔ lb patty. You’ll also choose how you’d like your burger done, from medium rare to extra well.
Next, you can choose what kind of bun you’d like, including white, wheat, lettuce wrap, or even a gluten-free bun, for an extra charge. Then, you’ll choose which toppings you’d like from Fuddruckers’ produce bar, including lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and Pico de Gallo.
Lastly, you can add premium toppings for an additional charge, including smokehouse bacon, a fried egg, grilled mushrooms, chili, onion rings, avocado, grilled onions, and grilled jalapeno.
9. Whataburger: Whataburger
Whataburger is a Texas-based fast food chain dedicated to serving burgers so delicious that they’ll make you exclaim, “What a burger!” There are over 900 Whataburger locations in 14 states.
The signature burger on the Whataburger menu is, of course, the Whataburger. It’s made with a large beef patty, tomato, lettuce, pickles, diced onions, and mustard on a large bun.
There are a ton of customizations available for the Whataburger. For no extra charge, you can change the bun to a small bun, a brioche bun, Texas toast, or even no bun. You can even add an extra patty for no charge.
For a small charge, you can add American cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, blue cheese, bacon, fresh or grilled jalapenos, or avocado.
8. Steak ‘n Shake: Original Double Steakburger With Cheese
Steak ‘n Shake is a fast food chain famous for its steakburgers and milkshakes. When Steak ‘n Shake first opened, founder Gus Belt ground fresh steaks into hamburger meat right in front of his customers so they knew they were getting the freshest burgers possible.
The signature burger on the Steak ‘n Shake menu is the Original Double Steakburger With Cheese. It’s made with two 100% beef steakburger patties and American cheese on a bun, with the option to add lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, ketchup, or mustard.
This burger is served with Thin ‘n Crispy Fries, but you can swap it for a side of potato chips or applesauce for no additional charge.
7. Sonic Drive-In: SuperSONIC Double Cheeseburger
Sonic Drive-In is a fifties drive-thru-themed restaurant chain well known for serving American fast food classics. There are over 3,500 Sonic Drive-In locations in 46 states.
There are a ton of burgers on the Sonic Drive-In menu, but one of their signatures is the SuperSONIC Double Cheeseburger. It comes with two beef hamburger patties, cheese, lettuce, diced onions, tomato, pickles, ketchup, and mayo on a pillowy-soft hamburger bun.
If you want, you can upgrade it to a Combo, which comes with a side of French fries or tater tots and a drink.
6. Culver’s: The Culver’s Deluxe
Culver’s is a Midwest-based fast food chain famous for its ButterBurgers, frozen custard, and cheese curds. They have nearly 900 locations in 26 states.
Culver’s ButterBurgers are what originally made the restaurant famous. There is a variety of ButterBurgers on the Culver’s menu, but one of the most iconic is the Culver’s Deluxe. It’s made with fresh beef hamburger patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onion, and mayo, all on a lightly buttered, toasted bun.
You can make your Culver’s Deluxe a single with one patty, a double with two patties, or even a triple with three patties. You can also substitute the buttered bun for buttered sourdough bread, buttered rye bread, a gluten-free bun, or no bun. If you’d like, you can swap out the American cheese for cheddar or Swiss.
5. Burgerville: Colossal Burger
Burgerville is a Pacific Northwest-based fast food chain mainly known for its burgers. There are 40 Burgerville locations in Washington and Oregon.
There are a ton of burgers on the Burgerville menu, but their signature is the Colossal Burger. It’s made with one or two ¼ lb beef hamburger patties, American cheese, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, ketchup, and a special Burgerville Spread, all on a soft hamburger bun.
You can substitute the regular hamburger bun for a toasted or untoasted gluten-free bun or even a lettuce wrap. You can also substitute the American cheese for Face Rock or Tillamook cheddar.
If you want more with your Colossal Burger, you can ask to add bacon, chipotle aioli, mayo, or herb aioli.
4. Smashburger: Classic Smash Burger
Smashburger is a fast-casual restaurant chain famous for its Smash Burgers, which are grilled using a special technique that imparts extra flavor and juiciness. There are over 200 Smashburger locations in 34 states.
Smashburger features many different burgers on its menu, but their signature is the Classic Smash Burger. It’s made with one or two smashed, certified Angus beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, ketchup, and the special Smash Sauce, all on a toasted bun.
You can customize it by adding extra toppings, including ranch, truffle mayo, avocado, applewood smoked bacon, a fried egg, shaved brisket, sauteed cremini mushrooms, and grilled onions.
You can also add different kinds of cheese, including American, bleu cheese, aged cheddar, aged Swiss, pepper jack, and smoked cheddar.
3. Shake Shack: ShackBurger
Shake Shack is one of the trendiest burger chains, well known for its ShackBurgers and innovative milkshake flavors. There are over 250 Shake Shack locations in 30 states.
The signature burger on the Shake Shack menu is the ShackBurger. It’s made with one or two Angus beef hamburger patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and the Shack Sauce on a toasted potato bun.
If you want to customize it, add extra toppings like bacon, avocado, pickles, cherry peppers, sliced onions, and crispy shallots for an additional charge. You can also swap out the potato bun for a gluten-free bun.
2. Five Guys: Cheeseburger
Five Guys is a fast-casual restaurant chain best known for its delicious, unpretentious burgers, hot dogs, and fries. There are over 1,400 Five Guys locations in 49 states (No Five Guys in Alaska, unfortunately.)
The signature burger on the Five Guys menu is the Cheeseburger. It’s made with two fresh, 100% beef hamburger patties, American cheese, and a soft, toasted sesame seed bun.
The best part about this burger is that Five Guys allows you to add as many toppings as you’d like. There are many burger toppings at Five Guys, but some of my favorites are grilled mushrooms, relish, jalapenos, and A1 steak sauce.
1. In-N-Out Burger: Double-Double
In-N-Out Burger is a West Coast-based fast food chain famous for its burgers and “Secret Menu.” There are almost 400 In-N-Out locations in seven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Utah.
The signature burger on the In-N-Out menu is the Double-Double. It’s made with two 100% American beef hamburger patties, two slices of American cheese, fresh or grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and In-N-Out’s secret spread, all on a toasted bun.
In-N-Out’s “Secret Menu” offers a ton of ways to customize your Double-Double. You can make it Triple-Triple with three patties and three slices of cheese or Quad Quad with four patties and four slices of cheese. One of my favorites is the Protein Style, which substitutes the bun with a lettuce wrap.
