USA TODAY 10Best
Which burger reigns supreme in a fast food burger battle? Our readers have chosen
Best Fast Food Burger (2024)
We try not to think about those dark days when the burger menu at a restaurant was limited to just "hamburger" and "cheeseburger." Today's menus are packed with creative combinations of flavors and offer diners a wealth of options for a truly custom-tailored burger.
With so much to choose from, it isn't enough to know which quick-service restaurant chain delivers the best burger overall. USA TODAY 10Best's editors and a panel of burger buffs set out to crown the absolute best choices on these menus. Then, our readers voted for their favorites.
Here are the 10 best fast food burgers.
- The 1921 Slider - White Castle
- Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger - Carl's Jr.
- Whopper - Burger King
- ButterBurger Cheese, Double - Culver's
- Double Meat Whataburger - Whataburger
- Cheeseburger - Five Guys
- Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger - Jack in the Box
- BBQ Rodeo Burger - BurgerFi
- Double-Double - In-N-Out Burger
- Double Char - The Habit Burger Grill
Photo courtesy of White Castle
No. 10:
There are plenty of fans of the small, square, onion-laden sliders sold by the sack, and Time magazine even declared the Original Slider the most influential burger of all time. Inspired by White Castle's original burger born in 1921, the 1921 Slider consists of a thicker patty topped with cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, a slice of Roma tomato, lettuce, and pickles.
Photo courtesy of CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
No. 9:
With their Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger, Carl's Jr. ups the Western flavor ante with the addition of two crispy onion rings, two strips of bacon, American cheese, and tangy BBQ sauce to its two charbroiled all-beef patties on a seeded bun.
No. 8:
The second-largest fast-food hamburger chain in the world introduced us to the Whopper in 1957. Every year, Burger King sells over two billion of these burgers made with flame-grilled beef patties and topped with tomatoes, lettuce shreds, mayo, pickles, ketchup, and sliced onions — all on a sesame seed bun.
Photo courtesy of Culver Franchising
No. 7:
You may want to try Culver's chicken, pot roast, or fish sandwiches, but it's hard to resist the double ButterBurger Cheese, which made Wisconsin a serious contender in the burger wars. It's made with fresh, never-frozen beef seared to order and topped with real American cheese from the Badger State.
Photo courtesy of Whataburger
No. 6:
Conceived in Texas where everything is bigger, Whataburger features never-frozen beef served on a large bun. For the famished, the Double Meat Whataburger serves two 100% pure beef patties topped with tomato, lettuce, onions, pickles, and mustard.
Photo courtesy of Five Guys Press
No. 5:
Legions love the hand-formed burgers cooked on a grill at Five Guys. Count on American-style cheese melted between fresh patties that are placed on a toasted sesame seed bun with as many toppings as you want. The franchise touts the fact that it uses peanut oil, and there aren't any freezers in Five Guys locations, just coolers.
Photo courtesy of Jack In The Box
No. 4:
There's no clowning around with the Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger that has everything Americans love about a burger. It layers 100% seasoned grilled beef patties, two slices of melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onions, ketchup, and mayo on a bakery bun.
Photo courtesy of Ron Corso
No. 3:
Since 2011, BurgerFi has been stacking quality ingredients between a bun, offering new taste sensations for burger devotees. You may not be able to help yourself from bellowing "yeehaw" after biting into the BBQ Rodeo Burger that heaps charred jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, crispy haystack onions, and Memphis sweet BBQ sauce onto two patties of natural Angus beef.
Photo courtesy of ilona titova // Getty Images
No. 2:
Why do burger fans praise the Double-Double at In-N-Out? It's probably because of the scrumptious freshly baked bun made with slow-rising sponge dough, two slices of American cheese, two patties of 100% American beef, onions, tomato, lettuce, and a proprietary spread recipe unchanged since 1948.
Photo courtesy of The Habit Burger Grill
No. 1:
Charring burgers over an open flame since 1969, The Habit Burger Grill started in Santa Barbara, California, and has grown to some 350 restaurants. Order the Double Char from the California-inspired menu and get ready for two freshly chargrilled beef patties, caramelized onions, fresh lettuce and tomato, pickles, and mayo on a toasted bun. You can also add cheese.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate,... Read More
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is www.pleasethepalate.com and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate.
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is www.pleasethepalate.com and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a... Read More
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) and relies on her vast experience and gray matter to produce informative, entertaining content.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown (Chicago) when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) and relies on her vast experience and gray matter to produce informative, entertaining content.
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50... Read More
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at jamiesmithwrites@gmail.com.
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at jamiesmithwrites@gmail.com.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
