If you're a hamburger lover, the choices are endless when it comes to chain restaurants. From fast food to sit-down restaurants, you can find a burger pretty much everywhere, but they are not all the same. Obviously, everyone has their favorite, and this list won't change that, but maybe it will lead you to check out a new place. Some burger places are a bit inconsistent, while others are consistently terrible, but there are a few that stand above the rest. You may have to travel for some of these, but it's worth it. Here's our ranking of chain burger restaurants, from worst to best.
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00:00While hamburgers might have been invented in Germany, America has mastered the burger.
00:05Along with a bevy of spectacular burgers from coast to coast,
00:09there are burger-shaped debacles you'd be wise to dodge. Here's our ranking of
00:13chain burger restaurants in order, starting with the absolute worst.
00:18A trip to Sonic Drive-In is not a waste of time. They have many yummy items on their menu,
00:23from their iconic cherry limeade to their fantastic hot dogs. Other great choices
00:28include their onion rings and their spicy yet delectable cheddar peppers.
00:32However, if you're headed to Sonic for a burger, you will have a bad time.
00:36Sonic's burgers are so bland and so forgettable that you will be completely underwhelmed.
00:42By the final bite of your burger, you will be angry that you spent your hard-earned dough
00:46on something that wasn't any tastier than the mass-produced burger found
00:49at the closest elementary school. If you're visiting Sonic, stick to their famous slushes,
00:54their scrumptious ice cream, or simple snack food like the aforementioned hot dogs and onion rings.
01:00If you're serious about acquiring a top-of-the-line burger,
01:03Sonic is clearly not the place to go.
01:07If you visited Fudruckers as a child, you likely have extremely fond memories.
01:11Remember submerging your burger with so much liquid cheese from their cheese
01:15pump that your mom got embarrassed? Remember all the games, all the televisions,
01:19and the comfortable atmosphere that so enthralled you when you were young?
01:23Yeah, those were some fun times. Tragically, though, those times are gone.
01:28Fudruckers isn't what you remember. The fantastic, juicy, made-to-order burgers of
01:33yesteryear have been replaced by sad, overpriced burgers that don't do your memories justice.
01:39Don't let nostalgia convince you that a trip to Fudruckers is a good idea.
01:42It's a far cry from what it used to be in its heyday.
01:46Years ago, Fudruckers would have been in the top five or even the top three on a list like this.
01:51Now, this place is barely able to stay out of last place.
01:55Dairy Queen is great for what it is, but shouldn't be the restaurant you go to when
01:59you want to eat a great burger. Dairy Queen has a ton of Blizzard flavors,
02:03and many of them are amazing. Go to Dairy Queen when your sweet tooth is begging for a dessert,
02:08but don't visit this restaurant when you have a craving for a burger.
02:11At best, a Dairy Queen burger is a rubbery, disappointing sandwich that you'll try to
02:16forget as you eat your Blizzard. At worst, their burgers are a charred,
02:20soggy nightmare that might even leave you feeling sick.
02:23Pound for pound, White Castle burgers are decent. Unfortunately, they are just way too small.
02:29Their burgers, which they call sliders due to their puny size,
02:32will struggle to fill you up, even if you're not that hungry.
02:36You'll probably have to order five or six of these things to put a dent in your hunger,
02:40and dealing with all those sliders is more embarrassing than it is satiating.
02:44Skip the hassle and the awkwardness and just go to a better chain burger restaurant.
02:49To White Castle's credit, it does try to make up for its shortcomings by offering
02:53about a dozen types of sliders. Sadly, the quantity of choices doesn't overcome the
02:58lack of substance. Considering the sliders are so small, there's only so much they can do to improve.
03:04A&W has a history dating all the way back to 1919, and to this day, more than 100 years later,
03:11this restaurant chain is known for its root beer. The chain has been offering burgers for decades,
03:16and A&W even claims to have invented the bacon cheeseburger,
03:20which has now become a part of American life. While A&W has an impressive resume and should
03:25be proud of its longevity and accomplishments over the last century, all of that is ancient
03:30history. When it comes to the here and now, the burgers this restaurant offers are below average.
03:36For example, the original bacon cheeseburger may have been a novel menu item decades ago,
03:41but today, this sandwich is lacking in beef, bacon, and quality toppings.
03:45Part of the problem is the burger's massive buns overwhelming every other aspect of the sandwich.
03:51It's just too much.
03:53While no one would ever say McDonald's burgers are the best of the best,
03:57they do get some bonus points for being consistent. No matter where you are on the
04:01planet, you can order one of their burgers and be confident about what you will receive.
04:06Moreover, the Big Mac has been a national phenomenon since 1968. It's impossible to
04:11go through your existence as an American without at least having a couple of Big Macs along the
04:16way. The Quarter Pounder, which launched a few years later in 1971 and went national not long
04:22after, is also an American institution in its own right. While the consistency is admirable,
04:28the quality of McDonald's burgers simply can't compete with the competition.
04:32Thanks to that famous jingle, we know the many ingredients that comprise a Big Mac.
04:37However, despite all that is on it, a Big Mac has relatively little flavor,
04:41and certainly doesn't have the meaty goodness that other burgers boast.
04:45Add in the unhealthfulness of some of their other burger options,
04:49and it's clear that McDonald's is unlikely to ever rise in a ranking like this one.
04:54When it comes down to bang for your buck, Rally's really delivers.
04:58Their burgers are inexpensive and adequate enough for you to be satisfied with your visit.
05:03And if Rally's isn't in your region, you may know it better as Checkers. It's the same company.
05:08However, this chain burger restaurant comes up a bit short if you're simply judging their
05:13burgers for their quality without factoring in value. As good as Rally's burgers look,
05:18they lack the immense flavor found at competing restaurants. As an example,
05:22their Baconzilla looks like Wendy's Baconator and even has similar ingredients.
05:27However, the Baconzilla is not nearly as tasty.
05:30Likewise, as good as Rally's Big Buford looks, you need to keep your expectations
05:35in check when you order it to avoid being disappointed.
05:38Since opening their first location in 1986 in Los Angeles, Johnny Rockets has been a popular
05:44destination for those who want an entertaining 1950s diner experience while enjoying a good
05:49burger. While this restaurant consistently provides the fun, eccentric vibe of a 50s diner,
05:55the quality of their burgers is much less consistent. Even if you've had a very tasty
06:00burger from Johnny Rockets, don't be too confident that your next visit will result
06:04in a burger of equal quality. The late Anthony Bourdain found out firsthand that
06:09Johnny Rockets doesn't always live up to expectations. As he told Conan O'Brien,
06:15Look, I've eaten a lot of really nasty things on my show,
06:18but nothing as soul-destroying as my airport Johnny Rockets experience.
06:22If you're willing to roll the dice, Johnny Rockets is an okay place to go for a burger.
06:27But if you get unlucky like Anthony Bourdain did,
06:30you'll be talking about your misfortune for years to come.
06:34If you're okay with a perfectly adequate burger, Carl's Jr. won't leave you disappointed.
06:39None of their burgers will especially wow you, and you shouldn't go out of your way to visit
06:44one of their locations. But Carl's Jr. has a long list of available burgers,
06:48and none of them will leave you disheartened. Need help ordering at Carl's Jr.? The Western
06:53Bacon Cheeseburger is so unique that it's something you should try while you're still
06:57in the land of the living. This bad boy features a beef patty, a pair of bacon strips, a slice of
07:03American cheese, a delightfully tangy barbecue sauce, and most notably, onion rings within a
07:08sesame seed bun. Jack in the Box is a popular burger spot, particularly for those west of the
07:14Mississippi. For a newbie, ordering a burger at this place is a dangerous proposition. Some of
07:20the items on their burger menu are really good. However, others are a big disappointment. The
07:26Sourdough Jack is a big winner. Along with a beef patty, you'll find bacon, Swiss cheese,
07:31a high-quality tomato slice, ketchup, and mayo on a delicious sourdough bread.
07:36On the other end of the spectrum, though, is the Ultimate Cheeseburger. This burger,
07:40which contains two beef patties and both American cheese and Swiss cheese,
07:44isn't good at all. It has a mushy texture and a taste that somehow manages to be too savory.
07:50Plus, the melty cheese, buttery bun, and the presence of ketchup, mayo, and mustard make it
07:55a mess to eat. Do yourself a favor and skip it. After beginning life as a bar in the 1940s,
08:02Red Robin has grown into a chain restaurant in which burgers are front and center of everything
08:07they do. While they offer a pleasant sit-down dining experience and a number of inventive and
08:13tasty burgers, the fact that most of their burgers cost around $11 makes visiting a Red
08:18Robin an iffy decision value-wise. Many of their burgers taste good, but not quite $11 good.
08:25An example of the inventiveness of Red Robin's burgers is their Bonsai Burger,
08:29which apparently draws some of its inspiration from Japan. The beef patty is glazed with
08:34teriyaki sauce and is topped with grilled slices of pineapple along with cheddar cheese, tomato,
08:40lettuce, and mayonnaise. If you want to turn up the heat, opt for the Burnin' Love Burger
08:45that will immolate your taste buds with the help of fried jalapenos, a heaping dollop of salsa,
08:50and pepper jack cheese. While both of these burgers are really good,
08:54be prepared for some sticker shock at the end of your meal.
08:58The best thing about Burger King is that their burgers are all safely above average,
09:02and that makes it nearly impossible to mess up your order. Additionally,
09:06their beef has a flame-grilled flavor that is one-of-a-kind and undeniably memorable.
09:12If you love that flame-grilled taste, Burger King could leapfrog over the competition and
09:16become one of your favorite two-or-three burger joints. On the other hand, if you
09:20find that flavor off-putting, you may actively avoid Burger King for the rest of your days.
09:26The staple of Burger King's flame-grilled burger menu is the legendary Whopper. Beyond
09:31the flame-grilled taste, the meat is juicy, the bun is amazing, and the other ingredients are of
09:37high quality. If you want something heartier, the massive Triple Whopper with Cheese will
09:42fill you to the brim. If you're east of the Mississippi, there's a good chance you've
09:46never seen a Fat Burger, as a vast majority of the chain's locations are in California.
09:51However, in the Golden State, it seems like everyone has only positive things to say about
09:56this burger chain. And while Fat Burger isn't the cream of the crop, they certainly deserve
10:01their spot in the top half of our ranking. The most famous burger at Fat Burger is called,
10:06of course, the Fat Burger. This burger has a 100 percent beef patty, lettuce, onion, tomato,
10:12pickles, relish, mayonnaise, and mustard on a toasted bun. Interestingly, despite the name of
10:18this burger and the restaurant in which it is served, the Fat Burger features lean beef.
10:23The original Fat Burger has one-third of a pound of beef,
10:26and there are three larger versions, in case you're extra hungry.
10:31The tricky thing about Steak & Shake is that you really need to do your research so you know what
10:35to order. If you go in blind, there's a real chance that you will leave this burger restaurant
10:40with your tail between your legs. In theory, the Western Barbecue & Bacon Steak Burger should be
10:46really good. This sandwich has two slabs of beef, bacon, American cheese, fried onions,
10:52and barbecue sauce. Sadly, the reality of the situation is you shouldn't order this burger,
10:57because the barbecue sauce is way too sweet and has an artificial smoky aftertaste.
11:02Conversely, you'll be thanking the burger gods if you get your hands on the White Truffle
11:07Prime Steak Burger. This glorious beast features a pair of Swiss cheese slices,
11:11perfectly caramelized onions, grilled mushrooms, and a truffle aioli on a brioche bun that has
11:17been toasted. You're welcome.
11:20BurgerFi is quickly climbing the charts when it comes to having the best burgers around,
11:25and as time passes, expect them to only climb higher and higher. There's a lot to love about
11:30BurgerFi. First of all, BurgerFi claims that it only picks the top 1 percent of beef in the U.S.,
11:36and that the beef has no antibiotics, growth hormones, or steroids, and science backed their
11:42claim. Secondly, they have one of the best meatless burgers in the fast food universe.
11:47BurgerFi's VeggieFi Burger is so good that even the proudest self-avowed carnivores will
11:53happily devour it and enjoy every second of it. When ordering from BurgerFi's menu,
11:58there's really no need to complicate things. The BurgerFi Cheeseburger is a classically
12:03delicious burger that you can't help but thoroughly enjoy.
12:07You can't accuse Smashburger for burying the lead when it comes to their name,
12:11as their beef is literally smashed onto a buttered and seasoned grill in order to create
12:16the delectable flavor they're known for. While they aren't the only chain burger restaurant to
12:20smash their beef, they've taken the practice to the next level and have made it the focus
12:25of their entire operation. Like BurgerFi, Smashburger is a relatively new kid on the block.
12:31The chain was founded in 2007, and it already has more than 300 locations across 36 states.
12:38Beyond their smashing technique, Smashburger's success can be attributed to the fact that they
12:42have mastered just about everything on their menu. While the options are relatively limited,
12:47each and every item is really, really good.
12:50Considering that Wendy's is a fast food joint with more than 5,500 locations that can be found
12:56in every nook and cranny in the nation, the quality of their burgers is astonishingly high.
13:01Maybe it's because their burgers are square. More likely, the quality of their burgers is due to
13:06their practice of only using fresh beef that was never frozen at any point in time. The creme de
13:12la creme when it comes to Wendy's burgers is undoubtedly the Great Baconator. If you've never
13:17eaten one of these bad boys, you're missing out. It has half of a pound of their never-frozen beef,
13:22six slices of smoked bacon, two slices of American cheese, mayonnaise, and ketchup.
13:27The first time you eat one is borderline euphoric, and you can even have one for breakfast.
13:33Shake Shack hasn't even been around for 20 years,
13:36but their masterful burgers are impossible to ignore. Try one of their burgers,
13:41and you won't be surprised at all to learn that they've become so successful
13:44that they now have in excess of 275 locations around the globe.
13:49Don't let their name fool you, as the Milkshakes take a back seat at Shake Shack.
13:54Far and away the best item on their menu is the Shack Burger. It has tomato,
13:58lettuce, and a yummy bun that's made out of a potato roll. However, it's the beef that's the
14:04star of the show. Shake Shack only uses Angus beef that's free of antibiotics and hormones
14:09and was raised on a pasture, not in a factory farm. If you want something a little bit different at
14:15Shake Shack, the Smoke Shack is exactly what you seek. This fancy burger has delectable bacon on
14:21it that was smoked over applewood. It also has cherry pepper slices to add just the right amount
14:26of heat. When Whataburger was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, the impressive size of their
14:32burgers was the main selling point. While the size of their burgers will still impress you,
14:37it's the flavor that will have you reminiscing for days on end.
14:40The magic begins with the standard Whataburger, which comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles,
14:45onions, and mustard. It sounds relatively simple, but it's a fantastic burger that's
14:50so juicy and flavorful that it will keep your taste buds dancing. If you want to mix things up,
14:56go with a Double Whataburger or a Jalapeno & Cheese Whataburger that has enough jalapeno
15:01slices on it to make Whataburger's South Texas roots proud.
15:04I would like to buy a hamburger.
15:06I would like to buy the hamburger.
15:08Hamburger.
15:09I would like to buy a hamburger.
15:11Maybe we should stop.
15:12We don't quit.
15:13The top three spots in this ranking are separated by a razor-thin margin.
15:18All three chain burger restaurants have valid reasons why they deserve the top spot.
15:22When it comes to Five Guys, the freshness of the burgers and their obvious burger expertise
15:27make a compelling case. Going forward, it wouldn't take much for this chain to leap into first place.
15:33While Wendy's is famous for never freezing their beef, Five Guys takes it a step further.
15:39Not only is their beef never frozen, they don't even have freezers on the premises.
15:44That's an impressive level of dedication to offering fresh food.
15:47Furthermore, while other burger places claim to be experts in the field,
15:52Five Guys' chefs have the recipes down to a science,
15:55so much so that they don't even use timers. And that's basically unheard of in this industry.
16:01You can confidently shout from the rooftops that In-N-Out Burger has the best burger in
16:06all the land, and you won't get much pushback. People may look at you like you're crazy for
16:11climbing onto a roof to scream about burgers, but there won't be many who decide to argue against
16:16you. In-N-Out Burger has stupendous options, from the humble cheeseburger to the animal-style
16:22burger with grilled onions and pickles from their not-so-secret menu. The key to In-N-Out Burger's
16:27success is the mastering of ratios. The ratio of the beef to the cheese and the ratio of the beef
16:34to the bun are both ideal and result in a delicious burger. While other burger eateries are plagued by
16:41too much bread or not enough beef, that's never an issue at In-N-Out Burger.
16:46For 2020, the Harris Poll found that Culver's reigns supreme in the burger restaurant category,
16:52and we agree that this chain burger restaurant is the best in the United States.
16:57If you've never eaten a burger at Culver's, a smart way to think of this place is to consider
17:02it Five Guys, but with superior toppings. From their buns to their meat and everything in between,
17:08you can count on Culver's to deliver top-notch ingredients that are bursting with flavor.
17:13The most famous burger at Culver's is the Butter Burger. Don't be confused and think
17:18that this burger features a buttery meat concoction. The word butter in Butter Burger
17:23refers to the fact this burger comes on a buttered bun that has been lightly toasted.
17:28Bottom line? You'll be blown away by the freshness and the authenticity of all the ingredients,
17:33and you too will be exclaiming to one and all that Culver's is now the home of the best burgers.
17:43you