A Definitive Ranking of Signature Fast Food Hamburgers

When you're craving a juicy hamburger, where do you think of going first?

Chances are you have a go-to fast food joint for all your burger needs, but it might actually be time to reconsider and try someplace new. If you're looking to mix things up, check out our ranking of signature fast food burgers below. A big change just might be in your future.

12. Del Taco – Double Del Cheeseburger

If you didn't know that Del Taco sold hamburgers, you're not alone. While this burger isn't terrible by any means, it's also clear that burgers aren't the restaurant's specialty. It tastes like it's all meat and cheese, which isn't a good thing in this case. If you're going to go to Del Taco, you're better off getting Mexican food instead.

 

11. Rally's – Rallyburger

The Rallyburger tastes fine, but there's nothing distinctive about it. The meat patty isn't particularly flavorful, and the veggies tend to get soggy—though we do appreciate the inclusion of red onion on the sandwich. We also find that they're often not hot enough to actually melt the American cheese in the burger. That's not a great sign.

 

10. A&W – Papa Burger

If you like your burgers super greasy and enormous, you may get more mileage out of A&W's Papa Burger than we did. It has a nice, soft bun, but is overloaded with meat and cheese. The standard burger veggies and thousand island "papa sauce" help balance it out, but it's still a bit much for us.

 

9. Burger King – Whopper

We've always found the Whopper to be a little overrated. If you're looking for a massive burger, this sandwich has you covered, but if you want great taste and balanced flavor, this sandwich is just okay. Though it serves up an authentic smokiness from being chargrilled, the meat patty is usually pretty dry, and the slathering of mayo and ketchup doesn't fix it. Overall, it falls a little flat for us. Plus, we find it odd that the Whopper doesn't come standard with cheese.

 

7. McDonald's – Big Mac

The Big Mac is a classic for a reason. The combination of lettuce, pickle and secret sauce works well with the meat, bun and cheese of this burger, but mostly, we think it's genius that they decided to add an extra bun between the two meat patties. Though it tends to fall apart (and rarely looks like it does in the photos), our carb-obsessed selves wish the third bun was a standard thing.

 

6. Wendy's – Dave's Single

We were super surprised by the quality of this burger. It comes on a giant, deliciously squishy bun with super fresh veggies (including red onion), and tastes great. Though there's something a little weird about a square meat patty, it doesn't detract at all from the overall experience. Maybe we should try more square burgers.

 

5. Fatburger – Original Fatburger

It's tough to really judge a burger that's so customizable, so we ordered one with all the free fixings, and it was delicious. These burgers are huge, with the standard patties weighing in at a third of a pound before cooking. They're made fresh to order, which is a plus in terms of taste, but can keep you waiting for a while, depending on how busy Fatburger is. It's one of the pricier burgers on this list, but that's only because quality comes at a price.

 

4. Five Guys – Hamburger

It speaks to the confidence of the restaurant that Five Guys doesn't give its burgers any fancy, memorable names, and their hamburger stands out in a crowd. That's mostly due to the tender, well-seasoned patty. Though the bun tends to disintegrate as you dig in, it's only because of all of the juicy flavor running through the burger. It's a little greasy, but here, that's a good thing.
 

3. Carl's Jr – Six Dollar Burger

This burger is extremely good for a drive-thru fast food joint. The massive meat patty is nice and juicy and seasoned well, with a layer of melty cheese and veggies that actually taste super fresh. However, we'll deduct points for the name. Back in the day, "Six Dollar Burger" meant it was akin to a more expensive burger you'd get at a sit-down restaurant, and it cost $4. Now it basically costs the price in the name, which makes us think it's time for a change.

 

2. The Habit – Charburger

Despite its simplicity, there's something about The Habit's Charburger that feels a little fancy. The meat patty is smashed thin, but has a juicy, charred flavor, and the toasted bun adds a crisp contrast. On top of that, the cheese is melted and flavorful and the vegetables are in just the right proportions to add a balance to the burger. The Habit is practically a sit-down place, but their burgers are totally worth it.

 

1. In-N-Out – Double Double

This may be controversial, but we think that you can't do much better than In-N-Out's classically simple Double Double. First, the bun can't be beat. It's always perfectly toasted so the burger is spongy and crunchy all at once. The cheese melts beautifully, and you can tell from the taste that the meat patties have never been frozen. Plus, that delicious secret sauce elevates it to the next level (and it costs $3.45, making it one of the more affordable burgers on this list).

 

For more delicious-looking burgers, click HERE for a list of some of the tastiest hamburgers around the U.S.