US (as I think most answers in this thread are, people should really specify) I’m just gonna try to list every fast food burger joint I’ve been to into general categories
Top tier (in order)- shake shack, smashburger, five guys
Mid tier- checkers, cookout, Sonic, A&W, Freddy’s, Hardee’s/Carl Jr, White Castle (that ones gonna be contentious, I really like white Castle, but others intensely dislike them, so I’m hedging my bets putting them in the mid tier)
Bottom tier- Wendy’s, Burger king, dairy queen
McDonald’s is absolute bottom of the barrel, that said, they’re probably the most consistent, and they check off pretty much all of the things your body craves-salt, sugar, fat, protein, etc. so I’m not at all above grabbing a McDonald’s burger when it’s convenient and I’m hungry.
Not rated because I haven’t been to them:
In-N-Out, Whataburger, Fuddruckers, Jack in the Box, and probably a few others
And of course pretty much any hole-in-the-wall burger joint or sit-down restaurant will make a better burger, but that’s outside the scope of this.
Also US, and largely agree, but I would move Hardee’s/ Carl’s Jr. Down to bottom tier. That’s also where I’d put Jack in the Box. I’d put both In-n-Out and Whataburger as mid tier - I think both are VASTLY overrated.
Though In-n-Out is owned by a Christian Nationalist that’s hell-bent on turning America into (more of) a fascist oligarchy and openly using their wealth to destroy democracy, so they’re on my boycott list, along with Chick-fil-A.
I’d say that both White Castle and McDonalds are a separate food entity. In form, they’re both burgers. That much is true, but the overall thing that you eat is consistently something else.
This is may be more obvious for WC because in spite of being the oldest fast food hamburger, they also depart more radically from the norms of cooking and presentation. Whatever McD’s is doing is a little more arcane. It presents itself as a burger, but doesn’t really taste like a burger.
And if you’re adding regional chains, Culver’s deserves a mention.
Oh I know it. I’m unbiased being from the east coast and now living in the west. I still stand by my assessment. It’s not great and way overhyped. Oh and absolutely not worth waiting in a long line for.
US (as I think most answers in this thread are, people should really specify) I’m just gonna try to list every fast food burger joint I’ve been to into general categories
Top tier (in order)- shake shack, smashburger, five guys
Mid tier- checkers, cookout, Sonic, A&W, Freddy’s, Hardee’s/Carl Jr, White Castle (that ones gonna be contentious, I really like white Castle, but others intensely dislike them, so I’m hedging my bets putting them in the mid tier)
Bottom tier- Wendy’s, Burger king, dairy queen
McDonald’s is absolute bottom of the barrel, that said, they’re probably the most consistent, and they check off pretty much all of the things your body craves-salt, sugar, fat, protein, etc. so I’m not at all above grabbing a McDonald’s burger when it’s convenient and I’m hungry.
Not rated because I haven’t been to them: In-N-Out, Whataburger, Fuddruckers, Jack in the Box, and probably a few others
And of course pretty much any hole-in-the-wall burger joint or sit-down restaurant will make a better burger, but that’s outside the scope of this.
Five Guys is ok but is also 25-30% more expensive than most of the other places listed here, at least where I live.
Yeah, I’m commenting mainly on quality, not value, they’re probably about the worst bang for your buck in a burger
Also US, and largely agree, but I would move Hardee’s/ Carl’s Jr. Down to bottom tier. That’s also where I’d put Jack in the Box. I’d put both In-n-Out and Whataburger as mid tier - I think both are VASTLY overrated.
Though In-n-Out is owned by a Christian Nationalist that’s hell-bent on turning America into (more of) a fascist oligarchy and openly using their wealth to destroy democracy, so they’re on my boycott list, along with Chick-fil-A.
I’d say that both White Castle and McDonalds are a separate food entity. In form, they’re both burgers. That much is true, but the overall thing that you eat is consistently something else.
This is may be more obvious for WC because in spite of being the oldest fast food hamburger, they also depart more radically from the norms of cooking and presentation. Whatever McD’s is doing is a little more arcane. It presents itself as a burger, but doesn’t really taste like a burger.
And if you’re adding regional chains, Culver’s deserves a mention.
Solid list and order.
To add: Fuddruckers is mid tier to top tier.
Whataburger is mid tier.
In-N-Out is bottom tier (it’s a doctored McDonalds).
The entirety of the American South West will fight you on that In-N-Out opinion.
Oh I know it. I’m unbiased being from the east coast and now living in the west. I still stand by my assessment. It’s not great and way overhyped. Oh and absolutely not worth waiting in a long line for.
Fuddruckers let’s you customize so much of the burger, that if it’s not top tier, it’s kind of your fault haha