The cheeseburger. It’s a classic fast-food cuisine. It’s packed with a rich, flavourful beef patty topped with a thin slice of cheddar cheese, complemented with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles the sour-sweet taste of ketchup and all stuffed in between a soft white hamburger bun. Affordable, accessible, and tasty, Americans nationwide eat hamburgers regularly but which is the one that’s worth your buck? I took it upon myself to answer this question. Hoping from one fast food restaurant to another, I compiled a list of the top 5 best fast food restaurants to get a burger. 

First stop, Burger King. Unfortunately, Burger King offered a mediocre cheeseburger. The bun was semi-flat, with tasteless sesame seeds that fell off quickly. The patty was dry, and extra toppings were limited. When the cheese melted into the patty, it became an old-looking yellow mush. Overall, the franchise constructed the burger using visibly cheap and low-quality ingredients and presented poorly. The burger was sadly in last place out of the rest of the burgers, but it’s an excellent option for those who want something cheap, accessible, and straightforward. 

Secondly, I visited Mcdonalds. Mcdonald’s is a corporation appreciated by millions worldwide, so for the rating, I tasted a worldwide favorite, the quarter pounder with cheese. It’s a minimalistic burger with all the usual components: pickles, ketchup, onions, and mustard. What differentiates this burger- besides its low price- is the distinguishable taste of cheese. McDonald’s made American cheese a service by ensuring its flavor remains consistent among the other ingredients. The corporation serves its customers a notable savory experience, but it still has some faults despite that. The texture knocked this burger down a few pegs. It was a flat burger, the beef was a little dry, and although meat and cheese were abundant, the other ingredients needed a higher volume. It felt like there needed to be more sauce, tomato, or pickles. Overall, the burger deserves a modest 4th-place ranking.

Wendy’s cheeseburger stood in 3rd place with a surprisingly decent burger. Considering the low price, I was pleasantly surprised to find high-quality flavors and great texture to accompany the burger. It had double-stacked patties, which was a great option for meat lovers. This burger is the one to order if you must have a condiment and a meat-loaded cheeseburger. Dave’s Double is the first burger I’ve tried with a little more mayo than ketchup, which is my preference. The creamy mayonnaise helped offset some of the tangy-sour flavor of ketchup. This addition helped reduce the chewiness of meat, which can get overwhelming for double-stacked burgers.

Five Guys is an excellent destination if you enjoy a burger resembling a homemade burger. The patty is made with 100% ground beef and offers a delicious, natural taste. The food is also fresh and cooked on a grill compared to other fast food places. Five Guys is an excellent spot for those who prefer a homestyle burger. However, the burger seemed to fall apart quickly, making it hard to eat. The burger is unique from other companies but worth every penny and will make you want to return anytime those burger cravings hit. 

Lastly, Shake Shack’s Shackburger deserved my number 1 ranking for the best burger on the list. The burger was abundant in flavor and texture, but nothing about it was overwhelming. The burger elements came together harmoniously, and each ingredient paired with the others quite well. One of its most notable features was the bun. The potato buns, toasted with butter, were pillowy but slightly crispy on the bottom. This component paired well with the patty. Despite being firm on the outside, the inside of the beef patty was chewy and rich. The secret Shake Shack sauce pulled all the flavors together, giving the burger a hint of sweetness and savory.