No menu item is quite as iconic as a fast-food cheeseburger, and every chain does theirs a little differently.
McDonald’s has been serving cheeseburgers since it was founded in 1940, and its most basic cheeseburger remains one of the cheapest items on the menu.
In an effort to provide better value, other chains have beefed up their most basic cheeseburger offerings with bigger patties and toppings with tomato, red onion, and shredded lettuce.
I tried and ranked cheeseburgers from five major chains: McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Sonic Drive-In, and Checkers.
All of the burgers were slightly different. However, there was a clear winner in terms of taste and value.
Here’s how five fast-food cheeseburgers ranked, from worst to best.
McDonald’s had my least favorite cheeseburger.
The most basic cheeseburger at McDonald’s cost $3.49, excluding tax and fees, at my local McDonald’s in Brooklyn, New York.
The cheeseburger came topped with a single beef patty, pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, mustard, and a slice of American cheese.
The cheeseburger had a smattering of diced onions across the bottom of the patty and inside the bottom bun. The cheese made the burger patty and top bun stick together, sandwiching the other ingredients inside.
I didn’t mind the cheeseburger, but it wasn’t my favorite.
Overall, it was a good snack but not hearty enough to satiate me for a full meal. I also thought the bun was a little flavorless, and the cheese could have been more melted.
The condiments also overpowered the taste of the burger — this cheeseburger really only tasted of cheese and ketchup to me, while the bun made my mouth feel a little dry.
I didn’t really taste the onions, though I thought the pickles were tart and crunchy.
Burger King’s basic cheeseburger was up next.
The cheeseburger cost $2.79, excluding tax and fees, at a Burger King in Brooklyn, New York. It was the least expensive burger I tried.
The burger came with American cheese, pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a sesame seed bun.
This burger appeared to be just a touch bigger than the McDonald’s burger. The cheese was also more melted.
While this burger had fewer toppings, it was more flavorful.
I thought the addition of diced onion and mustard on the McDonald’s burger did little to amp up the flavor, and I found this burger much tastier.
The bun had a distinct sesame flavor, and the beef patty had a slight smokiness that tasted fresh off the grill.
The cheese was thick and perfectly melted onto the burger patty, something I didn’t experience with the burger from McDonald’s. For its low price, I thought this burger was a good value.
Wendy’s Dave’s Single cheeseburger landed squarely in the middle.
While Wendy’s offers a variety of different burgers, big and small, the Dave’s Single is the chain’s most classic cheeseburger. Named after Wendy’s founder, Dave Thomas, it is available in multiple sizes, from a single to a triple-stacked burger.
It features one of Wendy’s signature square-shaped patties and is the chain’s version of a classic cheeseburger.
It cost $8.74, excluding tax and fees, at my local Wendy’s in Brooklyn, New York. It was the most expensive burger I tried.
The burger came slathered with condiments and toppings.
The Dave’s Single cheeseburger comes with a quarter-pound beef patty, a slice of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mayo, and onions.
When I lifted the top bun of the burger, it was practically dripping sauces, which I didn’t necessarily mind. There was also a generous serving of pickles and a large slice of tomato.
I thought the burger was tasty, but the condiments slightly overpowered the other ingredients.
Next time, I might remove the mayonnaise or ask for a half-serving to reduce how moist the burger was.
I thought the toppings tasted fresh, and it was a good size. However, I wasn’t sure if it was worth the high price tag.
Checkers came in second place.
The Cheese Champ, which is Checker’s most basic cheeseburger, cost $6.49, excluding tax and fees, at the location I visited in Brooklyn, New York.
The burger came loaded with toppings.
The burger had one patty and was topped with American cheese, tomato, red onion, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. It was served on a toasted “bakery-style” bun.
The burger was big and juicy. I thought it was a great value.
Checkers served one of the largest burgers I tried, and I thought it was also relatively affordable at just under $7. The burger toppings were fresh, especially the thickly cut sliced tomato and iceberg lettuce.
I thought the cheese and beef patty were both flavorful, and the burger had the perfect amount of condiments to add moisture and flavor without making it too soggy.
My only complaint was with the bun, which I thought was a little too thick and stodgy compared to Sonic’s fluffier bun.
Overall, I was impressed.
My favorite cheeseburger came from Sonic Drive-In.
The Sonic cheeseburger cost $8.04, excluding tax and fees, at my local Sonic Drive-In in Brooklyn, New York.
The burger came topped with one slice of cheese, pickles, tomato, lettuce, diced onion, mayonnaise, and ketchup.
There was a generous serving of each topping, and they were evenly layered across the burger patty to ensure that every bite had an equal amount of all the ingredients.
I thought this was a great classic cheeseburger, and I’d definitely order it again.
While it wasn’t the cheapest burger, I thought it was a great value considering its size and the amount of flavor packed into it.
The beef was juicy but well-seasoned, the cheese added the perfect amount of tang, the pickles and tomato were fresh and added a tart crunch to every bite, and the soft bun held everything together.
Although Sonic’s burger was quite similar to Checkers’, I preferred the more expensive option solely for its flavor. It simply tasted fresher and better overall.
The next time I’m reaching for a classic fast-food cheeseburger, I’ll stop by Sonic Drive-In.
The post I tried cheeseburgers from 5 fast-food chains and ranked them from worst to best appeared first on Business Insider.
