Best Fast Food Burgers & Fries

[kcowan]

Too bad you guys don't get a chance to try:
Harveys
White Spot (eat in)
A&W
all pretty good for me.
Carl's Jr in Mexico too.

 

[smoghat]

I remember liking A&W, but it's a long time ago.

Best burgers ever? Apple Pan in Los Angeles, but that doesn't qualify, being one stand.

OH! I like Johnnie Rockets (a rip off of Apple Pan). Should be on my list. I'll add.

 

[explanade]

What’s the most you’ve paid for a burger?

I think I paid around $25 at a hotel in Hong Kong.

I don’t remember what it was like but a lot of it was about the views.

 

[bw5972]

My personal ranking would be:




Burger King
White Castle
Wendy’s
Culver’s
Steak ‘n Shake
McDonalds
Shake Shack
Five Guys
Sonic
Dairy Queen
Rally’s

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I would vote:

1. In-N-Out
2. Freddy's (or Steak and Shake...since they are pretty much identical and cooked the same)
3. Smashburger

I don't really eat burgers anywhere else, so can't rank them. My DW loves Whataburger, but I never really enjoyed them. Hardee's (Carl's Jr.) used to have a fantastic mushroom Swiss burger (back in the 90's) that I would give a kidney if I could have it just *one more time*

Locally in the NW ATL area, there is Rhea's which whoops all the above restaurants asses. As a matter of fact, I think I am going to have that for lunch today.

 

[dtbach]

1. Culver’s
2. In-And-Out
3. Steak ‘n Shake
4. McDonalds
5. Burger King
6. Wendy’s
7. Hardee's
8. Shake Shack
9. DQ

Ugh: Five Guys, Sonic (Never had a good experience at either)

 

[RunningBum]

I guess I'm an outlier, I like Burger King. Wendy's too. I had Whataburger a couple times when I lived in Texas, and thought it was no better, no worse. Stake N Shake is about the same for me as well. McDonalds is below for me. As I said in the other thread, 5 guys ranks low for me too. I *think* I got to an In N Out a couple years ago in CA and it was fine, but barely above the others.

Disclaimer that I don't put a bunch of toppings on a burger. Ketchup and lettuce, and maybe cheese, especially if I can get mushrooms as well. So if some of those places specialize in topping, it's lost on me. There's a burger place in the neighborhood I grew up in that gets a lot of raves. I looked into it, and if you want a peanut butter and guacamole burger, that's the place to go. Maybe not quite that combination, but I've seen some weird ones.

 

[Silver]

We like Hardee's for the (very) occasional burger. DH is partial to their bacon/cheese, and I really enjoy the mushroom/swiss. We have a Culver's very near to us, but they seem pretty blah. We'll drive past them anytime for a Hardee's.

 

[Dawg52]

We like Hardee's for the (very) occasional burger. DH is partial to their bacon/cheese, and I really enjoy the mushroom/swiss. We have a Culver's very near to us, but they seem pretty blah. We'll drive past them anytime for a Hardee's.

The thing about Hardee's around here is they are so slow. Not bad tho. I like their morning stuff better.

 

[bloom2708]

A Burger King double cheeseburger (or two) and a Medium Fry is pretty darn good for the price. I must be hungry.

 

[jimbee]

I thought it was Arbys.

Reminded me of this.

 

[timo2]

My favorite is Blakes Lotaburger, with locations in NM, AZ, and TX. Then IN n OUT, then Whataburger, then Steak n Shake. Where I live now, there are no In n OUTs or Steak n Sheaks

 

[Texas Proud]

What’s the most you’ve paid for a burger?

I think I paid around $25 at a hotel in Hong Kong.

I don’t remember what it was like but a lot of it was about the views.

Or something different... who ordered a hamburger and got something else?? That happened to me in China... it was a solid piece of some kind of meat that was tough and chewey... you could not bit through it... and this was at a 4 or 5 star hotel...

 

[Teacher Terry]

5 guys is not good here. Chick fila is consistent no matter what part of the country I have eaten in. In and out tops here.

 

[Dtail]

5 guys is not good here. Chick fila is consistent no matter what part of the country I have eaten in. In and out tops here.

+1 on Chick Fil A

 

[DFDubb]

Chick Fil A is probably the best run, most consistent, franchise businesses in this country. Every single one of them is amazing when it comes to staff, efficiency, consistency, etc....it really is kind of amazing.

Wife and I refuse to eat it because it's run by a bunch of bigots. Albeit, very business savvy bigots.

 

[RobbieB]

In-N-Out by far.

 

[ownyourfuture]

This is the KING. I’d treat myself to one 2 or 3 times a year. Wouldn’t want to know how much sodium & saturated fat it contained, but by God it was delicious!
Unfortunately, it went away a year or two ago. Tried to replicate it @ home, but failed.

 

[braumeister]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas.

The Heart Attack Grill is an American hamburger restaurant in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada...
The establishment is a hospital theme restaurant: waitresses ("nurses") take orders ("prescriptions") from the customers ("patients")...
"Single", "Double", "Triple", "Quadruple", all the way up to "Octuple" "Bypass" hamburgers, ranging from 8 to 32 ounces of beef (up to about 8,000 calories), all-you-can-eat "Flatliner Fries" (cooked in pure lard)...

 

[Walt34]

I'd love to go to the Heart Attack Grill, just once. At least they're honest. As a teenager I could probably have polished off an Octuple Bypass burger or at least put a respectable dent in it. Those days are long gone though.

Locally, I'd have to say Burger King then McDonalds. There are a couple of Dairy Queens around but I've never been in one and it's been probably a decade since I've been in any fast food place.

 

[ownyourfuture]

Chick Fil A is probably the best run, most consistent, franchise businesses in this country. Every single one of them is amazing when it comes to staff, efficiency, consistency, etc....it really is kind of amazing.

Wife and I refuse to eat it because it's run by a bunch of bigots. Albeit, very business savvy bigots.

My sarcasm alarm is going off.

 

[explanade]

Chick Fil A is probably the best run, most consistent, franchise businesses in this country. Every single one of them is amazing when it comes to staff, efficiency, consistency, etc....it really is kind of amazing.

Wife and I refuse to eat it because it's run by a bunch of bigots. Albeit, very business savvy bigots.

There is one here about 5 miles from my house, seems pretty popular.

I've only tried the grilled chicken sandwich a couple of times. It was okay but I wouldn't go out of my way or wait too long for it.

I guess their most popular items are the deep fried chicken sandwiches. Maybe I'll try it but I try to avoid deep fried foods.

In N Out is also run by devout religious people. There are scriptures in the wrappers.

I don't mind them, they've donated to both parties and are said to treat their employees pretty well.

But I prefer Habit Burger to either.

 

[Bamaman]

Chick Fil A is probably the best run, most consistent, franchise businesses in this country. Every single one of them is amazing when it comes to staff, efficiency, consistency, etc....it really is kind of amazing.

Wife and I refuse to eat it because it's run by a bunch of bigots. Albeit, very business savvy bigots.

Bigots? Look in the mirror.

Do you have any idea how many employees have been sent through college by Truett Cathy personally and also his company? He was a man of the utmost integrity, and quite a philanthropist in the South Atlanta area.

The reason they are consistent and efficient is because they simply have higher quality people working for them. And I understand after they finally went into New York City, you can barely even get in the door of their locations.

Do I eat there? No. I can spend $12 and still come out hungry. But it's good.

 

[Bamaman]

Hardees/Carl Jr. really have the best "somewhat" fast food hamburgers. They are hot when they come out, however.

Most of the other burger places mentioned above are really not that appetizing to me.

One overlooked burger is at the somewhat down and out Shoneys. It's great by any standards.

 

[braumeister]

Talking about the products is one thing, but the management of burger restaurants would fall into a different thread, wouldn't it? And wouldn't have anything to do with early retirement, IMHO.