This Is the Best Fast-Food Burger in America, and I Had Never Even Heard of It

Whenever you ask people to name their favorite fast-food restaurant, things get heated pretty quickly. For everyone defending Taco Bell, someone else is advocating for Wendy’s. You might even get people who are a little more nuanced in their approach: Maybe McDonald’s breakfast is superior, but Popeye’s fries are elite.

The discussion can get even more difficult if you boil it down to a single item: best french fries, best spicy chicken sandwich, best secret sauce, etc. But that was something that USA Today‘s editors weren’t afraid to ask the public in their third annual reader poll. The editors asked about a very specific product: the fast-food burger.

I’m sure you immediately named the fast-food burger you think deserves the top spot. I know my answer, and I’ll share it with you in the next section. But I was genuinely surprised to see one burger fall from grace.

What is the best fast-food burger?

First, let’s talk about what restaurant did not make the top three: In-N-Out Burger. I was genuinely shocked by this. In-N-Out Burger, the cult-favorite West Coast burger chain, is known for its secret menu and serving up food “animal style.” Plenty of celebrity chefs name the In-N-Out burger as their favorite. But according to everyday Americans who responded to the USA Today poll, the best fast-food burger is the Double Char from Habit Burger & Grill.

Listen, I have never even heard of Habit Burger & Grill! I live in Illinois, and a quick glance at the Habit Burger location map shows that all their joints are on the coasts. In fact, like In-N-Out, the majority of their locations are in California—263, to be exact. These California burger chains sure are cooking up some tasty options.

USA Today’s Best Fast-Food Burger 2025 List

Here is the entire list, along with my (very important and scientific) personal opinions:

1. Double Char, Habit Burger & Grill: I respect the hustle in beating In-N-Out. Consider my curiosity piqued, Habit Burger!

2. Papa Burger, A&W: I am highly suspicious of this being ranked No. 2. There are several better burgers on this list—there, I said it.

3. Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger, Jack in the Box: I have never eaten this, but the photo looks good, so, while No. 3 seems high, I’ll allow it.

4. Double Double, In-N-Out Burger: Listen, this is a great burger—I’m not a hater. I just don’t like it when the same people always win.

5. Double ButterBurger with Cheese, Culver’s: This is by far the best fast-food burger and should be No. 1. I feel lucky to live in the same region as Culver’s.

6. Cheeseburger, Five Guys: I just do not get the Five Guys hype.

7. ShackBurger, Shake Shack: For what it’s worth, I think it should be higher. I put the ShackBurger on par with In-N-Out at least.

8. Freddy’s Original Double, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers: Another one I’ve never tried, but apparently it includes a lot of mustard, which I love. People are sleeping on mustard as a burger condiment.

9. Whopper, Burger King: This used to be the gold standard for quality fast-food burgers. Unfortunately, in a competitive burger market, it doesn’t quite stand out anymore.

10. Double Meat, Whataburger: The cult-favorite Texas chain is usually compared to In-N-Out, and honestly, the burgers look identical.

It’s clear that there are many regional preferences when it comes to choosing the best fast-food burger. In my dream world, everyone has access to a Culver’s ButterBurger, but until the chain expands its locations, I’ll just have to make due with spreading the good word on the Internet. And the next time I’m on one of the coasts, I need to try a Double Char at Habit Burger.

Related:

• The Best Fast-Food Ice Cream, Ranked
• The Best Fast-Food Chicken Nuggets, Ranked
• 10 Best Fast-Food Iced Coffees, Ranked