By Henry Brost

Burgers are an iconic part of American cuisine and one of the world’s most popular foods. Fast-food burgers are one of the most consumed foods in the world, and the numbers keep rising. In 2022, 50 billion burgers were consumed in just the US, and in 2023 that number was almost doubled, with 88 billion fast food burgers consumed. While the nutritional value of these burgers is questionable, most people can’t resist the taste.

Photo credit: @kyderbyfestival via instagram.

In a typical week, I eat one or two fast food burgers, so as an expert in this category, I have ranked five fast food burgers on a scale based on taste, price, size, and quality. I ranked 5 places: Cookout, Burger King, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and Five Guys.

Burger King comes in at number 5. I got the Whopper, which has a soggy bun and is very overpriced, at $10.29 for just the burger. The quality of the burger could have been better too, as there was way too much mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup, and yet the meat was dry.  The only thing decent about the burger itself was the size. If you’re looking for a burger with nutrients and protein, however, the Whopper is not for you, as it has 679 calories and only 31 grams of protein.

Photo courtesy of cookinitreal.com.

Wendy’s is number 4. I got a Dave’s Single, which was better than the Whopper but still was not amazing. The sizing of the burger was better than expected, and the price was lower, coming in at $6.49. The Dave’s Single has 590 calories, with 40 grams of protein, making it, by some standards, slightly healthier than Burger King but still not the best choice. The taste of Wendy’s burger was pretty appealing, but that could be because of the 861 grams of sodium and the 38 grams of fat.

Number 3 is a Cookout’s bacon cheeseburger. The burger had loads of flavor, with the right amount of toppings-to-meat ratio. The main downside to the burger was its small size. The burger was the least expensive of my selections, at $4.09. This small burger contains 578 calories, with 29 grams of protein. One thing to look out for in this burger is how it is 90% saturated fat, with 11.7 grams. The amount the human should consume per day is around 25 grams per day, so this burger contains almost half of your daily recommended fat content. 

Image courtesy of mashed.com.

Number 2 is The Five Guys bacon cheeseburger. This burger was amazing, Perfect taste, size, toppings, and just overall quality. Now you might be asking why it isn’t number 1. Well, this burger cost $15 just by itself. Although this burger tastes amazing, I have gotten an upset stomach after eating it the past two times, and that’s another factor for it not being number 1. This burger size is evident in its nutritional information, with 940 calories, 62 grams of fat, and 1,310 milligrams of sodium. That’s 57% of your daily recommendation. Overall, this burger tastes spectacular but has its clear downsides, and that’s why it’s number 2. 

Number 1 the notorious McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. This burger has every component to be number 1. It tastes amazing, is not expensive, is of sufficient size, and it’s not as unhealthy as everyone thinks. And it hasn’t made me sick. The burger’s health facts: 520 calories, 30 grams of protein, 26 grams of total fat, and 1140 milligrams of sodium. This burger has the least amount of calories and a solid amount of protein compared to the other burgers. 

Fast food burgers are changing every year, and I am excited to see what all these places do with their burgers and what health changes are made, since some need to change, and the public’s tastes are always changing.

Featured image credit: Tripadvisor user MeDC65.