9 Fast Food Cheeseburgers, Ranked Worst To Best

Nikelle Murphy / Mashed

There are some dinnertime cravings that only a fast food cheeseburger can fix. You want a juicy, beefy patty that's ever so slightly greasy without being an oil slick. You want it blanketed with a slice of classic American cheese that melts perfectly over the top. (Save those fancy cheese accompaniments for another night, chef.) You may also want toppings that add freshness or an extra dash of tangy flavor. And, you definitely want it all sandwiched in a bun that's not going to wither away into nothingness before you finish your last bite.

Ground beef prices aren't going down anytime soon, which unfortunately means that when a cheeseburger craving hits, you're going to pay more than you used to for a fast food burger. With that in mind, I set out to taste-test and rank the cheeseburgers at all of my local fast food joints to see which one is truly the best.

We've ranked fast food bacon burgers in the past, but I wanted to see which quick-service restaurants could deliver a tasty cheeseburger without too many extra bells and whistles (or distractingly delicious bacon.) I bribed my family with a cheeseburger dinner in exchange for joining me on our quest to find the best one in our area. There were a few surprises along the way, but a theme definitely started to become clear: When it comes to a decent fast food cheeseburger, you really do get what you pay for.

Nikelle Murphy / Mashed

To take on the delectable task of sampling fast food cheeseburgers, I narrowed my list of options to fast food chains in my area. This doesn't include fast-casual spots like Red Robin, and it also doesn't include gas station stops — even though several gas station chains have food worth trying these days. The fast food stops I chose needed to have at least a regional presence, with 100 or more locations in the country.

At each restaurant, I ordered the most basic cheeseburger that also was comparable with others on the list. (Some larger chains offer value burgers, for example, and I skipped those because they would be smaller than what was offered elsewhere.) When possible, I ordered a cheeseburger with a ¼-pound patty, and the toppings that came with it. That said, I also ordered all of my burgers without ketchup. Follow your heart in the condiment department, but I am only friends with ketchup when French fries are involved.

I tried each cheeseburger while it was still fresh and hot, rather than compiling all of the burgers together before taste testing. I took notes on the freshness of the ingredients, the burger's appearance, taste and texture, and how the cheese complemented the entire sandwich. The cheeseburgers were ranked primarily on taste and the freshness of any included toppings, though I do mention price, since they varied by up to $3 between burgers. (Keep in mind, prices will vary by location.)

Nikelle Murphy / Mashed

I can't say I'm shocked by where this cheeseburger fell in the rankings, and somebody's always got to be last. That happens to be Sonic in this case, thanks to a generally flavorless burger patty and lackluster toppings.

The patty itself didn't have much color to it, and was one of the thinner offerings we sampled. The shredded lettuce quickly became wilted and soggy — not just from the heat of the burger, but also from an abundance of mayo put on top. The onions and mustard added some decent flavor, but couldn't outweigh the obvious fact that burgers just aren't Sonic's specialty. The American cheese was a fine addition and did its job, but didn't elevate the ho-hum patty beyond its already pedestrian status. The bun didn't fall apart, but also didn't add anything worth mentioning to the end result.

If you find yourself at Sonic, and really only want a cheeseburger to eat, this technically fits that definition. At $7.62 for just the cheeseburger, it's also one of the cheaper options on the list. In my own future, though, I'll skip the burger and order a Sonic milkshake with jalapeño poppers instead.

Nikelle Murphy / Mashed

This placement might admittedly have a lot to do with the fact that my family frequented McDonald's a lot more than Burger King when I was growing up. Old habits die hard, and all that. There are several fast food chains that I personally think do a cheeseburger better than standbys like Burger King and McDonald's, but if you put both of those classics in front of me, Burger King is probably going to lose 9 times out of 10.

There are some things that Burger King gets right. They are burger royalty, after all. For one, the Whopper with Cheese was truly one of the largest burgers I received in this cheeseburger quest. The sesame seed bun held up well despite the patty diameter, and the grilled flavor Burger King achieved was honestly better than most.

Despite the larger size, though, there just wasn't enough cheese for the size of the overall burger. That melty, umami goodness got lost among the slices of tomato and mayo-laden iceberg (it was truly too heavy on the mayo), and just wasn't the gooey, oozy show-stopper I was hoping for. At $7.83, it was among the more expensive burgers from old-school fast food places on the list, though I think the size of the sandwich justifies that.

Nikelle Murphy / Mashed

McDonald's "cheeseburger" is a $2.89 little guy that I knew wouldn't stack up to the regular-sized menu items elsewhere. Yes, you can totally get a smaller burger for pocket change, but it's not the ¼-pound patty that you'd expect when you get a burger anywhere else. With that in mind, I chose the closest comparison to other restaurants, which ended up being the Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

First, I'll say that if you're only looking for a comforting, nostalgic fast food burger, McDonald's could rank better than this. It wasn't the biggest patty, and it didn't win any awards for fresh ingredients — though the pickles underneath the respectable sesame seed bun gave the burger a welcome dose of acidity. But, the flavors from a McDonald's cheeseburger just hit a certain dopamine center in the brain, whether it's the best on the list or not. I liked a lot of other burgers better, but I don't blame you at all if this is your happy place.

There are some things McDonald's does really well in this burger, despite the slightly overcooked patty and the lack of overall freshness. You get two slices of perfectly melted cheese in this sandwich, compared to most burgers that only give one. I tend to like my burgers on the salty side, and this one was definitely seasoned well. Price is another thing in the pro column: At $7.30, only one other burger on the list is cheaper.

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Arby's has "the meats" — which now includes burgers. Arby's originally differed from McDonald's and other popular fast food restaurants in a couple of ways. One, it tended to be more expensive per meal than what you'd find at the Golden Arches. And, two, the chain specialized in roast beef sandwiches, rather than hamburgers.

However, in 2022, Arby's introduced a first-ever burger offering, which was met with critical acclaim. The chain has tried a variety of options, and now has several burgers in permanent menu spots. Some Arby's purists aren't fans of the change, but I was surprised by how good the Deluxe Burger — the closest menu staple to a regular cheeseburger — actually was.

The burger sells for $7.41 in my area, and it included a slightly smaller beef patty compared to ones like the Whopper. It made up for this by being incredibly juicy, though it was a touch bland by itself. The cheese was perfectly melted between the burger and the brioche bun. Arby's toppings included the freshest tomato slices of the bunch, along with thinly sliced red onions and crisp, shredded iceberg lettuce. The burger could have used more seasoning, but was elevated by Arby's burger sauce that comes standard on each one. If your burger selection is more about the sauce and fresh veggie toppings, this one could move up a few spots. But, I was looking for a bit more indulgent, cheesy goodness, so alas, it lands in the middle of the pack.

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Ah, Wendy's iconic square beef patty. Over the years, the fast food chain has used clever marketing to become synonymous with "fresh, never frozen" burgers that also happen to stick out of the buns at the corners. 

This burger was well-seasoned and full of beefy flavor. Every bite included plenty of meat to enjoy: The patty didn't seize up or shrink during the cooking process. The cheese was also perfectly melted over top, giving me the gooey vibe I want in a cheeseburger. The toppings weren't anything sensational, but they complemented the rest of the burger well. It might have been a touch too heavy on the mustard, but Wendy's app would make it easy to order it in a lighter quantity next time.

I was surprisingly most impressed with the substantial potato bun with this burger. Most of the buns in the burgers I tried — even for some that placed higher on this list — seemed like a bit of an afterthought. Not so in the case of Dave's Single. I'm not always a huge potato bun fan, but I was won over by how well the flavors melded with the rest of the sandwich, and how it added substance to each bite without becoming a distracting carb-bomb. It's also the cheapest burger on the entire list, ringing up at $6.88. I liked the actual burger flavor better from others higher on the list, but Wendy's still gets my vote in the more traditional fast food wars.

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Five Guys tends to dominate the burger industry in areas where it has locations. The chain has roots in a D.C.-area ma and pa shop, cooks its perfectly seasoned French fries in peanut oil, and gives you seemingly endless toppings for your burgers and milkshakes. But, those things come at a price, and a steep one at that. The "little cheeseburger" I ordered was actually one of the larger sandwiches I received in this cheeseburger-ranking venture, so no complaints there. But, I also paid $9.95 for it — over $3 more than what I paid at Wendy's.

To be clear, those burgers are not the same. I literally watched the Five Guys team start my burger from a pink, fresh patty and press it on the griddle until it was perfectly cooked and ready to top. Having the grills be front and center where customers can watch their burgers made to order is a key feature at Five Guys restaurants. This was one of my husband's favorite burgers on our journey: The burger was flavorful and tasted fresh, and the toppings were also crisp. The main issue I had was that, for the price, it wasn't a standout compared to other so-called "premium" fast food burgers. In this case, the cheese wasn't even melted, so we missed out on the gooey factor that makes cheeseburgers so appealing in the first place. It's a great hamburger, but the cheesy element needed some improvement.

Nikelle Murphy / Mashed

My area only recently welcomed its first Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, which means this cheeseburger experience was my first sampling of what Freddy's has to offer. As it turns out, I happen to be a fan. Freddy's is one of several fast food restaurants that offers a true steakburger, which incorporates cuts of more premium beef (think t-bones or ribeyes) into the burger mix.

Freddy's ranked well with me because it takes that ground beef mixture and makes smash patties with it, so each one is crisped and browned at the edges for a nice texture contrast from the more tender beef in the middle. The salted beef patties are smothered with two slices of American cheese, so no bite is without a touch of melted goodness. I was impressed that the burger I got from the drive-thru holds up to the pictures online: The burger also comes with two large slices of dill pickles, thick-sliced onions, and a generous helping of mustard.

The Original Double sells for $8.68 in my area, and for what you get, I'd say it's worth the price. I was a little let down by the bun — the toppings tended to risk sliding out. And, it was definitely heavier on the mustard than necessary. I like mustard on my burgers, but I would ask for less in future visits. The overall burger ended up being a little too tangy, and the cheesy factor was dampened just a bit too much.

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The Shack makes a point of calling attention to its premium 100% Angus beef in each of its smash burgers, which are formed from a proprietary blend with no added hormones or antibiotics. It's part of why Shake Shack has a reputation for being expensive, too, but in this case, the $7.94 price tag was a perfectly reasonable cost for a balanced cheeseburger. 

I ordered a classic Cheeseburger, which included a single smash-style patty and American cheese on a toasted potato bun. (For what it's worth, the default order online is to make this a double smash patty, which would come with two slices of cheese for extra indulgence.) I'll admit I was hasty in my online order and missed the spot to add lettuce, onions, or other toppings, but this burger didn't need anything else to be excellent. The cheese was perfectly melted over the burger, which had crisped brown edges that added extra texture and flavor from the searing process. The center of the burger remained tender, and each bite was juicy and full of robust beef flavor without being too greasy. 

My only minor complaint was that the burger spilled out over the bun too much, so there were some significant bites without the added flavor from the tasty potato roll. That said, I'd happily scarf down another one of these any day of the week.

Nikelle Murphy / Mashed

Trying a cheeseburger from Wayback was more of a personal investment than the rest on this list, since the closest location was a 30-minute drive. I'm now sad that there isn't a more convenient location, because the Classic burger I ordered is one I'm still thinking about days later.

Wayback has just over 300 locations across the country. However, they spread from coast to coast, which means it's entirely possible to run into one despite the lower restaurant count. Wayback is a burger chain that's slowly taking over America, thanks to strategic franchising — and some really great burgers.

The Classic comes with two smash-style patties, two slices of American cheese for extra gooey goodness, and premium toppings. The pickles were fresh and added zip, the mustard was in perfect proportion to the rest of the burger for some tangy relief from the cheesiness, and the green leaf lettuce (no iceberg here!) was crisp and bright green. I would skip the lettuce if you're planning to drive before eating the burger, since the green leaf would wilt from the heat of the burgers and become unappetizing. But, if you're eating it onsite or straight from the carryout bag, it's a worthy addition. The Classic cost $8.47, and was in line with the average size of the burgers I got elsewhere. It's definitely not a cheap sandwich by any means, but considering the fresh flavors and ultimate cheeseburger experience, I'd happily pay it again.