Top-10 burgers list deals blow to McDonald's, Burger King

Which fast-food chain has the best hamburger has no definitive answer. Some people love the familiarity of a Burger King Whopper or McDonald's Big Mac while others swear by regional favorites by In-N-Out Burger, Culver's, or Five Guys.

There's no real correct answer here as taste is subjective and what people expect from a hamburger can vary, but USA Today did its best to solve the problem.

“USA TODAY 10Best editors and a panel of burger lovers teamed up to find the tastiest picks on the menu. Then, readers stepped in to vote for the best of the best,” the newspaper shared on its 10Best website.

The results will likely spark endless water-cooler debate:

These were voted as the Top-10 fast food chain burgers:

10: Double Char from Habit Burger & Grill (They took first place in 2024)
9:Papa Burger from A&W
8: Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger from Jack in the Box
7: Double-Double from In-N-Out Burger
6: ButterBurger Cheese, Double from Culver's
5: Cheeseburger from Five Guys
4: ShackBurger from Shake Shack
3: Freddy's Original Double from Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers
2: Whopper from Burger King
1: Double Meat Whataburger from Whataburger

McDonald's tried to make a better burger

The results are especially embarrassing for McDonald's (MCD) because the chain has gone through a multi-year process to improve its burgers.

That's something the chain bragged about in a press release:

“Our chefs have been cooking up small but tasty improvements to the Big Mac sandwich, McDouble burger and our classic Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger and Hamburger – and we can’t wait for fans across the U.S. to get a taste. The magic is in the details:

Softer, pillowy buns that are freshly toasted to a golden brown
Perfectly melted cheese that will make you want to savor every last bit off the wrapper
Juicier, caramelized flavor from adding white onions to the patties while they’re still on the grill
Even more of everyone’s favorite Big Mac sauce, bringing more tangy sweetness in every Big Mac bite

Those efforts may have helped the chain sell more burgers, but it did not crack the top-10 list.

Still, McDonald's seems happy with its efforts.

“We found that small changes, like tweaking our process to get hotter, meltier cheese and adjusting our grill settings for a better sear, added up to a big difference in making our burgers more flavorful than ever,” shared McDonald's Senior Culinary Innovation Director Chad Schafer.

While it wasn't the winner, Burger King executives are likely happy that The Whopper made the list.

Restaurant Brands International (QSR) CEO Josh Kobza talked about his chain's iconic burger during its second-quarter 2024 earnings call.

“Recent menu initiatives, such as the Adams Family Menu, featuring Wednesday's Whopper, the Million Dollar Whopper campaign and the Melts platform have reinforced that guests crave innovation and high quality food at a great price,” he said.

Melts were a variant on The Whopper which have proved popular both in a burger and a breakfast variant.

He clearly sees The Whopper as a pillar of the company's success.

“For 2025, we'll continue leading into our key differentiators of Flame Grilling, the Whopper, and ‘Have it Your Way,' while enhancing quality and consistency through menu renovation and operational improvements,” he added.

Kobza believes The Whopper is something the company can keep coming back to.

“You'll also see us focus on the Whopper again. We had some very successful activations, things like the Million Dollar Whoppers where we had guest created versions of the Whopper that really appealed to guests and I think puts the Whopper in the right place as a premium product. So you should expect to see more Whopper innovation in 2025,” he added.