# Best Burger Chain In The USA? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 7, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529 "2005-12-07T18:04:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/41 "2005-12-07T23:13:36Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > In-n-Out’s only OK, and their religious overtones are an ingredient I’m not fond of. I thought the overtone was _sexual_? 😕 Eh, don’t matter… **In-N-Out! In-N-Out! That’s what a hamburger’s all about!** ---
**Author:** ![Tevildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Tevildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tevildo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/42 "2005-12-07T23:50:49Z")
As a mere tourist, my vote is also for **In-n-Out**. Despite the giggle-inducing name. 🙂 The best non-chain burgers in the world are, of course, those served by **Brett’s** of Oxford between 1983 and 1991. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/43 "2005-12-07T23:57:17Z")
Fatburger and White Castle. Cease all discussion, the truth has been told. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/44 "2005-12-08T00:37:54Z")
Table service or not, nothing beats Fuddrucker’s or even comes close. Hell, you can buy fresh ground beef at the butcher shop, grill it in your back yard, and it still won’t be as good as a Fuddrucker’s burger. There is no contest, and I feel bad for anyone who doesn’t have one locally to try it. If you do have a Fudd’s and don’t like it, I doubt I can change your mind, but I don’t see how any other burger can compare. As a Florida boy, I’ve never had In ‘n’ Out or Fatburger, but I’d love to try them both. I think Sonic is my favorite fast food burger (plus they have tater tots and awesome desserts and drinks), Wendy’s can be very good, but I’m not fond of Burger King or Checkers (aka Rally’s) at all. Very rarely I’ll develop a craving that can only be sated by McDonald’s, but they’re not even in the same league as the other fast food burgers. Not even the same ballpark. ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/45 "2005-12-08T00:47:03Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Pssst. Look four posts up. Even better, look two posts above yours. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/46 "2005-12-08T00:58:06Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > My last trip to an In-N-Out was really disappointing. The burger was cold. Sorry, but a chain that serves me a cold burger isn’t getting many points. > > White Castle’s burgers are terribly addictive, so I’ll go with them for my U.S. pick. In Canada, it’s definitely Harvey’s. Yep. I’ll go with the sliders. Takes at least a dozen or more though, to fill me up. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/47 "2005-12-08T01:04:13Z")
Does anyone like Flaky Jake’s? Are they even around anymore? Good burgers, and I liked the dijon mustard. Not fast-food, but not really a proper restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/48 "2005-12-08T01:09:10Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Is Five Guys fast food or table service? I’ve never been to one; I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen one. It’s like fast food in that you have to take your food from the counter to the table yourself, but it is by no means _fast_, as the burgers are put on the grill when you order them. However, they provide a giant bag of peanuts by the counter for snacking while you wait for your food. And the fries are usually sublime. Thinking about it further, I realize that I made a mistake earlier when I voted for In-N-Out. I guess it’s only because I haven’t been back to the land of my birth for many years, but the _actual_ best chain burgers in the world are at Swenson’s Drive-In. Unfortunately, you have to be in Akron to get them. Hamburger Station also has wonderful burgers. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/49 "2005-12-08T01:17:58Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Does anyone like Flaky Jake’s? Are they even around anymore? Good burgers, and I liked the dijon mustard. Not fast-food, but not really a proper restaurant. I think Flakey Jake’s went under years ago. I remember them. Not Fuddrucker’s by any means, but pretty good nonetheless. They had a great red pepper relish. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/50 "2005-12-08T01:37:11Z")
Seems there was one at Pico & Sepulveda… (_Pico and Sepulveda La Breaaaaaaaa Tar pits! (Tar Pits!) La Jolla, Pacoima La Breaaaaaaaa Tar Pits! (Tar Pits!) You can keep Alvarado, Santa Monica, even Beverly Drive. Vine may be fine, but for me…_) Sorry. Got distracted. Anyway, I think there used to be one at Pico & Sepulveda only it closed. The last one I went to was in Orange County next to one of the freeways. It was on Ball, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/51 "2005-12-08T01:39:02Z")
Eh. [Got some of the lyrics wrong](http://www.armory.com/~gergen/Pico-and-Sepulveda.txt). But you get the idea. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eggerhaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@Eggerhaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eggerhaus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/52 "2005-12-08T01:41:46Z")
I’ll go with Sonic, but the best damned burgers in the world are at a hole-in-the-wall in Chicago, **Bill Grant’s Wonderburger** on the east side of Kedzie about a half block north of 111th Street. My mouth waters at the thought of a Wonderburger… ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/53 "2005-12-08T01:51:25Z")
I have never gotten the hype around In N Out. Their burgers are ok, because the onions and stuff are good and fresh. But Og- the fries are awful. I’m not sure if it is the oil they use or what, but there is some gross after taste. Icky. And Sonic- Sonic? Around here we all joke that Sonic is only good for the drinks- hardly anyone actually _eats_ there. 😛 Best burger? Tommy’s is good (I adore their fries as well), so is Red Robin if we are counting that. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/54 "2005-12-08T01:57:57Z")
In N Out spews. Been there twice, disgusting both times, and their fries are somewhat worse than store brand frozen ones. Yech. My town has a chain (of two) Bob’s Giant Burgers which are quite tasty. I like Red Robin, but the last time I went to one, in San Diego, it was late on a Sunday night and I was beginning to doubt I’d find an open restaurant at all. For fast food, I’d go with Wendy’s. I’ve never even seen a Fatburger. I did go to a Wottaburger in Phoenix, but just because of the tie to the Ramona books. (I’m sure this Wottaburger was not what Cleary had in mind.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/55 "2005-12-08T01:59:18Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > But Og- the fries are awful. I’m not sure if it is the oil they use or what, but there is some gross after taste. Icky. See, that’s the thing I can’t get my head around. How could _anybody_ like those greasy, soggy, limp fries that don’t even stay hot? I do like **Fatburger** ’s burgers better than In-N-Out’s, but they’re not _amazingly_ better. Just a bit better, probably because they use a little more salt and pepper. But the fries! Absolutely no contest. **Fatburger** ’s are better. One thing that always amused me about Tommy’s is the incredible variations in spelling the name. Did anyone ever eat at Meaty Meat Burger or, after it burned down and was rebuilt, Mo Better Meaty Meat Burger? When I worked for a defense contractor, our admin’s son owned it. Never got round to going there. (Fairfax and Venice, I think. Saw it all the time, never stopped.) ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/56 "2005-12-08T02:28:08Z")
_Pico & Sepulveda_? As in _Forbidden Zone_, Richard & Danny Elfman, _Pico & Sepulveda_? I knew I liked you! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/57 "2005-12-08T02:30:01Z")
Excuse me for a moment. Best Burger: **Culver’s Butterburger** [sub]yes, I said BUTTERburger[/sub] Best Fries: **McDonalds Fries** [sub]please bring back super sizes![/sub] You can go back to your regularly scheduled lives. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/58 "2005-12-08T02:39:17Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > _Pico & Sepulveda_? As in _Forbidden Zone_, Richard & Danny Elfman, _Pico & Sepulveda_? > > I knew I liked you! > > 🆒 One of my favourite films! I saw it on the big screen. 🙂 Bootlegged a VHS from a movie channel, got a legitimate VHS copy, and finally it came out on DVD. If you want to play the yenta, now you know who to hook me up with! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/59 "2005-12-08T02:43:13Z")
Anyone like the food at Doublemeat Palace? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529/60 "2005-12-08T03:12:45Z")
[Burgerville](http://www.burgerville.com/) sucks. Poorly made, lousy ingredients, overpriced and crappy customer service. When I complained to corporate headquaters with all the details, they didn’t even have the courtesy to respond. **In-N-Out** by far. However, one needn’t tell anyone about **White Castle** or **Krystals**. Down a dozen in one sitting on your own and within 30 minutes everyone will know anyway. 😃 Maccas still has the best fries, bar none. However, since their “i’m lovin’ it,” ad campaign has been running, I’ve been boycotting them. Same for Carl’s, Jr., even though I’ve never been there. For some reason neer-do-well commercials turn me off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-burger-chain-in-the-usa/334529.md?page=4)