# What chain fast food place has the worst "Signature" hamburger? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111 "2019-03-14T04:15:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/21 "2019-03-14T15:03:05Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Tho I prefer to go to Fuddrucker’s for my medium rare burgers. I’ve never gotten a medium-rare burger at the local Fuddy’s, even though I always ask for one. They’re cooked gray all the way through but at least there’s some juice left, unlike when I slip up and forget to specify. In-n-Out I get a 2x1 rather than the double double; that makes it the right amount of cheese for me. And concerning the worst signature burger, add me to the Big Mac chorus. ---
**Author:** ![Caldris\_bal\_Comar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Caldris\_bal\_Comar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldris_bal_Comar)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/22 "2019-03-14T15:54:01Z")
Big Mac is the worst IMO. Proportions are all wrong, particularly in terms of sauce, which there is far too much of. Dave’s Doubles at Wendy’s are my go-to fast food burger, especially with blue cheese added. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/23 "2019-03-14T17:09:29Z")
The best is Jack n the Box and the worst is MacDonald’s. Jumbo jacks are cheap use high quality veggies and are better when they aren’t a cheeseburger in terms of value to price. The Big Mac is the opposite it is 60% more expensive but they use gross wilted lettuce and the secret sauce is a worse version of thousand island dressing plus there is that weird dry bun in the middle. I’ve been eating a bunch of Wendy’s lately since they are next to my office and I just can’t find anything I like on their menu it isn’t gross like MacDonald but nothing is good. The whopper is second on my list because it’s big and again it has decent veggies though not as good as jack n the box. The fake smoke flavor doesn’t bother me. I’d put Carl’s Junior in the middle though they are hard to eat cleanly and have a bit a weird flavor I find hard to describe. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/24 "2019-03-14T17:33:54Z")
I don’t get the Wendy’s hate. To me it’s by far the best of the nationals. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/25 "2019-03-14T17:45:26Z")
IHOP’s recent foray into burgers. Yes, I went in and had one. It was maybe the worst burger I have ever had. Tasteless. I have better burgers that were pan fried and places on wonder bread. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/26 "2019-03-14T17:52:12Z")
Any burger that has ketchup on it by default is suspect. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/27 "2019-03-14T19:21:47Z")
I don’t often have a Whopper appetite these days when I eat fast food, but I eat the occasional Whopper Jr., and they’re fine. I like the Big Mac as long as it has enough special sauce. I used to eat at Wendy’s a fair amount, but that was \>20 years ago; there’s no Wendy’s that’s on my usual routes these days. Back then they didn’t even have a signature burger, just single/double/triple with whatever you wanted on it. And I’ve never eaten at any of the other four places in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/28 "2019-03-14T19:37:21Z")
The last time I was in McDonalds, I was shocked to find I had to pick a burger on ‘my choice of artisinal roll’ on a fucking TOUCHBOARD. Pay, take a number (an actual sign with a number, go sit down, put it on the table, and they would deliver it to me. This shittery, from the Home of Ronald McDonald…All I can think is, it might be a ploy to keep the homeless and poor out of the joint. Because there were poor people in there, paying with handfuls of change…I mean. La di f’ing LA. McDonalds??? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/29 "2019-03-14T20:07:22Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I don’t often have a Whopper appetite these days when I eat fast food, but I eat the occasional Whopper Jr., and they’re fine. > And I’ve never eaten at any of the other four places in the OP. The Whopper Junior is better I think. The smaller size means it’s not as sloppy. I think the top three are the only truly national burger chains. I may have eaten at Jack-in-the-Box once. I know I’ve never been to any of the other three. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/30 "2019-03-14T20:08:37Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > The last time I was in McDonalds, I was shocked to find I had to pick a burger on ‘my choice of artisinal roll’ on a fucking TOUCHBOARD. Pay, take a number (an actual sign with a number, go sit down, put it on the table, and they would deliver it to me. This shittery, from the Home of Ronald McDonald…All I can think is, it might be a ploy to keep the homeless and poor out of the joint. Because there were poor people in there, paying with handfuls of change…I mean. La di f’ing LA. McDonalds??? What is wrong with them trying to upgrade their menu and customer experience? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/31 "2019-03-14T20:10:40Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I don’t get the Wendy’s hate. To me it’s by far the best of the nationals. It’s a great restaurant and I also think their fries are the best. Honestly, they are probably the best in most areas. I would say that In-N-Out is the worst chain overall. They make the worst french fries I’ve ever seen in a fast food restaurant and their burgers are decent, but no better than Wendy’s(I would put Wendy’s above them actually). Worst signature burger? Probably the\*\* Big Mac\*\* from the choices you listed. McD has other, much better, food. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/32 "2019-03-14T20:48:13Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I don’t get the Wendy’s hate. To me it’s by far the best of the nationals. Yeah. It’s one of the few that doesn’t make me feel sick after eating. I went to Arizona once and was excited to try Whataburger. That place is a god damn joke. Like our A&Ws around here. They must only exist because of nostalgia. Best burger chain burger is from Johnny Rockets. Red Robin is ok, maybe beating Wendy’s ---
**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:** [March 14, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/33 "2019-03-14T20:51:56Z")
When I was in grad school there was a chain called [Burger Chef](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burger_Chef) with an outlet near campus. Worse than any of the stuff mentioned here. Much worse. Dead now. May it rest in puke. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/34 "2019-03-14T20:58:42Z")
The Sonic Cheeseburger isn’t very good, but it’s better than their hotdogs which constitute a war crime in Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/35 "2019-03-14T21:10:55Z")
oh god, I lived in a place that had a burger chef … it was closed down by the health department and then it company bankrupt and the building was sold to Hardees after a few years… burger chef I think has gone down as the worst fast food chain in American history ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/36 "2019-03-14T21:18:51Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Yeah. It’s one of the few that doesn’t make me feel sick after eating. > > I went to Arizona once and was excited to try Whataburger. That place is a god damn joke. Like our A&Ws around here. They must only exist because of nostalgia. > > Best burger chain burger is from Johnny Rockets. Red Robin is ok, maybe beating Wendy’s I had Whataburger once in Texas. Nothing special. I would put Johnny Rockets and Red Robin in a different category. They are sit down restaurants not fast food. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/37 "2019-03-14T21:21:46Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > The last time I was in McDonalds, I was shocked to find I had to pick a burger on ‘my choice of artisinal roll’ on a fucking TOUCHBOARD. Pay, take a number (an actual sign with a number, go sit down, put it on the table, and they would deliver it to me. This shittery, from the Home of Ronald McDonald…All I can think is, it might be a ploy to keep the homeless and poor out of the joint. Because there were poor people in there, paying with handfuls of change…I mean. La di f’ing LA. McDonalds??? You know nobody’s forcing you to use the touchscreen, right? The cashiers are still there. Say hi to them! I promise they won’t tell at you. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/38 "2019-03-14T21:32:56Z")
I go to McD’s for the chicken sandwiches. > [@Smapti](#): > > You know nobody’s forcing you to use the touchscreen, right? The cashiers are still there. Say hi to them! I promise they won’t tell at you. The touchscreen at the one nearest to here almost always has none of those little numbered signs available, making it virtually useless. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/39 "2019-03-14T22:03:32Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Wendys - Double Stack (Debatable, they introduced “Dave’s Hot N Juicy Burger” in That’s the value menu burger that’s roughly equivalent to the McDonald’s McDouble, not a signature burger. I think Wendy’s is trickier to pinpoint because they mostly operate off the "Dave’s " (single/double/triple) burger system with everything in 1, 2, or 3 patties with chicken options all with the choice of 3 different chicken product patties possibly just as popular as the burgers. I would say their’s is The Baconator, unless you go with “Dave’s (Whatever).” The Baconator is OK for meat volume but I like toppings on burgers. I miss the Big Bacon Classic (I think that’s what it was called). Now they even have all these other gimmick burgers like the S’awsome Sauce Bacon Cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111/40 "2019-03-14T22:06:38Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I had Whataburger once in Texas. Nothing special. > > I would put Johnny Rockets and Red Robin in a different category. They are sit down restaurants not fast food. Same about Whataburger. I got one in Houston and it was a decent burger but he literally reminded me of every single burger you would get at a non-chain hole-in-the-wall burger place. They all have that “almost fresh” taste to them like the ingredients are just slightly past their freshness date. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-chain-fast-food-place-has-the-worst-signature-hamburger/831111.md?page=3)