# Which Fast Food Burger Joint has The Cheapest Burgers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [November 26, 2022, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575 "2022-11-26T08:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/21 "2022-11-26T20:11:45Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > They have a burger bar so you can build an entire salad on top of the burger. Reminds me of Woody’s Smorgsabord which was an institution of great repute when I was in high school. They chargrilled the burger as you were standing at the counter, gave it to you with the bun and whichever cheese you selected, if any. Then, the condiments etc. were in a salad bar type configuration. Best of all, they also had a soft serve ice cream make-you-own-sundae bar which had chopped peanuts. I love chopped peanuts on a burger. The only other place I could get them was at the late lamented Hamburger Hamlet. Why do all the really good places die? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/22 "2022-11-26T20:47:12Z")
Had a place in the town I grew up in called “Randys”. They had a burger bar as far back as the 60’s. They were a burger joint but served fried chicken too. “Little Red Hen” brand fried chicken. Don’t know if that was a national brand or their own brand. Greasiest chicken ever. Couldn’t hardly hold on to it because it kept slipping out of your hands. And loaded with sodium. You were thirsty for a week after eating that shit, ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/23 "2022-11-26T20:50:01Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > They had a burger bar as far back as the 60’s. Yeah, Woody’s was older than me, and I was in high school in the 60s. It probably started in the early 50s. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/24 "2022-11-26T21:14:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And in every other regard, McDonald’s “value menu” is the worst of all of the major fast-food chains. On the plus side, if I eat a McDonald’s cheeseburger, I’m no longer hungry for a few hours. I’m not really full, I just can’t think about food anymore. ---
**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:** [November 26, 2022, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/25 "2022-11-26T21:22:42Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > They chargrilled the burger as you were standing at the counter, gave it to you with the bun and whichever cheese you selected, if any. Then, the condiments etc. were in a salad bar type configuration. Sounds like [Fuddruckers](https://www.fuddruckers.com/menu). There used to be several reasonably close-by, but they’ve fallen on hard times and contracted quite a bit from their hey-day. Truly excellent burgers, though, and one of the few places that had a red pepper relish on offer. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2022, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/26 "2022-11-26T23:11:19Z")
For while, Shoney’s would give you a burger and 41 cents for your trouble. Allow me to explain. In college, we would often go to Shoney’s for the soup, salad and fruit bar, which cost $4.39 back then. However, you could add the bar to any sandwich you ordered off the menu for $1.99. And the basic Shoney’s burger (no cheese) cost $1.99. Ergo, Shoney’s, the home of the -41 cent hamburger. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/27 "2022-11-27T00:48:12Z")
Can I assume we’re all aware that the reason it’s called “fast food” isn’t because of how quickly it’s served to you, but how fast it shoots through your colon? How soon after you eat this garbage do you have to take a mighty shit? It’s the fat content. Half marches to your bowels, the other half to your heart. My grandsons love Culvers. But every time I treat them to it they destroy our bathroom, ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/28 "2022-11-27T00:59:45Z")
I find the reputation of fast food for stomach issues, especially Taco Bell, to be wildly overblown, in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/29 "2022-11-27T01:18:48Z")
Same here. Fast food causes no problems for me. I suspect people who get diarrhea from eating it already have severe gastrointestinal problems. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/30 "2022-11-27T01:26:27Z")
There was a California chain in the 70s called _Munchy’s_ that had 19¢ burgers. The perfect price for stoners with a limited budget. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/31 "2022-11-27T02:11:10Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Same here. Fast food causes no problems for me. > > I suspect people who get diarrhea from eating it already have severe gastrointestinal problems. Could be. A competing theory is that one builds up a tolerance to that garbage by eating it all the time. So no GI issues for frequent eaters. But someone whose last e.g. Burger King was during the Nixon administration may have more trouble with a Whopper than someone who eats them almost daily. I eat about 3 fast food burgers per year. When I get one it’s out of necessity, where the need for immediate calories in limited surroundings overrides all else. Unlike dear @pkbites’ grandkids I don’t suffer diarrhea from the things, but I sure get indigestion from them. Unlike damn near anything else I eat, be that ordinary or exotic. I’ve always thought they called it “fast food” because it encourages gobbling. It may take e.g. McDs almost 2 whole minutes to fill and deliver your paper sack, but it takes only about 60 seconds for you to snarf it all. That’s fast. Maybe too fast. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/32 "2022-11-27T02:27:50Z")
I can’t remember fast food ever giving me an issue — except sometimes the onions from White Castle can make me a bit malodorous. (I don’t frequently eat fast food – maybe once every two weeks.) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/33 "2022-11-27T02:34:54Z")
In case anyone is serious, it’s called “fast food” because you get it in minutes, as opposed to waiting 30 minutes or more in a sit down restaurant. It’s a concept going back at least to ancient Roman times, when you could buy pre-cooked food from a stall on the side of a street. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/34 "2022-11-27T10:22:38Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > A competing theory is that one builds up a tolerance to that garbage by eating it all the time. So no GI issues for frequent eaters. Eh, i buy fast food a couple times a year, mostly when I’m traveling. I had McDonald’s a month ago for the first time since the pandemic. It’s never upset my stomach. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/35 "2022-11-27T10:35:15Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I’ve always thought they called it “fast food” because it encourages gobbling. It may take e.g. McDs almost 2 whole minutes to fill and deliver your paper sack, but it takes only about 60 seconds for you to snarf it all. Who eats like that? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/36 "2022-11-27T15:21:28Z")
The best deal in California I know of are the coupons that come in the mai for Carl’s Jr. I avoid (but still love) burgers now, but their “two Western Bacon Cheese Burgers for $5” or whatever coupons tempt me into cheating. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/37 "2022-11-27T15:41:46Z")
Last year I got a single cheeseburger from Wendy’s, $6. It was a decent size, and not bad. (But I could have bought a pound of hamburg and a pack of buns at Aldi’s for $6.) Will use this opportunity to shoehorn in my opinion that Burger King is now dead to me. The last whopper Jr. I had tasted like chemicals, like lighter fluid. They stopped cooking them in a certain way and have some new way, and they are now totally inedible. 😖 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/38 "2022-11-27T15:46:56Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > …I rarely eat burgers. When I _do_ eat one, I want a decent one. With a bottle of Dos Equis? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/39 "2022-11-27T15:49:36Z")
Moved to Cafe Society. ---
**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:** [November 27, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fast-food-burger-joint-has-the-cheapest-burgers/975575/40 "2022-11-27T16:28:50Z")
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