# Which national fast-food chain has the best basic hamburger? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865 "2012-01-18T02:46:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865/81 "2012-01-20T06:21:53Z")
What I really want is the happy and traditional medium between A&W and[White Tower](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Tower_Hamburgers)Butter Burgers. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865/82 "2012-01-20T06:27:24Z")
I guess I’ll have to settle with Frisch’s Big Boy. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865/83 "2012-01-20T07:19:48Z")
I guess i’d go for a Kewpee’s over a Wendy’s and a Wilson’s over a Sonic. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865/84 "2012-01-20T11:32:47Z")
I used to think BK’s were the best, due to the flame-broiled taste, but now it seems that’s all they taste like. Not even salt. It’s only good when you have toppings that add to it. Wendy’s was the next best, but they changed their recipe. One time I thought they’d replaced it with the old meat, but that must have been a fluke, as both times since their meat has been pretty bland. (Or maybe it was the bacon that hid the blandness.) Oddly enough, Sonic, who I thought were only good because of their mayo and onions, actually has the best meat. And since I’m currently having to remove the bun, that means I give them my best of. That said, we don’t have an A&W or Jack in the Box in the immediate area, and I haven’t eaten at Dairy Queen in ages. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865/85 "2012-01-25T04:44:23Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Ah yes, thanks. I must have eaten at Blake’s Lotaburger when I lived in Albuquerque. Sounds familiar now. I’d still give the edge to Whataburger though, despite it lacking green chiles. One of their “special, limited time” burgers back in about September or so, was the “Green Chile Double”- 2 meat patties, monterey jack, cheddar, and a generous helping of roasted, crushed green chiles. Pure awesomeness is what that was… even beats the Chophouse Cheddar burger, which is saying a lot! ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865/86 "2012-01-25T07:34:06Z")
There used to be Whataburgers in Denver, and they were great. They left. The closest one is in Albuquerque, which is not terribly close (oh, only 300-some miles). I know a couple of people who actually DROVE TO ALBUQUERQUE to get Whataburgers. Obviously, these were for special occasions and took some planning. I really miss the chain. There are good burgers here, and there are Smashburgers, but they aren’t really that fast. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865/87 "2012-01-26T02:56:30Z")
> [@bump](#): > > One of their “special, limited time” burgers back in about September or so, was the “Green Chile Double”- 2 meat patties, monterey jack, cheddar, and a generous helping of roasted, crushed green chiles. > > Pure awesomeness is what that was… even beats the Chophouse Cheddar burger, which is saying a lot! Now you’re making me homesick. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865/88 "2012-01-26T03:40:48Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Now you’re making me homesick. ☹ The “Green Chile Double” is a Whataburger of course. Green chile is _always_ available at Lotaburger. Heck, green chile is available at many McDonalds in New Mexico. AS you might imagine, it is a big improvement. Finally, as a result of this thread I stopped by Dairy Queen and ordered a cheeseburger. It was only so-so, as the meat was precooked and wasn’t piping hot. Had it been cooked only after I ordered, it would have been a pretty good burger. The fries, however, were perfect. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-fast-food-chain-has-the-best-basic-hamburger/609865.md?page=4)