There's a time and place for fancy gourmet burgers crafted with the finest ingredients. But sometimes the only thing that will satisfy cravings is a quick burger from your local fast food joint. From cult-favorite regional chains and trendy food trucks to historic hidden gems that have become local institutions, there’s an exceptional spot in every state. But which one is the best? We’ve ranked America’s bucket-list fast food burgers, counting down to the most delicious of all.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the best fast food burgers in the USA – how many have you tried?

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each menu item in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-traveled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective

Blake's Lotaburger hit worldwide fame when it made an appearance on cult TV show Breaking Bad back in 2010, but the good people of New Mexico have known about this iconic burger joint since it first opened in 1952. The signature order here is the Lota Burger New Mexico Style. That's two chunky beef patties, salad, sauce, pickles, melted cheese, and, most importantly, the Hatch green chile, a New Mexico specialty. It's the stuff legends are made of.

Family-run Midwestern fast food chain Culver's was founded in Wisconsin in 1984 and is famous for its signature ButterBurgers. There are more Culver's in Wisconsin than in any other state (over 150 outlets at the last count), and the best burger on the menu – according to readers of USA Today in a 2024 poll – is the ButterBurger Cheese. It features a fresh Midwest-raised beef patty and melty Wisconsin Cheddar served in a buttered bun, with your choice of salad and condiments. Sometimes, it's the simple things in life that bring the most joy.

It's not a coincidence that Fat Patty's is called Fat Patty's. After all, its burgers are all designed around, well, fat beef patties and overstuffed burgers. The mini-chain started out near Marshall University in West Virginia, and it proved to be a huge hit with students. The OG Patty is your gateway into the menu, with a classic combo of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and mayo. You could also throw on some perfectly crispy bacon to make it even tastier.

Pawleys Front Porch has won numerous local awards for its sensational burgers – it recently featured on Yelp's Top 100 Burger Spots in America, so you know it's something special. The patties here are a sight for sore eyes, freshly ground daily from Angus chuck roast, seasoned with a secret spice mix, and formed by hand, before being delivered to happy customers. Go for the Front Burger where you can customize the bun, the toppings, and even the sides. The restaurant also has a popular food truck that tours various spots in Columbia.

Considering this joint is called Al's French Frys, you might be surprised to know that French fries aren't the only thing on the menu. But that won't be a shock to fast food fans in Vermont, who've been enjoying the food at Al's since the joint first opened in the 1940s. The place was awarded a James Beard Classic award in 2010, securing its status as a local icon. But while the 'frys' might be what grabs people's attention, it's the simple but sensational cheeseburger that has proven to be the most popular item on the menu.

Allen Schoop opened the first Schoop's Hamburgers shop in 1948, and folks in Indiana have been relishing its squishy hand-helds ever since. The chain's 15 restaurants are all found in Indiana and Illinois, but the quality of the burgers is so high that it came 10th in USA Today's ranking of the best regional fast food diners. The signature burger is the Mickey – a classic combination of a cooked-to-order beef patty topped with two slices of American cheese and salad.

Ohioans can spot a Galley Boy from Swensons Drive-In from a mile away, well almost. After all, these distinctive and iconic burgers are presented with toothpicks crowned with green olives sticking out of the top. The burgers themselves taste great, too, with each one containing a double cheeseburger and not one but two special sauces. Have it ‘with everything’ for the complete experience.

Haywire Burger Bar may call itself a gourmet burger joint, but there's nothing fancy about the hefty, crowd-pleasing patties here. The flagship burger at this buzzy Connecticut eatery is, unsurprisingly, the signature Haywire. That's bacon, Cheddar, caramelized onions, and chipotle sauce, all nestled on top of an 8oz Black Angus beef patty. It tastes amazing, and all the beef is also responsibly sourced, too.

Louisiana is a place you associate more with fried chicken than burgers, but the Bayou State is home to an often-overlooked fast food icon. Lee's Hamburgers has been slinging burgers since 1901 and claims to be the first chain to enter America's fast food scene. Its burgers still feature fresh (never-frozen) beef and are cooked on an old-school grill. Customers can choose to have their burgers regular (with mayo, ketchup, mustard, and a pickle), dressed (adding lettuce and tomato to the regular), or 'the works' (everything plus a slice of cheese).

When the Los Angeles Times published its 'official fast food burger power rankings' in 2022, the Original Double from Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers came in at third place. The much-loved regional chain was founded in Wichita, Kansas in 2002 and it seems loyal locals agree with this take, too, as there were one million Kansas-based searches for the brand in 2023. The pickles on the Original Double are huge, and the crispy edges on the smashed patties are immense, all making for one very tasty burger.

You can't have a conversation about fast food burgers without bringing up In-N-Out Burger. The iconic chain – with around 400 outlets in the US – has the kind of reputation for quality that other fast food outlets dream of. The fan-favorite order is the Double-Double. That's two freshly grilled patties, each with a layer of American cheese, topped with onion, tomato, lettuce, and In-N-Out secret sauce, inside a spongy bun. Just make sure you ask for it Animal-Style, which means you'll get mustard cooked into the patties, extra spread, and grilled onions.

My Burger is the 'best iconic chain' in Minnesota, according to a report by World Population Review. That's understandable considering My Burger was created in Minneapolis and considers itself a 'Minne-chain' – a burger joint with nine locations exclusive to the North Star State. But you don't get to be a fast food icon unless your food tastes good, and My Burger has won fans with its consistently solid offerings. The classic California Burger, with lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo, is the go-to order.

Chef Edwin Goto is the mastermind behind Village Burger's celebrated menu. The James Beard Award–nominated chef takes great care to source meat and produce locally and responsibly. He even has a nearby bakery delivering freshly baked burger buns crafted to one of his recipes. This attention to detail makes a difference, and happy reviewers helped it win a place on Yelp's Top 100 Burger Spots in America list. The Big Island Beef Burger features a patty made with a blend of chuck and brisket that results in a supremely rich and juicy bite.

Rhode Island's Crazy Burger Cafe earned itself the number 13 spot on Yelp's Top 100 Burger Spots in America list thanks to its array of indulgent burgers. Vegans are well catered for with three mighty meat-free burgers on the menu, but the star of the show has to be the Fire 'Works' Burger. The patty itself is covered with a punchy fennel rub and then served topped with melted Gouda, crispy bacon, caramelized onion, and red pepper rings. If you need more heat, try dipping it in the house-made chili-garlic mayonnaise.

Farm Burger might sling burgers and have ten locations in four states, but it's definitely not your run-of-the-mill fast food joint. Each Farm Burger outlet works with local farmers to source 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef that has no added antibiotics or growth hormones. The patties are then shaped in-house and cooked to order, ready for hungry customers. The go-to choice is the eponymous Farm Burger, with aged white Cheddar, caramelized onions, and a tangy secret sauce.

Zombie Burger + Drink Lab likes to say it has a 'post-apocalyptic chic' vibe, and it's hard to argue with that description. But the joint is perhaps more famous for the creative flavors – and names – it comes up with for its long list of burgers. According to Yelp, the customer favorite is the Undead Elvis burger. It's inspired by the King of Rock and Roll's favored sandwich and includes peanut butter, fried bananas, bacon, American cheese, egg, and mayo.

The Cherry Cricket has been part of Denver's food landscape since 1945, surviving and thriving through multiple owners and even a fire in 2016. These days, the cool diner-style joint gives you the chance to craft your own favorite burger. But whichever toppings you select to finish it off – and there are endless options to choose from – the foundation is always likely to be the Cricket Burger with its juicy, half-pound patty.

Wild Willy's Burgers prides itself on quality, locally sourced ingredients and crafting burgers with love and attention. The Willy Burger is the perfect entry point to the joint, with a classic combination of juicy Angus beef, American cheese, salad, ketchup, mustard, and mayo. If you're feeling more adventurous, you can switch out the Angus beef for a bison patty. It also has locations in Maine and Massachusetts.

Dan Sullivan Senior opened Sullivan's on Castle Island in 1951. His idea was simply to serve good food at fair prices in an environment where all were welcome. The concept has carried the restaurant through to today, where it's still an iconic spot for locals. It doesn't hurt that Sullivan's has kept its prices competitive, serving up its double cheeseburger for less than $10. It tastes amazing, to boot.

Luxury Diner is a Wyoming institution, serving hungry customers in the state since at least 1926 (although it was actually renamed Luxury Diner in 1964). The fast food spot shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, either, with people from far and wide still discovering its delights. The burgers are only on at lunch, and they feature a half-pound of ground sirloin, hand-formed and cooked to order. You can add your choice of American, provolone, Swiss, Cheddar, or pepper Jack cheese to the signature cheeseburger, which is the joint's most popular item.

Fatso’s Last Stand might be best known for its hot dogs and Italian beefs, but the arguably overshadowed burgers are the secret sauce of its mouth-watering menu. The joint even calls the Double Fatso’s w/Cheese (Please) burger its ‘pride and joy.’ It’s a monster of a thing featuring a half-pound Angus beef patty topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and a house-made burger sauce. There are two locations in Lincoln Park & Ukrainian Village.

If you’ve never been asked whether you want your burger served ‘squeezed’ or ‘unsqueezed,’ then you’ve probably never been to Dovie’s. Here, the burgers are fried in a generous amount of soybean oil, and you can have them served drained of excess oil (squeezed) or left in all their oily juices (unsqueezed). The menu recommends squeezed, but everybody has a different opinion. Yet all customers agree the burgers are delicious, praising their amazing crispy texture.

Butcher Burger has an elevated take on the style and menus of traditional fast food restaurants. Its unique burgers – including one with lobster on top – are a testament to that, with the eatery working with local suppliers to bring in the freshest produce. The customer favorite is the House Burger, a beef patty with bacon, caramelized onions, jalapeños, lettuce, Cheddar, and house-made Block sauce. It's available at either of Butcher Burger's locations in Maine.

Despite being based in Baltimore, Clark Burger looks to the Great White North for inspiration for its menu. That's why the joint will encourage you to complement your burger with a side of gravy-soaked poutine. But the burgers are the main event here, and the signature Clark Burger is a simple but tasty treat. An Angus beef burger is topped with white Cheddar, smoked bacon, salad, pickles, and a proprietary sauce.

If you like your burgers fiery, then the El Diablo from Hopdoddy Burger Bar is probably for you. The top-quality patty features classic toppings of pepper Jack cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, and tomato served alongside jalapeños, habaneros, spicy verde, and a chipotle aioli sauce. If you're not in the mood for that kind of fire, fans also recommend the tamer Magic Shroom burger. You can order both burgers at Hopdoddy locations all over Texas.

HipCityVeg's philosophy is right there in the name. The founders wanted to create a popular vegan eatery serving tasty food that's also good for the planet. That mission landed the joint a spot on Yelp's Top 100 Burger Spots in America ranking and has led to it expanding to five locations. The main attraction is the Ziggy Burger, a vegan bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, onion, pickle, special sauce, and a toasted bun.

There are 11 JL Beers in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota, with most of them settled in the Peace Garden State. The small chain specializes in fresh, tasty burgers and earned the title of 'best burger' in the Bismarck Tribune’s 2024 Reader’s Choice Awards. It also won the first annual Downtown Bismarck Burger Slam championship with one of its newer creations. But it's the original Classic Burger, with special sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and diced raw onions, that shows off how good the burgers are.

David's Burger has been an Arkansas icon for years, and its outlets throughout the Natural State are instantly recognizable. The joints are designed to bring to mind butcher shops from the 1950s and 1960s, immediately telling customers that the beef they use for the burgers is fresh and premium. Burgers are pretty much the only thing on the menu, and you'd better believe the chefs know how to cook them to absolute perfection.

The world may know all about the great taste of fried onion burgers now, but back in the 1920s, Oklahomans had these delicious concoctions all to themselves. Tucker's Onion Burgers, with five locations in Oklahoma City and Norman, brings the olden days into the future with its menu of vintage classics. The onion burgers are made with locally sourced, premium meat and your choice of salad and sauce toppings.

Honest Abe’s Burgers & Freedom has four locations in Lincoln, and it’s really taken the theme of American presidents and run with it. From the decor of each restaurant to the names of the burgers, you have no doubt that you’re eating at a unique burger spot. The fan-favorite hand-held on the menu is the Fireside, which comes with jalapeños, bacon, pepper Jack, lettuce, cumin-lime mayo, and sriracha ketchup. 

Everything at Green New American Vegetarian in Tempe, Arizona is suitable for vegans or vegetarians – and even meat eaters will find something to love at this specialty burger spot. The patties the joint uses for its burgers are house-made and cooked to order before being placed between a toasted bun. The fan-favorite Big Wac (an obvious take on another fast food classic) has two patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions.

Alaskans must enjoy a bit of heat with their burgers because the top local pick in Anchorage is the Mex Burger from casual spot Alaskan Burger & Brew. The half-pound house-made patty comes topped with chorizo sausage, bell peppers, onions, jalapeño peppers, melted mozzarella, and Cheddar cheese, plus a punchy jalapeño dressing. Reviewers say the staff are friendly, the service is fast, and the food is amazing.

There couldn't be a more fitting name for the Craft Burger Bar in Virginia Beach. Instead of settling for chuck or brisket or any other commonly used blend of beef for its burgers, Craft Burger Bar serves only the best quality Australian wagyu. If you like to experiment with different flavors, the must-order here is the Crafthouse Burger; a wagyu patty with a mind-boggling number of topping options, from grilled pineapple to smashed tater tots. It's one you can craft yourself right off the menu.

7th Street Burger first welcomed customers in 2021, and it's been so successful that there are now 18 locations spread throughout New York City. The joint's motto is 'going back to simple,' and its menu is the perfect example of this. The choices include a cheeseburger or a double cheeseburger... and that's it. Luckily, the double cheeseburger, with two smashed patties, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and house sauce, is a thing of beauty.

Las Vegas is a city of excess, and there are all manner of burgers you could indulge in while perusing the blackjack tables. But if you want something that's healthier than the usual Las Vegas fare, then Veggy Street is where it's at. With two locations in Sin City, Veggy Street offers vegan food that doesn't compromise on taste. Its signature burger is the Veggy Eleven, a Beyond Meat cheeseburger served in a pretzel bun. People adore it.

Smash burgers are the name of the game at Jovick Brothers Burgers, with each of its brilliant burgers coming with two 4oz chuck patties. The most-loved item on the menu is the Cowboy Carolina, which comes with cheese, Carolina BBQ sauce, and onion rings. But if you like your burgers with a side of heat, go for Beso Del Diablo and its lip-tingling sauce. 

Pal's Sudden Service is the fast food phenomenon that nobody has ever heard of. At least, nobody who lives outside of Tennessee and Virginia. The mini-chain first raised eyebrows when it was awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award – still the only fast food chain to be honored with a prize usually reserved for high-end hotels, schools, and health centers. Its signature burger is the Big Pal, a hefty 1/3lb beef patty with all the classic accompaniments.

Smash burgers are taking over the world, and Washington has fallen in love with the smashed patties served by food truck Smash That Burger. The joint gets all its beef from the Double R Ranch in Canada, and it serves two 3oz patties in every burger. The Oklahoma Smash has super-thin onions embedded in the patties and is finished with cheese, pickles, and a house-made sauce. 

One look at the menu at Our Place Diner will show you just how many awards and accolades this lauded spot has received over the years. Some of those are specifically for its burgers, and customers will tell you the cheeseburger is where it’s at. The joint uses freshly ground chuck for its hand-formed patties and serves its burgers ‘all the way,’ with all the usual toppings. If you've really got an appetite, the Big Bobber Burger is also wildly popular, featuring two patties, American and Swiss cheese, smoked bacon, and crispy onion rings. 

A Chinese takeout is not the most obvious place to pick up a special burger, but the citizens of North Carolina have singled out Sister Liu's Kitchen as a burger spot to watch. Its offering is different from your average hamburger, though, as Sister Liu's uses a fried steamed bun instead of a traditional roll. The filling is a delicious blend of diced, slow-cooked pork belly with Chinese peppers and a spoonful of braising liquid. Sister Liu's Kitchen made the top ten of Yelp’s Top 100 Burgers in America, so it must be good.

Steve’s Burgers proudly proclaims that its burgers are fresh, thick, and juicy. But most importantly of all, it says, the patties are never smashed. This no-frills burger shack off Route 46 in Garfield believes a ‘real burger’ should be cooked medium and full of juice. Customers seem to agree, with the bacon cheeseburger proving to be the most popular order.

DE Slider Co takes an unusual approach to fast food, going smaller instead of bigger when it comes to its burgers. There's still plenty of food to go around, though, as each slider meal comes with two sliders, fries, slaw, and pickles. If we had to choose just one of the house-made burgers, we'd recommend the Fat Mama Cheeseburger. It's an Angus beef patty, Cheddar cheese, baby greens, red onion, and tomato, with a tarragon-rich Russian dressing.

Patty Shack arrived on the Utah burger scene in 2022 and quickly earned a loyal legion of fans. Operating out of a 100-year-old building in a residential area in Taylorsville, the burger joint has won plenty of awards for its burgers and recently opened a second location in Layton. Patty Shack focuses on good ingredients, house-made sauces, and hand-formed patties, all cooked fresh to order. The bacon cheeseburger is a favorite of customers for obvious reasons – it's utterly delicious.

Algernon and Barbara Lloyd Stamps have been an integral part of the Jackon, Mississippi community since they set up shop in 1970. They co-founded Stamps Super Burgers, and the joint has since become known for its 11oz patties and fries seasoned with lemon pepper. All of the burgers come with mayo, lettuce, ketchup, tomato, pickle, mustard, and onion, and you can even double that grilled 11oz patty if you can handle it.

In 2023, Yelp named the Circle E Drive In as the proud maker of the best cheeseburger in South Dakota. That must have been fantastic news for the new owners, who'd only taken over the drive-in the year before. The bacon cheeseburger is the burger that fans gravitate to, with many reviewers calling it the 'best burger ever.' The key, it seems, is house-made patties and responsibly raised meat.

This cozy, no-frills spot has won numerous local awards for having the best burger in Montana, and it's not hard to see why. The signature burger on the menu is the Roadhouse Burger, which comes topped with American cheese, pickles, and grilled onions. But if you scroll down the menu a little further, you'll find plenty of inventive burgers for more adventurous diners. For instance, the Death By Bacon Burger comes piled high with four slices of bacon and bacon jam.

The owners of PDX Sliders started slinging burgers from a food cart in 2014, and now the company has grown to three bricks-and-mortar locations in Portland. But, despite the expansion, the focus is still on serving some of the best fast food in the state. All the burgers are named after streets in Portland, and the most popular order is the Sellwood. That's a beef patty, bacon, Cheddar, caramelized onions, lettuce, and aioli in a brioche bun.

Gilbert's 17th Street Grill is a family-run spot that has been delighting Floridians for more than a decade with its utterly unbeatable burgers. The Brie Burger seems to be the go-to order and comes complete with a mountain of crispy onions and bacon. Customers are as impressed with the fast and friendly service as they are with the food.

For owners Brad and Bree Taylor, the whole idea behind Hit List was to provide the best quality food at the lowest possible prices. It’s basically fast food the way it should be done, and the cheeseburger (two beef patties, cheese, grilled onions) is the highlight. That’s probably why Hit List was named the best cheeseburger in Idaho by Yelp in 2023 – and why the joint has a legion of loyal followers in Boise and beyond.

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