{"id":503,"date":"2016-05-18T23:09:22","date_gmt":"2016-05-18T23:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/americas-best-fast-food-burgers\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:20:58","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:20:58","slug":"best-burgers-in-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/best-burgers-in-america\/","title":{"rendered":"America’s best fast food burgers"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve got a confession to make. A deep, dark and terrible secret.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve travelled all over the world, to some of the classiest cities, and have been lucky enough to eat in some of the world\u2019s most impressive restaurants. But at the end of the day, there\u2019s nothing I enjoy more, nothing that satisfies my insatiable appetite for meat and carbs, than a good hamburger. There\u2019s something about the guilty pleasure of juicy, hot ground beef, fresh salads, saucy toppings dripping from a tender bun\u2026it\u2019s just\u2026 I can\u2019t\u2026 it does things to me.<\/p>\n

And so, a great deal of my travels involve searching out the best hamburgers a country has to offer. And of course, in the United States<\/a>, you\u2019re expecting only the very best of hamburgers.<\/p>\n

You can get fancy burgers with all the gourmet trimmings and latest fads, like kale and quinoa on a wholemeal brioche, but when it comes down to it, we all have a need for just a good, decently priced hamburger.<\/p>\n

So, I\u2019ve seen it as my responsibility to travellers all over the globe to put my stomach on the line in search of America\u2019s best fast food burgers. That is, hamburgers you can buy from a fast food chain that cost less than $10.<\/p>\n

Yes, I know that my top four list will cause controversy \u2013 I\u2019m expecting a parliamentary inquest and federal level investigation into my findings as a result. But, regardless, here are my own personal top four burger chains that travellers need to check out when visiting the USA.<\/p>\n

Five Guys<\/h2>\n

Washington DC<\/a> based chain, Five Guys has to be up there as one of my very favourite burger chains in America. It\u2019s an incredibly simple set up. They just sell good hamburgers, with stuff on them. And by that, I mean they sell their basic hamburger, which you can get as a double, and it\u2019s up to each customer to choose what toppings they want on their burger. The best part is it\u2019s all the same price \u2013 if you get one topping or all toppings, it\u2019s the same price. I\u2019ve been told that there\u2019s over 250,000 different combinations that can be made from the 15 different toppings. Sounds like a bit of a challenge, if you ask me.<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s not enough, each Five Guys store also has a huge box of peanuts for customers to munch on while they wait, for free. Talk about getting your money\u2019s worth! A huge favourite of mine are the Cajun fries \u2013 they\u2019re seriously addictive, and I\u2019ll confess, have often become a meal of their own for me\u2026<\/p>\n

One disclaimer \u2013 Five Guys burgers aren\u2019t the fastest burgers in the world, which I personally see as a good thing. All the patties are cooked to order, and the burgers are put together carefully by their staff. The food is presented simply, which is part of their old school appeal. Burgers are wrapped in foil, which keeps them moist and warm, and then stuffed into a plain brown paper bag and the fries are served in a large paper cup. It\u2019s a big feed and you\u2019ll always be able to get variety here, by mixing up your burger toppings. Depending on how many toppings you get, the burgers will get rather messy \u2013 but I\u2019m not complaining.
\n<\/p>\n

Whataburger<\/h2>\n

Believe it or not, the biggest fast food hamburger chains in the south of the USA aren\u2019t the Ronald or the Colonel \u2013 it\u2019s Whataburger. This Texas favourite, and by favourite, I mean these southerners are crazy about Whataburger.<\/p>\n

In true Texas style, the burgers are big. They\u2019re definitely a two handed task. They also keep their signature burger, the Number 1, pretty simple. Beef, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and diced onions on a toasted bun. It\u2019s a good, basic burger for someone looking to satisfy that craving. It does the job, and does simple well.<\/p>\n

The one trait that sets Whataburger apart is the southern hospitality you\u2019ll find in their stores. You really can notice the warmth of this family owned and run business. There\u2019s a real emphasis on customer service so despite the \u201cfast food\u201d setup, all meals are delivered to your table by the staff. And you\u2019re free to customise your burgers in whatever way you like.<\/p>\n

I know this article is about the best burgers, but I want to push that definition and urge you to try their Patty Melt. It\u2019s essentially a delicious toasted sandwich with two beef patties, grilled onions and cheese with pepper sauce. And my god, it\u2019s good. It really doesn\u2019t look or taste like something that would come from a fast food chain, but rather, from your southern aunt\u2019s kitchen.<\/p>\n

Shake Shack<\/h2>\n

This iconic\u00a0New York City<\/a>\u00a0burger joint has a cult following with good reason. Starting from humble beginnings with just one \u201cshack\u201d at Madison Square Park, Shake Shack is one of my must dos when visiting the Big Apple and can now be found all across the country.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no exaggeration to say that they\u2019ve got a ridiculously big following. The lines for Shake Shack\u2019s Madison Square Park location can often been seen snaking all the way through the park. People will literally line up for hours to get their hands on one of these burgers, so much so, that Shake Shack actually now have a \u201cShack Cam\u201d so customers can monitor the line.<\/p>\n

Why do they wait? These burgers are incredibly fresh. You can taste the quality ingredients, and the pure Angus beef makes the burger tender and flavourful. In true New York style, you can also choose from a selection of alcoholic beverages, with specially chosen wines and beers on offer to accompany your burgers. Only in New York would you be able to order a glass of red to sip while eating a burger in a park in the sunshine!
\n<\/p>\n

In-N-Out<\/h2>\n

I couldn\u2019t do a piece on America\u2019s best burgers without mentioning In-N-out Burger. Since 1948, this\u00a0California<\/a>\u00a0institution has been a tourist destination for travellers from all over the world.<\/p>\n

Its calling card is the simple, cheap burgers they produce. You\u2019re not getting a fancy burger here. It\u2019s a standard burger with a beef patty, lettuce, tomato, onion on a toasted bun. But it\u2019s simple done right, with high quality ingredients cooked well.<\/p>\n

I believe that In-N-Out is an experience. From discovering the \u201csecret menu\u201d (which, let\u2019s be honest, isn\u2019t so secret), and adding \u201canimal style fries\u201d, that is, fries with grilled onions, melted cheese and special In-N-Out sauce all on top, to conquering the 4×4 \u2013 four beef patties and four slices of cheese, it\u2019s all about the experience of visiting In-N-Out after a big night out.<\/p>\n

One feature of In-N-Out which I do have to compliment is their pricing. For only a few bucks, you can get yourself a quality hamburger. And it\u2019s an even playing field at In-N-Out. You\u2019ll get the local kids from around the block sitting next to a table of businessmen in suits. The Hollywood location is notorious for post awards nights gatherings of starving celebrities looking to break their fast with a massive burger binge.<\/p>\n

Sure, you can explore the USA\u2019s fine dining and fancy restaurants but there\u2019s something satisfying about getting into the local fast food joints here and embracing the carbs with a good old fashioned cheeseburger. I say forget about the dieting, and forget about the rules \u2013 you\u2019re on holidays. Don\u2019t be ashamed of your fast food cravings and hamburger fantasies. Let loose and celebrate the tasty, satisfying hamburger!<\/p>\n

Expedia compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site, such compensation may include travel and other costs<\/i>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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