So you want to get yourself a good burger—the absolute best! Turns out you have a couple of options from the nation’s best fast food joints. These establishments take their recipes very seriously and they’ve taken years to perfect them. Let’s take a look at some of the best.

1. Five Guys

Best known for its no-frills no-fuss demeanor, the popular east coast burger chain was named America’s Favorite Burger Chain two years in a row (2017 & 2018). The underdog toppled In-n-Out burger—not an easy feat.

The $8 Presidential wins the list in tough competition against other flavorful burgers. The fresh topping ingredients, sizzling patty, melting cheese, a kick of jalapeno peppers and voila! You got yourself a winning 700 kCal burger the crown.

2. Burger King

Since its foundation in the 1950s, the Florida native restaurant has been racking up points from satisfied customers. From their menu, the $4 Whopper easily wins out the rest of the items. Its flame-grilled patty is perfectly complemented by fresh lettuce and tomatoes, white onions, crunchy pickles and all contained in a soft sesame bun! The pack of flavor comes with 660kCals and contains soy, wheat, and eggs (in case you have allergies, you can customize your Whopper order).

3. Whataburger

Coming at you from the Lone Star State with love, this joint has been around since the 1950s. Its owner was a total bad-ass who decided to invent a burger bun so big, you can hold it with two hands—the five-inch bun. At Whataburger, the $5 Patty Melt is the best pack of flavor you can get. Coming in at 1100 kCal, it’s unapologetically greasy, cheesy, with a hint of sweet from grilled onions and their favorite; Creamy Pepper Sauce.

4. Wendy’s

The Ohio native chain was named in honor of the founder’s daughter. Their $5 Spicy Chicken Sandwich is a 510 kCal burger, featuring spice marinated chicken breast cooked to crispy perfection. It is then housed between golden buns and stuffed with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

5. Steak N’ Shake

From Illinois, Steak n’ Shake’s $6 Bacon n Cheese Double Steak burger nests crisp bacon between 2 lettuce patties and holds all that together with a generous amount of cheese. The burger has 520 kCal per serving.

6. In-N-Out

In 1948, a couple set out to serve the freshest comfort food to Californians. To date, their establishment retains its reputation for serving high quality of its burgers. The $3 Double Double Animal Style is a perfect combo of cheese and taste. Two fresh patties (never frozen) are put into a mustard-grilled patty and topped with extra pickles and chopped onions. What do you get? 520 kCal of pure comfort.

7. Fuddruckers

The owner of Fudds gave up running his Karate Schools to start Fuddruckers. Decades later, the $5 Jumbo Original Fudds reigns supreme on the restaurant’s competitive menu. Juicy, freshly cooked burger patties come together with fresh lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and tangy pickles to give that exceptionally Texan taste. The Jumbo Original Fudds has 610 kCal per serving.

8. Culver’s

Culver’s is a relatively young presence in the fast food market. It’s a mid-western gem, founded in Illinois in the 1980s. At Culver’s, the $5 Swiss Butter Burger single is the best burger to order. Culver’s took its time to craft a burger that gives a different variety of ingredients. It is a simple burger, with a juicy beef patty and golden-brown bread, a sizeable mushroom topping and a slice of cheddar cheese. Put together, the burger contains 470 kCal per serving.

9. McDonald’s

McDonald’s has been considered the symbol for America for a long while. Founded in 1948 in California, this is the home of the staple $4 Big Mac, and it stands as the best burger to order. The sizzling patties are separated by a soft round bread and housed by sesame-studded buns. The flavors are topped with iceberg lettuce and cheese to add to a total of 257 kCal per 100g of the burger.

10. White Castle

What happens when a real estate agent and an insurance salesman meet in Kansas? They start a fast food joint! White Castle has been around since 1921 and to date, the $4 Classic Slider remains a tough contender for the best item on the menu. The patty is steam grilled together with onions, giving it a sweet caramelized flavor. Put together with their signature buns, throw in pickle slices and you have yourself a hearty 300 calorie burger.

Man oh, man! All these choices—but there has to be a favorite. These are some of America’s best burger chains and their commitment to quality food is unmatched. My absolute personal favorite, however (drumroll please), is…Whataburger’s Patty Melt! There’s something incredibly perfect about the near godly synthesis of flavor and texture! It goes straight through the soul, invites you to lick your fingers, and order another one.