Hamburgers - what is your favorite chain?

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Boris13c
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I love hamburgers. There are several steakhouses near me that serve up some premium burgers as well as their standard wonderful steaks.

There are a ton of hamburger chains, some of them regional and not available everywhere. I always look for these regional places when I travel so I get to at least sample stuff I won't be able to get regularly.

My top 3 are :

1) My standard go-to chain restaurant hamburger is from Five Guys. Always fresh and delicious, and their fries kick ass too.

2) Whenever I am back in Chicago, a stop at White Castle is usually on the itinerary on the way from the airport. I have fond memories of these little nuggets of goodness from back when I was very young. And I still have my craving for them as a grumpy old guy. I was happy to see Onion Chips back on the menu during my last visit.

3) Smashburger makes my top 3. A real full flavor experience, with Rosemary / Garlic fries to make it a perfect burger meal.
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wab
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As far as chains go, I'd say Smashburger is my favorite. Whataburger is pretty good. And I don't care what anyone says, sometimes there's just nothing better than a double Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McD's.
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Steak & Shake's burgers are the bomb. You can't go wrong with a Big Mac or Quarter-Pounder. JBC's from Wendy's are solid.

Best hamburger I've ever had, however? There's a place in Charleston and Mattoon, IL called McHugh's. Their burgers are the best, hands down.

The Western Bacon Cheeseburger is the mountain top.
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Moriarty
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Portillo's

Honorable mention: It's expensive, but BurgerFi is darn good
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The Marshall Plan
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1. Burger King Whopper
2. Portillo's
3. Fuddrucker's
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Otis Day
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I will take a double butterburger with cheddar cheese and bbq sauce from Culvers.

Steak n Shake's Prime Burger is delicious as well.
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Boris13c
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Otis Day wrote:I will take a double butterburger with cheddar cheese and bbq sauce from Culvers.
last road trip to Myrtle Beach I stopped for gas at some little hole in the wall place and the back part of the gas station was a small diner that looked like it was still in 1950 ... and on that menu was "Momma's Butter Burger" .... and it was pure heaven on a bun

the gas station had an old time Sinclair sign (with the dinosaur), but Mobil pumps ... maybe this is some sort of backwoods historical place for all I know

I'll have to dig up that trip information so I can post where it was so others can enjoy if they are in the area
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G08
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Not a chain but Kuma's Corner in Chicago... unbelievable. Au Cheval is the best I've had but I am not patient enough to wait in that line.

I've never really loved Five Guys' burger... maybe I'll give them another shot.

And ditto, wab, double QPC from Micky D's hits the spot sometimes.
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UOK
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Never got the hype for Five Guys. Their gimmick is filling the bag up with fries, but the burgers are below-average and the fries are beyond generic and often soggy. Hard pass.
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Boris13c
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UOK wrote:Never got the hype for Five Guys. Their gimmick is filling the bag up with fries, but the burgers are below-average and the fries are beyond generic and often soggy. Hard pass.

wow ... that no way describes the Five Guys I usually go to

I think you have found a poorly run establishment
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docc
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Actually same here.. Five Guys just bland with a ton of fries.
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Man, the Five Guys here is the kitties titties. Y’all are missing out.
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G08
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How could I forget:

In-N-Out burger is the bee's knees!!!
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Z Bear
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5 Guys - Not all are created equal, but hard to beat a good 5 Guys establishment

In and Out - A must every time I travel out west.

M Shack - a local chain here in Jacksonville. Fresh made burgers with a huge variety of toppings. Best thing they have is adult milkshakes...The apple pie (with Apple pie moonshine) and the Pecan Pie (with bourbon) are phenomenal.
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We used to go to the original 5 Guys in Arlington, maybe it was being a kid or just the cost of major growth but their burgers aren't quite what I remember. That said, I would never pass an opportunity to go there. In-N-Out is always a good time, the kids really like their food and the price is pretty good for what you get. While technically not the best, we always have to hit Tommy's when we're in LA. There's just something special about a place that puts chili on everything.
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HawkBear
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If we're going Chain Burger spots like fast food then I'm taking In N Out all day. Burgers are fresh, lots of good veggies and the price is ridiculously low. You can get a meal for $7. Tough to do that at even McDonalds anymore.

The reason I put it above Five Guys is because Five Guys is expensive and to much. I always feel like shit afterwards. Have never felt bad after a meal at In N Out.
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G08 wrote:Not a chain but Kuma's Corner in Chicago... unbelievable. Au Cheval is the best I've had but I am not patient enough to wait in that line.

I've never really loved Five Guys' burger... maybe I'll give them another shot.

And ditto, wab, double QPC from Micky D's hits the spot sometimes.
Love Au Cheval. It reminds me of a place in Portland, OR called Stanich's. It got rated the best burger in the US.

Smashburger is really good. If I had to rank them, here in Chicago?

Au Cheval
Smashburger
Burger King Whopper (love those)
Red Robin
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