You can find a fast-food burger pretty much anywhere in the U.S. But not all chains are equal in the hearts of Americans.
Some chains, like McDonald's, are fairly divisive. Others like In-and-Out are universally loved around the country. Which reigns supreme in the U.S.?
These are some of America's favorite fast-food burger joints.
Year founded: 1985 (Rally's), 1986 (Checkers), 1999 (merger)
No. of locations: 834
No. of states with a location: 28
2021 U.S. sales: $931 million
Bottom line: If it were completely up to us, the only place we'd include Checkers and Rally's would be on a list of franchises to avoid like the plague. If you love their burgers, just know there's a chance you might one day bite into a burger so far gone that the patty is green. (That is, unfortunately, a true story.)
But the joint chain continues to be favored by Americans, who like the convenience of a double drive-through, enjoy the option of hot dogs and don't mind having any indoor seating. Joining as a single company in 1999, both Checkers and Rally's serve the exact same menu items. Generally speaking, Checkers is used along the East Coast while Rally's is more common in the Midwest and California.
*This list was determined by combining data from CashNetUSA's "Most Popular Fast Food by State" report, Market Force Information's "America's Favorite Quick-Service Restaurants" and our own editorial input. Locations and sales numbers come from QSR's "The Top 50 Fast-Food Chains of 2022" report.
Year founded: 2002
No. of locations: 420
No. of states with a location: 35
2021 U.S. sales: $759 million
Bottom line: This Kansas-based chain separates itself from the crowd by making sure everyone knows their burgers are made with 100 percent premium beef. Sadly, this isn't very common in the world of fast food.
Besides its signature steakburgers, which are pressed thin to create crispiness, Freddy's serves hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and frozen custard. Fans love its signature house seasoning and Midwestern appeal.
Year founded: 2004
No. of locations: 243
No. of states with a location: 5
2021 U.S. sales: $775 million
Bottom line: In our personal opinion, Shake Shack is the best fast-food burger place in the U.S. But since this is not about quality, and instead about popularity, we'll have to leave it at the bottom of this list.
Still, we're not completely alone in our sentiment. The chain has the highest revenue per unit out of all casual burger places in the country, making $3,679 per unit - compared to $3,420 for McDonald's. Not bad for a joint that only has 243 locations in five states.
Give Shake Shack a few more years to keep expanding, and we bet it'll beat out the competition.