I tried the biggest burgers at 5 fast-food chains and my favorite tasted fresh off the grill

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Erin McDowellMay 26, 2022, 20:38 IST
I tried the biggest burgers at 5 fast-food chains and my favorite tasted fresh off the grill

I tried the biggest burgers at McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, In-N-Out, and Shake Shack.Erin McDowell/Insider; NYC Russ/Shutterstock; Savvapanf Photo/Shutterstock; rafapress/Shutterstock

  • I tried the biggest signature burgers at McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, In-N-Out, and Shake Shack.
  • I found that some of the extra-large burgers were more appetizing than others.
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Shake Shack's double cheeseburger was surprisingly large.

Shake Shack's double cheeseburger was surprisingly large.
Shake Shack double cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Insider

It cost me $9.49, not including tax. I was able to customize my toppings, but I went with pickles, onions, and Shack sauce.

The burger patties were perfectly crispy on the outside and covered in gooey melted cheese.

The burger patties were perfectly crispy on the outside and covered in gooey melted cheese.
Shake Shack double cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Insider

The pickles also looked large and homemade. It was even heavy to pick up. The toppings were generous and the chain's signature sauce added a ton of flavor. The cheese was also thick and perfectly melted.

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However, biting into the Shake Shack burger was a little overwhelming, in my opinion.

However, biting into the Shake Shack burger was a little overwhelming, in my opinion.
Shake Shack double cheeseburger.Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger was huge, which was both an asset and a hindrance. I struggled to get through more than a few bites.

Despite the higher-than-average price, I definitely thought it was worth it. The burger patties were much thicker than quite a few of the other burgers I tried, and the toppings definitely took it over the edge in terms of flavor.

Overall, I was impressed ... but stuffed.

My second-to-least favorite burger was a classic: a McDonald's Big Mac.

My second-to-least favorite burger was a classic: a McDonald's Big Mac.
McDonald's Big Mac.Erin McDowell/Insider

I was conflicted over whether the biggest burger at McDonald's was the Big Mac — which is physically the largest thanks to the extra bun — or the Double Quarter-Pounder, which is the burger with the most meat. I decided to try both to avoid any discrepancies among McDonald's fans who will argue about which one is bigger.

A Big Mac cost me $6.49 at my local McDonald's, excluding tax.

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There was a generous layer of pickles, lettuce, and sauce on the sandwich.

There was a generous layer of pickles, lettuce, and sauce on the sandwich.
McDonald's Big Mac.Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger patties weren't overwhelming, nor was the sandwich as a whole. I also liked the tangy, creamy Big Mac sauce. However, I thought the added bun made the sandwich taste too much like bread and the other flavors were slightly lost, in my opinion.

The sandwich was a good size and very filling, but I wasn't crazy about the flavor profile.

The sandwich was a good size and very filling, but I wasn't crazy about the flavor profile.
McDonald's Big Mac.Erin McDowell/Insider

I simply wanted more flavor happening. Between the extra bun and the generous serving of Big Mac sauce, that was all I could taste. Tomato, cheese, or simply other condiments might have taken the sandwich to the next level.

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The 4x4 is the largest burger at In-N-Out and is part of the chain's "not-so-secret" menu.

The 4x4 is the largest burger at In-N-Out and is part of the chain's "not-so-secret" menu.
In-N-Out 4x4.Erin McDowell/Insider

Also called the "Quad Quad," the mammoth burger comes with four beef patties, four cheese slices, lettuce, tomato, spread, and the option to add onions. It cost $7.20 at the In-N-Out location I visited, making it the second-cheapest burger I tried.

The ginormous burger was difficult to hold in one hand, let alone bite into.

The ginormous burger was difficult to hold in one hand, let alone bite into.
In-N-Out 4x4.Erin McDowell/Insider

Looking at it, it was just so much meat. You would have to have a really big appetite to get through the entire thing, I would imagine.

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All of the elements of the burger were delicious, from the juicy beef patties to the layers of cheese and fresh lettuce and tomato.

All of the elements of the burger were delicious, from the juicy beef patties to the layers of cheese and fresh lettuce and tomato.
In-N-Out 4x4.Erin McDowell/Insider

However, I found that the extra patties hindered my eating experience, rather than adding to it.

It was over-the-top filling, and the vegetables did little to balance out how much meat and cheese were in the burger. The buns also began to fall apart while I was eating. If I'm being honest with myself, I would personally never order this again. While delicious, it was simply too much meat for my liking.

I also tried McDonald's Double Quarter-Pounder with cheese. I preferred it over the Big Mac.

I also tried McDonald's Double Quarter-Pounder with cheese. I preferred it over the Big Mac.
McDonald's Double Quarter-Pounder with cheese.Erin McDowell/Insider

Looking at the burger in the box, I immediately noticed that it had more meat than the Big Mac. The meat was clearly the star of the show, with the other toppings barely visible underneath the patties and bun.

The burger cost me $9.69, excluding tax.

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The Double Quarter-Pounder with cheese comes with a whopping half-pound of meat, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard.

The Double Quarter-Pounder with cheese comes with a whopping half-pound of meat, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard.
McDonald's Double Quarter-Pounder with cheese.Erin McDowell/Insider

I found this burger to be pretty flavorful, especially thanks to the condiments and large slices of crunchy pickles. However, I wasn't crazy about the bun — while I normally love a sesame seed bun, I found this one to be pretty bland, airy, and artificial-tasting.

I would order this burger again.

I would order this burger again.
McDonald's Double Quarter-Pounder with cheese.Erin McDowell/Insider

Despite having a ton of meat, the burger didn't feel too overwhelming to eat. I thought it was a realistic sandwich, especially compared to the gigantic burgers from Shake Shack and In-N-Out.

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The second-best burger I tried was Wendy's Dave's Triple.

The second-best burger I tried was Wendy's Dave's Triple.
Wendy's Dave's Triple.Erin McDowell/Insider

When I arrived at my local Wendy's drive-thru, this extra-large burger wasn't even on the menu. However, thanks to my online research, I decided to order it anyway. I did wonder how popular this sandwich was, and if many people opt for the triple-patty burger.

The Dave's Triple burger cost $7.69, excluding tax.

Wendy's Dave's Triple burger comes with nearly a pound of beef, American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mayo, and onion.

Wendy's Dave's Triple burger comes with nearly a pound of beef, American cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mayo, and onion.
Wendy's Dave's Triple.Erin McDowell/Insider

The sandwich was difficult to pick up, but all of the ingredients appeared to be well-balanced. There was a large serving of tomatoes, pickles, and cheese, so it didn't look like the beef patties would be overpowered.

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I thought this burger had a ton of flavor, the cheese was perfectly melted, and the patties were super juicy.

I thought this burger had a ton of flavor, the cheese was perfectly melted, and the patties were super juicy.
Wendy's Dave's Triple.Erin McDowell/Insider

While I personally couldn't finish the entire thing, I definitely thought the flavors were there and it was a good value for the price.

If I were to change one thing, it would be the addition of the mayonnaise. It ended up mixing with the juice from the tomatoes in an unappetizing way, creating a tomato-mayo sauce that brought the other flavors down.

My favorite burger I tried was the Triple Whopper with cheese from Burger King.

My favorite burger I tried was the Triple Whopper with cheese from Burger King.
Burger King Triple Whopper with cheese.Erin McDowell/Insider

Similar to the Dave's Triple, the Triple Whopper also comes with three quarter-pound beef patties, although the ones at Burger King are flame-grilled. The burger cost me $11.28, excluding tax, making it the most expensive burger I tried.

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Unlike all of the other burgers, the Triple Whopper only comes with one slice of cheese.

Unlike all of the other burgers, the Triple Whopper only comes with one slice of cheese.
Burger King Triple Whopper with cheese.Erin McDowell/Insider

However, I felt that this allowed the other flavors of the burger to really come through, and it led to a less-gut-filling, more appetizing eating experience.

The lettuce, tomatoes, and onions all tasted very fresh, and added a delicious crunch to the burger that I found was missing in some of the others.

I also liked the beef patties on this burger the most out of the ones I tried.

I also liked the beef patties on this burger the most out of the ones I tried.
Burger King Triple Whopper with cheese.Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger patties had a ton of smokey, savory flavor that made the sandwich taste as if it was fresh off the grill. I also thought the shape of the patties, which were larger in circumference but flatter than some of the other burgers, made the sandwich easier to eat.

Overall, I really enjoyed this burger and would definitely order it again — granted I have the appetite. While I'm not sure it's worth more than $10, it was a very generous serving and the most flavorful out of the bunch, without being overwhelmingly huge.

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