We tried the wildly popular better burger chain founded by the genius inventor of the McGriddle

The vibrant fast-casual better burger sector is alive and well, with more and more chains offering their twist on the classic burger.

A few big names manage to stand out amongst the fray: Shake Shack, Five Guy's, and Smashburger.

With locations in 32 states and seven countries and continuing expansion plans, Smashburger is easily proving itself in the better burger arena.

Founded by fast-food visionary and McGriddle inventor Tom Ryan, the chain has scaled rapidly since its inception in 2007 - showing that America's love affair with the burger has only just begun.

We ventured to Smashburger's midtown New York City location to see how it stacks up to the rest of the better burger joints.