Neither McDonald’s nor Wendy’s: This chain has the best hamburger in the U.S., according to Yelp
Looking to find the best hamburger in the United States? You may have to take a road trip but the reviews say it’s worth hitting the open road to taste it.
When you think about fast food hamburgers, the first place that probably pops into your head is McDonald’s. However, according to Yelp, the iconic Golden Arches isn’t the number one place to get good beef patties with the fixings. It’s not even in the top ten.
Based on 119,000 reviews on Yelp across the iconic West Coast restaurant’s 400 restaurants, the nationwide title goes to In-N-Out. Speaking to Fox News Digital, chief operating officer Denny Warnick said: “We are delighted to learn that In-N-Out was recognized as the top burger chain in the U.S. in Yelp’s recent report.”
What makes In-N-Out burgers so special?
“In-N-Out has earned its legendary status by sticking to what it does best: using fresh, simple ingredients for a menu that has remained consistent since 1948,” states Yelp in its ranking of the 25 ‘Top Burger Chains 2025’. “Fans rave about the friendly service, and the nostalgic drive-thru experience.”
“The brand receives special praise for its not-so-secret ‘secret menu,’” adds Yelp. “Reviewers also highlight customizable options like Protein Style (wrapped in lettuce) or 3x3s (three patties, three slices of cheese).”
The following is Yelps ranking of the 25 top burger chains in the United States:
- In-N-Out
- Habit Burger & Grill
- Shake Shack
- Culver’s
- Islands Fine Burgers and Drinks
- Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers
- Five Guys Burgers & Fries
- Wayback Burgers
- MOOYAH
- Red Robin
- Jack in the Box
- Cook Out
- BurgerFi
- Whataburger
- Walhburgers
- Smashburger
- Mcdonald’s
- Sonic Drive-in
- Burger King
- White Castle
- Fatburger
- Wendy’s
- Carl’s Jr.
- Checker’s/Rally’s
- Steak ‘n Shake
Where can you find an In-N-Out to try the “best burgers”?
If you’ve never heard of In-N-Out, that’s probably because you don’t live in one of the eight states, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado and Idaho, where it currently has restaurants. However, the West Coast icon is making its way eastward with plans to open locations in and around Nashville, Tennessee in 2026.
Soon Washington State will get its first location as well, as part of In-N-Out’s latest expansion announced recently.
The reason that In-N-Out has been slow to move away from the West Coast is that the family-owned business has prioritized quality and consistency over rapid growth. All of its locations have to be within no more than a single-day’s drive of its in-house patty-making facilities. This allows In-N-Out to ensure the freshness of ingredients when they arrive at each restaurant.
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