This Is The Cheapest Fast Food Burger You Can Get Right Now

Food prices have increased across the board, but fast food burgers have been particularly hard hit. Overall food inflation since 2019 has been over 30%, but many fast food menu items have seen average jumps of 55%. During that same time the cost of beef has risen 50%, driven by thinning herds due to drought and high demand. So with everything seeming stacked against us, can anyone still get a cheap burger in this country? Thankfully there are still a few options. 

Based on the prices of prominent national or large regional chains at locations in Ohio — the state with the most moderate fast food prices in the country –  Wendy's, Checkers & Rally's, McDonald's and Jack In The Box serve some of the cheapest full-size burgers you can find in fast food. That's excluding chains like Krystal and White Castle that sell sliders, keeping in mind that prices can vary by state and region enough that this may not exactly reflect your experience.

Obviously the cheapest burgers were some of the simplest on the menu, but the champion of a cheap meal was actually Wendy's. Its Junior Hamburger comes in at only $1.49 – that's 30 cents cheaper than second place All American Cheeseburger from Checkers & Rally's, which is also better known as Checkers in most states.

One slight caveat: Wendy's isn't the cheapest if you want a fast food cheeseburger, emphasis on the cheese. Its Junior Cheeseburger is $1.89 compared to $1.49, while Checkers & Rally's All-American Cheeseburger is the same $1.79 with or without cheese. That makes Checkers & Rally's the cheapest fast food option if you're craving that added slice. But if price is your only concern, Wendy's cheese-less Junior Burger is the way to go. Both McDonald's and Jack In The Box. offer basic hamburgers for $1.99, while McDonald's basic cheeseburger is $2.09 and Jack In The Box's is $2.29. Rounding out the top five was Burger King, which has burgers for $1.99 and cheeseburgers for 20 cents more.

After the top five, prices start to increase more rapidly — so much so that they aren't really competitive with the top value choices. The cheapest burgers from regional spots like Whataburger, Culver's, and Sonic, which offer slightly higher quality, but come in over or around $4. So did the burgers from Hardee's, although Hardee's/Carl's Jr. is known for larger portion sizes. The only chain that really split the difference was Dairy Queen and Sonic, where the cheapest burger goes for burgers $2.99. Obviously, and the taste or higher quality at some of these spots may be worth it to you. But, if you want a burger on the cheap, consider the burgers from Wendy's first.