Every Five Guys 'Popular Picks' Burger Topping Combination, Tasted And Ranked

I love a good burger. I don't care if it's from a fast-food joint or a high-end steakhouse. If it's good, I'm there. Sometimes, though, I want a burger that's kind of middle of the road — a quality burger that's elevated yet still casual. That's when I head to my local Five Guys.

For the past year or so, my go-to Five Guys order has been a cheeseburger with grilled jalapeños, onions, and mustard. But recently, I noticed that the brand's website highlights a handful of favorite burger builds under its Popular Picks section. The topping combos sounded too good to ignore, so I decided to give them each a try and rank them worst to best — it was high time I branched out from my usual order anyway.

More methodology details are at the end of this article, but, in short, I based the rankings on overall taste — juiciness, flavor, and texture — along with overall "wow" factor. These were, after all, Five Guys' most hyped combinations, so I wanted to be impressed. Read on to see which Popular Picks burger from the fast food chain is the best of the best.

Five Guys' Bacon & BBQ burger features bacon, barbecue sauce, grilled onions, and lettuce. I was really looking forward to trying this one because bacon and barbecue sauce is one of my favorite pairings on burgers, loaded fries, meatloaf, pizza, you name it. And that's why the first bite was such a letdown.

To start, there was hardly any barbecue sauce on my burger. It was barely visible, so not only was there a lack of smoky-sweet flavor, but there was also not enough moisture to balance the chain's signature well-done beef patty (which was a bit on the dry side for all the burgers I sampled). But that aside, the amount of barbecue sauce wouldn't have mattered because once I was able to find a smear on the bun to taste on its own, I was incredibly disappointed. The sauce was flat, one-note, and entirely bland. Truly, there are far more flavorful store-bought barbecue sauces. The grilled onions didn't add to the overall flavor and seemed unnecessary. And while the bacon was tasty and plentiful, and the lettuce added crunch and freshness, that wasn't enough to make this burger delicious.

No question, this burger was last place. Compared to the others — especially the top three in this ranking — it simply didn't come close in terms of flavor or impact.

The aptly named All the Way burger is packed with grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes — along with mustard, mayo, and ketchup. It was the biggest burger of the bunch, which also contributed to its downfall.

There was just too much going on in this burger. It was so packed with toppings that, upon first bite, each component squeezed out of the bun and fell all over my hands and the table. Aside from the messiness, the flavors didn't mesh. Grilled onions and mushrooms go great together, but when paired with lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes, they don't taste good. One moment I tasted the wonderfully earthy mushrooms, but then I'd get a hit of brininess from the pickles, and it was just plain weird.

The individual toppings on the All the Way burger tasted good and were well-prepared, which is why this burger rose above the Bacon & BBQ one. Still, while the All the Way burger was perfectly edible, it wasn't memorable or particularly delicious like the top three burgers in this ranking were.

Five Guys' Veggies burger comes replete with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, sweet green bell peppers, fresh onions, pickles, and ketchup. It's like a salad on a burger, and let me tell you, it's delicious.

All of the veggies on this burger were crisp, tasted uber-fresh, and worked well together. Particularly memorable was the sharp crunch of the onions, the briny snap of the pickles, and the subtle sweetness of the bell pepper that tied everything together. The textures were incredibly appetizing, and there was just enough ketchup to add moistness to the meat.

The Veggies burger didn't rank higher for two reasons: construction and creativity. Because there were so many toppings, it was a bit of a challenge to keep them from slipping out. And while the flavor combo was undeniably good, the burger as a whole lacked a "wow" factor. Nonetheless, this was one tasty burger, and I would order it again (along with the two burgers that ranked above it).

The fast-food chain's Spicy burger features cheese, fresh jalapeños, hot sauce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise. The flavor of this burger was bold, and it had serious personality. The spice level was spot on — present but manageable, so the flavor of the burger was still discernible.

The fresh jalapeños were a true game-changer. Swapping in crisp, green slices instead of the typical pickled version made the entire burger taste brighter and more refined. They added a delightfully bright crunch and slightly sweet flavor that made every bite lively. The cheese added creamy richness, while the mayo tamped down any sharp heat from the hot sauce. And the juicy tomatoes? They acted as a fresh, light layer.

The Spicy burger's undeniable "wow" factor shot it ahead of the Veggies burger. It's a unique, well-executed burger build that has forever won me over — and was a perfect example of why Five Guys ranked second in our list of best American burger chains.

Claiming the top spot in this ranking is Five Guys' Briny Bite burger. Topped with pickles, relish, mustard, and onion, this burger may sound simple, but it was anything but. Five Guys absolutely nailed it here. The build was creative without trying too hard, boldly flavored yet balanced, and refreshingly easy to eat.

What made this burger stand out was its sharp, tangy profile. The mustard, relish, and pickles added a briny punch without overpowering the beef. Instead, it amplified the savory flavor of the meat. There was a lively zing in every mouthful, and just enough tang. Think bright and punchy — not salt-and-vinegar-chips intense (even though I do love that). Another winning factor? It was easy to eat. This burger fit neatly in my hand and held together beautifully without toppings dropping out. I could easily eat this one on the run, in the car, or at my desk without making a mess. This is what ultimately pushed Briny Bite past Spicy, the latter of which seeped hot sauce from every crevice.

My final thoughts? The Briny Bite is a well-constructed, totally crave-worthy burger that's worth the expensive price that Five Guys is known for. High five, Five Guys.

I ordered five hamburgers, each with a Five Guys Popular Picks topping combination. Every burger was prepared fresh and eaten in the restaurant within minutes of being served. They were all tasted in one sitting with two bites each (okay, some burgers deserved three). 

I evaluated each burger based on taste, juiciness, mouthfeel, freshness, and overall innovation. I also considered construction — was the burger easy to eat, or did it fall apart after one bite? Cost was not a factor, as all five burgers were priced the same.