I Ordered Cheeseburgers At Culver's, Sonic, And Dairy Queen. The Best Had Crispy Edges And Fresh Toppings

You could throw a stone from nearly anywhere in the U.S. and hit a fast-food burger joint. The trend started with White Castle in 1921, when the chain decided to sling sliders for $0.05 each. Since then, chains like McDonald's and Burger King have helped guide the fast-food burger along, and today, we're practically overloaded with cheeseburgers at every intersection, all vying for your attention — and, of course, your wallet. It's a good thing they're darn good, or else we'd all be in a bit of a pickle.

Where I live, Columbus, Ohio, is a particular hotbed for fast food of all kinds, but especially fast-food burgers. Not only is the city home to White Castle and Wendy's, but the city is also privy to plenty of other Midwest chains. Even fast-food chains from farther afield seem to flock to our suburbs, giving residents the pick of the litter when it comes to their cheeseburger fix.

In all honesty, it can get overwhelming. So today I'm narrowing it down to just three different fast-food cheeseburgers to try and compare. Come on down, cheeseburgers from Sonic, Dairy Queen, and Culver's — you're the next contestants on The Great Fast-Food Burger Showdown! One is a certified burger chain, while the other two focus more generally on American grub and sweet treats. But when it comes to the quality and taste of the burgers themselves, which one does it best? That's what we're here to find out.

Prices are as of the date of publication and may vary based on region.

I picked up burgers from Sonic, Culver's, and Dairy Queen in one fell swoop. It was like going on a little cheeseburger tour of Columbus. I waited to order in the drive-thru rather than putting in a mobile order to make sure I got the freshest burgers possible. I selected the most standard cheeseburger at each joint and went with double patties across the board. In my experience, a fast-food burger is at its best in a double format. It's the Goldilocks principle; a single just never seems to be enough meat, while a triple patty feels excessive. A double, on the other hand, is just right. And when we're talking about cheeseburgers, that also typically means double the cheese — a major plus.

Following this line of thinking, at Sonic, I wound up ordering the SuperSONIC Double Cheeseburger for $6.49. That's the price for the sandwich only, no fries or drink. Over at Culver's, the cheeseburger of choice was a Double ButterBurger Cheese for $7.29. And lastly, I requested a Double Original Cheeseburger Signature Stackburger from Dairy Queen, which cost me $6.09.

I tried all three cheeseburgers side by side and picked them apart ingredient by ingredient (in a figurative sense, of course). I evaluated patty cooking techniques, cheesiness, topping selection, and burger-to-buck ratio to find my favorite.

Sonic isn't implying that its burger moves at the speed of sound (I don't think your toppings would survive that trip). Rather, its SuperSONIC Cheeseburger is simply the bigger, more upgraded version of its standard SONIC Cheeseburger. The SuperSonic includes two, 100% pure seasoned beef patties each blanketed with a slice of American cheese. As for the garnishes, we have a lovely collection of lettuce, tomato, pickle chips, and onions, paired with mayonnaise and ketchup, all on a toasted bun.

This cheeseburger is super large. It's not just piled high; the patties are also wide enough that they span the entire area of the bun. It was difficult to get my mouth around it just to take that first bite. It easily beats the other two in terms of size.

The patties themselves aren't quite as impressive to look at. They're a bit pale and even look somewhat undercooked from the outside. Thankfully, the flavor is much better than their appearance might suggest. They aren't the most heavily seasoned or charred patties, but they do have a bit of saltiness and a savory, beefy flavor. I also liked the soft and squishy bun and the creaminess of the cheese. The other toppings were pretty standard — nothing to complain about or necessarily praise. That leaves us with what I would call an above-average fast-food burger. Whether it beats Dairy Queen and Culver's renditions, however, remains to be seen — and tasted.

If you're from the Midwest, you're probably familiar with Culver's whole schtick. Just as a quick recap: The Wisconsin-based chain flips burgers known as ButterBurgers (which our taster tried and ranked). They're made to order, feature smashed patties, and are named for the butter that's lightly slathered onto both sides of the bun.

At first glance, the Double ButterBurger Cheese looks pretty big and beefy. But when you take a closer look, you realize that the puffed-up bun is responsible for most of this heft. The amount of meat is smaller by comparison. However, that doesn't make it any less tasty. The fresh, never-frozen beef patties make up for their thinness with a caramelized, greasy taste and satisfyingly crispy edges. For me, it's all about quality over quantity, and I'm A-okay with a modest amount of this flavor-packed beef.

Of course, two slices of melty American cheese fulfill the sandwich's duties as a cheeseburger, and I didn't forget about toppings either. I went for The Works, which includes pickles, raw onion, ketchup, and mustard. All four are famously tucked underneath the meat rather than on top, as if to reinforce that the beef is the undeniable star of the show. These accompaniments all felt fresh, but the pickles were undeniably my favorite of the bunch. Thick cut and extra zesty, I could have had about 10 more piled on.

It's quite a long name for such a modestly sized burger. Its five-word title makes it seem big and important. But, in reality, Dairy Queen's cheeseburger is definitely the smallest of the bunch. It's supposed to come with a ⅓ pound of beef, but you wouldn't necessarily guess that by looking at it. The term "cute as a button" even popped into my head as I unwrapped it.

I couldn't help but think of a classic McDonald's cheeseburger, which ranked low on our list of McDonald's burgers, as I bit into this one — for a few different reasons. The glossy bun and patties both bear a resemblance to burgers churned out by the Golden Arches. They're not large like Sonic's or smashed down like Culver's, but are similar instead to a small, minimally seasoned frozen patty you would buy from the grocery store. Part of the likeness can also be traced back to the toppings. DQ's Signature Stackburger automatically comes with just pickles, ketchup, and mustard. Just throw in diced onions and that's the exact makeup of a McDonald's cheeseburger.

I think it could have made more of a name for itself stacked with fresh ingredients like lettuce, tomato, and onion as well — what's known as "Deluxe" at the chain. But all things considered, it's still not a bad burger. It has moisture, a meaty flavor, and salty richness from two slices of sharp American cheese — everything's just on a smaller scale.

Looking at each cheeseburger as a whole — from bun to beef to toppings — my order of preference is Culver's first, then Sonic, and lastly Dairy Queen. Culver's can breathe easy knowing its focus on burgers all these years has paid off.

There's just something about that smash style, especially when it's used on top-tier beef. Culver's discloses that it uses a blend of sirloin, chuck, and plate to create its patties and you can tell the difference, even under its buttery buns and ample garnishes. It did make me stop and think for a second, because both Sonic and DQ also offer smash burgers on their menus. I wondered if those alternative options would compete more closely. But quite frankly, I just don't think either chain could replicate the quality, even though they're using essentially the same cooking method. Culver's even comes out on top when it comes to the freshness of its ingredients, despite the toppings being located at the bottom.

So, Culver's grabs a dub, but that doesn't mean I disliked the other burgers. There is nothing wrong with the SuperSONIC burger if you're looking for the most meat possible. And while Dairy Queen's burger is smaller and more simplistic, it's still plenty enjoyable for ice cream shop grub. It's all about perspective and what you're looking for between those buns.