14 Chains Where You Can Make DIY Chili Cheeseburgers

A well-made chili cheeseburger is a thing of beauty. The right amount of spicy, meaty chili mixed with melted cheese on top of a burger patty creates a messy, flavorful bite that few other sandwiches can match. It's a shame that so few restaurants have chili cheeseburgers on the menu, but that doesn't necessarily have to stop you from enjoying one. Plenty of restaurants offer both cheeseburgers and chili separately, which means it's very easy to make a DIY chili cheeseburger whenever the mood strikes.

One of the biggest advantages of making a DIY chili cheeseburger with a restaurant's side of chili is that you can end up with a more flavorful burger. Typically, if a place sells chili just as a topping, it's the very simple, meaty kind that you find on a chili cheese dog. Often, it comes from a can. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but there's usually not a lot of variety or flavor there. It's pretty one-note. However, when a restaurant is selling chili as a side dish, they usually put extra effort into making it flavorful. They might add more ingredients like onion, celery, and kidney beans, as well as different seasonings, to make it stand out. Those extra ingredients and seasonings create a tastier and more unique chili cheeseburger when you put everything together.

Some of these restaurants will make the chili cheeseburger for you if you ask. Others will require you to order the two items separately and put it together yourself. Fortunately, it doesn't take much effort to pour some chili on a cheeseburger. So this isn't a complicated hack, and you'll be enjoying your meal in no time.

Few restaurants are as well known for both burgers and chili as Wendy's. If you want to enjoy Wendy's famous chili on your burger, odds are you're going to have to order it on the side and assemble it yourself. When we suggested ordering tips to get the best Wendy's Dave's Single, we mentioned that asking for a scoop of chili on your burger may work. Some locations are willing to do it, but it may depend on the employee. It's worth asking, though.

Culver's is known for ButterBurgers, but it also offers thick and rich chili called George's Chili, loaded with beef, beans, and veggies. The meaty side dish pairs incredibly well with burgers, and we have previously recommended adding chili to make a Culver's ButterBurger even tastier. Because this chili is so thick and loaded with ingredients, there's no way to make this combo without getting messy, but that's part of the appeal, too. Pour as much chili as you like over the burger patty and grab some napkins.

Braum's has over 300 locations throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. While it's chiefly known as an ice cream parlor, it also has an extensive menu of burgers and sides, and that includes chili. Not only does Braum's have a standard cheeseburger, but it also has a Four Cheese Burger made with American, pepper jack, provolone, and Parmesan. Top that with a side of Braum's spicy, meaty chili made with beef, beans, and jalapenos, and you've got an extra cheesy chili cheeseburger you won't find anywhere else.

Steak 'n Shake has some real standout burgers on the menu, and it also offers a thick, meaty chili. Like Wendy's and Culver's, this chili is made with beans and some veggies and would be fine all on its own as a topping for your DIY Double Steakburger with Cheese. But if you want to throw caution to the wind and make the most maxxed-out chili cheeseburger, you could order Steak 'n Shake's Chili 5-Way and put that on top. That's spaghetti topped with chili, chili sauce, extra chili beef, shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses, and diced onions.

Sure, Texas Roadhouse may be best known for steaks, but with over 750 locations across 49 states, it's an easy place to find when you're in search of a burger, too. You can order either an All-American Cheeseburger or a Bacon Cheeseburger from Texas Roadhouse along with a side of Texas Red Chili. The chili comes with diced red onion and shredded cheddar, and the chili itself comes with or without beans, so you can choose to dress your chili cheeseburger either way.

There are nearly a dozen burger varieties on the Smashburger menu, plus the option to create your own, so it's easy to go with a simple cheeseburger or something more elaborate. The Colorado Smash, for instance, comes with two patties, pepper jack cheese, grilled green chiles, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Pile on a cup of Smashburger's all-beef, no-bean homestyle chili and you'll have an over-the-top chili cheeseburger in no time. Smashburger stacks some of its offerings pretty high, so a chili cheeseburger version is best enjoyed with a lot of napkins handy.

Sonic Drive-Thru gives you a few options if you want to DIY a chili cheeseburger. You can go the standard route and order a Sonic Cheeseburger, then ask the restaurant to put some of the chili from its Chili Cheese Groovy Fries on your burger. You can also order some on the side if you want to handle it yourself. To make a more filling burger, you could also order a side of the Chili Cheese Groovy Fries or Chili Cheese Tots and use those as a topping. It makes for a bigger, messier bite, but it's worth it.

It may not be as big as McDonald's or Wendy's, but we've pointed out that Freddy's makes a great cheeseburger. So how do you make a good thing better? By adding chili. Choose any one of Freddy's burgers, from the Prime Rib Steakburger to Freddy's Original Double, and you can customize it with chili as a topping for just $1 more. You can also order a side of chili in a cup, or go all out by piling Chili Cheese Fries onto your burger.

Shoney's has several dozen locations across the Midwest and Southeastern U.S., and remains one of the best chains for old-school comfort food. Cheeseburgers and chili are right in its wheelhouse, and Shoney's has both on the menu. You'll find chili on Shoney's soup menu, and it comes in half-cup servings. That's the perfect amount to add to an All-American Burger, but don't sleep on the Cheddar Stuffed Burger, which is topped with a bacon jam and can give you a fun twist on a classic chili cheeseburger.

Runza is primarily located in Nebraska, but there are a few locations in neighboring states. The chain is best known for its eponymous stuffed sandwich, a Midwest icon, but you can also get some massive burgers there, including a half-pound double cheeseburger. There are also smaller burgers, including a Jr. Cheeseburger, if you're looking for something more reasonable. Runza also offers a thick, homestyle chili that's made in-house every morning. Loaded with beans, beef, green peppers, and onions, the chili makes any burger you top it with a challenge to finish.

Checkers and Rally's offer a few ways to bring cheeseburgers and chili together. The chain has eight different burgers on the menu, so you can start simple with the All-American Cheeseburger or get more elaborate with something like the Smoky BBQ Bacon Buford. Chili is not a standard topping on the menu, but some locations will let you order it if you ask, and the chain has even mentioned the combo on its social media. Failing that, you can order a side of chili and pour it on the burger yourself.

With locations in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, Frisch's Big Boy has everything you need to make a great chili cheeseburger. Choose from several burgers, including the quarter-pound Big Boy or the half-pound Super Big Boy, and then order a side of chili with beans to spoon on top. The real recipe for the chili isn't online, but some dupes are made with beef, kidney beans, onions, and canned tomato soup, which gives it a slightly sweeter, smoother tomato flavor than chilis made with canned tomatoes or tomato paste.

Portillo's has dozens of locations across 10 states. The menu features a large selection of hamburgers, including both single and double cheeseburgers, bacon cheeseburgers, and Rodeo Burgers. The massive Double Rodeo Burger features two one-third-pound patties, onion rings, bacon, and cheese. Chili is not a standard topping, but the chain sells it by the cup. It's a thick chili made with beans, and Portillo's uses it on its famous chili dogs as well. Ask if they'll add it to your burger, but if not, it's easy enough to do on your own.

Black Bear Diner has over 160 locations in 14 states. The menu features the standard burger and cheeseburger you'd expect at any diner, plus some more specialized offerings like a Parmesan Sourdough Cheeseburger. Chili is not a standard topping, but it's offered as a side when you order a burger, so putting the two together is not too hard. Black Bear's chili is also unique in that it's made with ground beef and sausage, so it brings a meatier, heartier bite to your chili cheeseburger.