The most caloric burgers at 20 fast-food chains
Lifestyle
Audio By Carbonatix
8:45 PM on Tuesday, October 21
By Jill Jaracz, Stacker
The most caloric burgers at 20 fast-food chains
They're big, juicy, tasty—and if they're loaded with bacon, condiments, and cheese, all the better. It's no surprise that burgers are one of America's most popular foods, with diners eating three burgers on average every month, mostly from fast-food chains.
While a fast-food burger might hit the spot in the moment, it's not the best choice for a healthy diet. Since burgers are typically high in sodium, fat, and carbohydrates, consuming too many can have a negative impact on your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and overall mood.
Fast-food burger trends have taken nutritional value—or the lack thereof—to the extreme. Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, and Whoppers were the large burgers in the 1970s and 1980s, but now chains offer double- and triple-sized versions of their classics. The bacon trend of the 2010s saw more and more burgers piling on the ingredient, while certain chains made splashy headlines with the various types of add-ons they could fit between two buns. In recent years, smashburgers, a style popular at many classic fast-food chains, have swept the nation; however, the thinner patties do not necessarily mean fewer calories, fat, or sodium.
When evaluating the nutritional value of fast-food burgers, it's essential to consider some context. The Food and Drug Administration's recommended daily allowances, or RDAs, are designed to help consumers understand the nutritional value of the food they eat. As a general guideline, they're based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, but everyone's RDA can vary depending on age, sex, weight, height, and amount of daily physical activity.
So, which burgers are the worst for you? Stacker identified the single most caloric burger at 20 major fast-food chains using nutritional data from Nutritionix, the FDA's daily value guidelines, and individual company websites. The nutritional information is accurate as of October 2025. Note: Nutritional values are estimates that may vary based on preparation, and published data from restaurants may contain errors. We have noted any limited-time offers wherever applicable.
Read on to see if your go-to burger is on the list—and how it could affect your daily nutrition.
Krystal: Double Krystal with Cheese
- Calories: 300 (15% of daily value)
- Total fat: 18g (23% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 8g (40% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 22g (8% of daily value)
- Protein: 15g (30% of daily value)
- Sodium: 850mg (37% of daily value)
Founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1932, Krystal serves up square slider-sized burgers with diced onion, mustard, and pickle on steamed buns. The restaurant has since spread across the South and expanded its menu. A Double Krystal with Cheese is essentially two cheeseburgers stacked on top of each other, with one layer of bread separating them, giving eaters the joy of double meat, double cheese, and double condiments in every bite—as well as double calories.
White Castle: Double Cheese Slider
- Calories: 300 (15% of daily value)
- Total fat: 17g (22% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 8g (40% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 24g (9% of daily value)
- Protein: 14g (28% of daily value)
- Sodium: 680mg (30% of daily value)
The country's oldest fast-food hamburger chain, White Castle has been serving up sliders since 1921. Mashed ranked the Double Cheese Slider, which has two beef patties, two slices of cheese—your choice of American, cheddar, or jalapeño—and three slices of bread, #7 on White Castle's slider menu. In 2024, White Castle added this burger to its retail frozen food lineup, so Cravers (White Castle fans) can have their fill any time.
Cook Out: Fresh Homemade Char-Grilled Hamburgers, Huge
- Calories: 520 (26% of daily value)
- Total fat: 26g (33% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 10g (50% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 27g (10% of daily value)
- Protein: 40g (80% of daily value)
- Sodium: 410mg (18% of daily value)
Cook Out's motto, "Always Fresh, Never Frozen," was developed in 1999 when the North Carolina-based chain opened its own meat commissary to grind and patty its own burgers, which it delivers to restaurants daily. The Huge is the largest of Cook Out's four types of burgers, a juicy half-pound beef patty that's grilled to order. For an even higher calorie count, order the burger in one of four signature styles, such as Cook Out Style, with the restaurant's signature chili, cole slaw, mustard, and onion—that alone adds an extra 130 calories.
Shake Shack: Bacon Cheeseburger
- Calories: 760 (38% of daily value)
- Total fat: 47g (60% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 21g (105% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 25g (9% of daily value)
- Protein: 58g (116% of daily value)
- Sodium: 2,510mg (109% of daily value)
Although Shake Shack is known for its milkshakes and high-end burgers, the restaurant chain first started in 2001 when celebrity chef Danny Meyer opened a hot dog stand in New York City's Madison Square Park. Its Bacon Cheeseburger consistently ranks as one of the chain's best burgers, thanks to its proprietary blend of 100% Angus beef, applewood-smoked bacon, and toasted potato bun. The standard version of this smashburger comes with two quarter-pound patties and two slices of cheese, but you can cut back on the calories with a single patty version—or pile them on by ordering a triple.
The Habit: Santa Barbara Char
- Calories: 1,210 (61% of daily value)
- Total fat: 93g (119% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 30g (150% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 48g (17% of daily value)
- Protein: 48g (96% of daily value)
- Sodium: 3,220mg (140% of daily value)
This Santa Barbara, California, chain—now based in Irvine, California—started grilling burgers to order in 1969 and has expanded along both U.S. coasts and into Asia. The chain has won over the hearts and stomachs of customers, earning the title of "Best Fast Food Restaurant" by USA Today for both 2024 and 2025. The Santa Barbara Char is one of The Habit's hallmark sandwiches, featuring grilled sourdough bread piled with two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, tomato, lettuce, grilled onion, mayo, pickles, and avocado.
Steak 'n Shake: Butter Double Steakburger
- Calories: 1,020 (51% of daily value)
- Total fat: 79g (101% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 41g (205% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 45g (16% of daily value)
- Protein: 34g (68% of daily value)
- Sodium: 8,820mg (383% of daily value)
In 1934, the first Steak 'n Shake opened in Normal, Illinois, with burgers that were anything but normal, made from cuts of steak and smashed on a grill. The Butter Double Steakburger consists of two steakburger patties with cheese, grilled onion, and a layer of melted butter, topped with a knotted bun. In March 2025, the restaurant announced that it would be switching from using seed oils to using 100% Grade A Wisconsin butter in its products.
In-N-Out: Double-Double
- Calories: 610 (31% of daily value)
- Total fat: 34g (44% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 15g (75% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 41g (15% of daily value)
- Protein: 34g (68% of daily value)
- Sodium: 1,660mg (72% of daily value)
In-N-Out, a West Coast hamburger chain first opened in 1948, has had legions of fans over the years, including celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay, Anthony Bourdain, and Julia Child. Launched in 1963, the Double-Double is two fresh beef patties, two slices of American cheese, sliced or grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and In-N-Out's signature spread on a toasted bun. Ordering it "animal style" gives you patties grilled with mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions, and extra spread.
A&W's: BBQ Bacon Crunch Cheeseburger, Double
- Calories: 760 (38% of daily value)
- Total fat: 47g (60% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 18g (90% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 51g (19% of daily value)
- Protein: 36g (72% of daily value)
- Sodium: 1,450mg (63% of daily value)
A&W's claim to fame is not just its iconic root beer—the Lodi, California, root beer stand that opened in 1919 started serving food in the 1930s, and A&W has been offering meals ever since. Dale Mulder, a Lansing, Michigan, franchise operator, is credited with inventing the bacon cheeseburger in 1963. The BBQ Bacon Crunch Double Cheeseburger, typically a limited-run offering, riffs off that innovation with two beef patties, melted American cheese, bacon, BBQ sauce, and crispy fried onions.
Checkers: Baconzilla! Triple
- Calories: 1,210 (61% of daily value)
- Total fat: 96g (123% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 36g (180% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 42g (15% of daily value)
- Protein: 58g (116% of daily value)
- Sodium: 2,950mg (128% of daily value)
The Baconzilla is a staple of both Checkers and Rally's double drive-thru burger chains. The two companies joined forces in 1999, and although they have the same menu items, they maintain separate names. The Baconzilla tops a Mashed ranking of Checkers and Rally's sandwiches because while the two beef patties, cheese, mayo, and ketchup make this burger pretty heavy, the four slices of bacon balance out the flavors. (Of course, that bacon also adds plenty of calories, sodium, and saturated fat.)
Freddy's: Prime Steakburger, Triple Patty
- Calories: 1,240 (62% of daily value)
- Total fat: 86g (110% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 30g (150% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 35g (13% of daily value)
- Protein: 78g (156% of daily value)
- Sodium: 2,210mg (96% of daily value)
Freddy's has been serving up crispy-edged steakburgers and rich custard since 2002, first in Kansas and now in 36 states, as well as Canada. Fans of the burger spot have made it one of the country's favorite chains—Yelpers ranked it #6 on Yelp's 2025 list of top burger chains. An empty stomach is a must to house Freddy's Triple Patty Prime Steakburger, which joined the menu in 2024. It features three steakburger patties, thinly-sliced prime rib, melted Swiss cheese, grilled onions, and portobello mushrooms on a toasted bun smeared with garlic aioli.
Five Guys: Cheeseburger
- Calories: 980 (49% of daily value)
- Total fat: 55g (71% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 26.5g (133% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 40g (15% of daily value)
- Protein: 47g (94% of daily value)
- Sodium: Not available
Five Guys first hit the scene in 1986 when it opened its debut location in Arlington, Virginia, and quickly made a name for itself by focusing on burgers, hot dogs, and fries. A Five Guys cheeseburger is made with a hand-formed well-done ground chuck patty and Kraft American cheese, but the toppings make every burger unique. Diners can choose from 16 unlimited toppings (including an extra beef patty). While most of the toppings are fresh vegetables, other options like mayo and BBQ sauce can quickly add to the calorie count.
Culver's: Roasted Garlic and Bacon Pub Burger, Triple
- Calories: 1,210 (61% of daily value)
- Total fat: 87g (112% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 35g (175% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 38g (14% of daily value)
- Protein: 72g (144% of daily value)
- Sodium: 1,680mg (73% of daily value)
A fast-food version of Wisconsin's supper clubs, Culver's opened in 1984 and has since become the country's seventh-largest burger chain by sales. Much of Culver's success comes from its famed ButterBurgers, which feature a buttered bun sandwiching the cooked-to-order fresh beef patties. For the Triple Roasted Garlic and Bacon Pub Burger, a 2025 limited-time offering, that's a buttered garlic herb pretzel bun sandwiching three beef patties, Wisconsin cheddar cheese, thick-cut bacon, roasted garlic mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.
Whataburger: Mushroom Swiss Burger
- Calories: 1,110 (56% of daily value)
- Total fat: 70g (90% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 20g (100% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 61g (22% of daily value)
- Protein: 56g (112% of daily value)
- Sodium: 1,890mg (82% of daily value)
As part of the Texas-based chain's 75th anniversary celebration in 2025, Whataburger brought back the fan-favorite Mushroom Swiss Burger. The burger, which has two grilled beef patties, Swiss cheese, grilled mushrooms, and creamy au jus sauce, was first introduced in 2018 and added to Whataburger's All-Time Favorites a year later, only to be dropped from the menu in 2022. Fans rallied around the beloved fave, collecting over 7,300 signatures on a petition, which convinced the company to bring back the sandwich, although just for a limited time.
Carl's Jr: El Diablo, Double
- Calories: 1,210 (61% of daily value)
- Total fat: 59g (76% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 28g (140% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 78g (28% of daily value)
- Protein: 60g (120% of daily value)
- Sodium: 2,610mg (113% of daily value)
West Coast-based Carl's Jr. started in 1941 as a hot dog stand but is now known for its extreme charbroiled burgers, which pile on the ingredients—like the El Diablo, which appeared on menus in 2015 and 2021 as a limited-run offering but was made a permanent menu item in 2024. The Double El Diablo is an appetizer and a main course all rolled into one sandwich that's designed to set mouths ablaze. The burger features two beef patties, two slices of bacon, and two slices of pepper jack cheese resting on pickled sliced jalapeños. It's topped with jalapeño poppers and a habanero ranch sauce.
Hardee's: Monster Burger
- Calories: 1,160 (58% of daily value)
- Total fat: 79g (101% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 29g (145% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 49g (18% of daily value)
- Protein: 68g (136% of daily value)
- Sodium: 2,580mg (112% of daily value)
When Hardee's released the Monster Thickburger in 2004, it made headlines for its high calorie and fat count. Since then, the Monster has downsized from over 11 ounces of beef to "just" a half pound. The sandwich still piles on the calories and fat with four strips of bacon, three slices of cheese, and plenty of mayonnaise.
Jack in the Box: Bacon Double Smashed Jack
- Calories: 1,120 (56% of daily value)
- Total fat: 83g (106% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 30g (150% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 49g (18% of daily value)
- Protein: 45g (90% of daily value)
- Sodium: 2,070mg (90% of daily value)
Jack in the Box ushered in 2024 with its smashed burger lineup, including the Bacon Double Smashed Jack. This burger, which took two years to develop, has half a pound of beef, bacon, two slices of American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, butter, and a proprietary "Boss Sauce" on a brioche bun. Fans immediately flocked to restaurants to try it, causing the chain to run out of supplies during its soft launch.
Sonic: Supersonic Bacon Double Cheeseburger with Mayo
- Calories: 1,130 (57% of daily value)
- Total fat: 75g (96% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 22g (110% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 54g (20% of daily value)
- Protein: 57g (114% of daily value)
- Sodium: 2,000mg (87% of daily value)
The country's fourth-largest burger chain dates back to 1953, when business partners Troy Smith and Charles Pappe opened Top Hat root beer stands in Oklahoma. In 1959, the duo changed the name to Sonic, reflecting the drive-in company's slogan "Service at the Speed of Sound." At many locations, that service includes the chain's famous roller-skating carhop servers. The Supersonic Bacon Double Cheeseburger, with two beef patties, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, packs in a lot of calories and fat, but also taste. In 2021, Thrillist ranked it the #3 fast-food bacon cheeseburger.
Wendy's: Big Bacon Classic Triple
- Calories: 1,200 (60% of daily value)
- Total fat: 84g (108% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 35g (175% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 37g (13% of daily value)
- Protein: 75g (150% of daily value)
- Sodium: 1,840mg (80% of daily value)
In 1992, Wendy's introduced the Big Bacon Classic, which consisted of one square beef patty, two slices of American cheese, and three slices of bacon, along with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and mayonnaise. It fell by the wayside in 2007, but was reintroduced in 2020, and now there's a triple version with three patties and slices of cheese. If you wanted to walk off the calories in one of these burgers, it would take about 340 minutes.
Burger King: Bacon King
- Calories: 1,150 (58% of daily value)
- Total fat: 79g (101% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 31g (155% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 49g (18% of daily value)
- Protein: 61g (122% of daily value)
- Sodium: 2,150mg (93% of daily value)
This double cheeseburger features a "hearty portion" of bacon, as described by Burger King, which translates to six slices. Add four slices of American cheese and some mayonnaise, and it's easy to understand why the Bacon King has more than the recommended value of fat for an entire day. Added to the menu in 2016, this behemoth still ranks as one of the chain's top burgers.
McDonald's: Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
- Calories: 740 (37% of daily value)
- Total fat: 42g (54% of daily value)
-- Saturated fat: 20g (100% of daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 43g (16% of daily value)
- Protein: 48g (96% of daily value)
- Sodium: 1,360mg (59% of daily value)
McDonald's, the country's largest fast-food chain for over 20 years, gave the world the Quarter Pounder with Cheese in 1973. In the early 1990s, the Golden Arches introduced a double sandwich, and tasters still rank it as one of the company's best burgers. Originally, the beef in Quarter Pounders was frozen; however, in 2018, McDonald's switched to fresh beef for its Quarter Pounder line, which helped increase sales by 30% within a year.
Story editing by Louis Peitzman. Additional editing by Paris Close. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire.
