Posted on 07/05/2012 2:02:47 PM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
That was a good question, but I didn’t have an answer. I could only shrug. I grew up on Whataburgers so I could authoritatively rule them great but Five Guys better. Ditto for Sonic, despite its unstoppable cherry limeade. We all have our local haunts that can’t be topped. Around Austin, that’s Mighty Fine. Up in Baltimore, Burger Bros. is amazing and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Every town has its own best burger. But among the big chains that inspire fanatic loyalty, which is the best?
Overall Taste. Let me note for the record that both In-N-Out and Five Guys offer exceptionally great burgers and both deserve their cult status. Having tasted both, I understand the fierce loyalty that both inspire. In-N-Out is a fine homestyle burger that can be augmented with sauces and veggies and stacked a zillion ways to make it your burger. Five Guys can bring the heat or whatever taste suits you. In-N-Out is the cleaner burger and its wrap makes it the obvious choice if you’re eating on the go. But Five Guys brings a burger that is juicy to the extreme, so much so that you need half a dozen napkins at hand just to keep yourself clean as you bite through it. I prefer the juicier approach, so for me, the east coast approach is the way to go and Five Guys wins on taste. Its burger is simply juicer and tastier than In-N-Out.
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“I can’t match a Sonic Happy Hour drink.”
Great names for their drinks. Back in my younger more carefree times Sonic was the place of choice for mixers. A large Sonic pink lemonade, drink about a third, pour 8 ounces of Vodka and you’re good to go.
In-N-Out....don’t have any here
Five Guys ...... Their french fries are the best. I usually don’t get much else. Their hamburgers are just OK
Rumor has it the Animal Style gave Frank Zappa colon cancer.
20 years ago the drive-in theater in Durango, CO served the world’s best burgers in their concession. Cheap, too.
Out of business, now, of course.
I have a Varsity burger and orange shake, please.
The real debate in SoCal is In-N-Out vs. Fatburger, as Fatburger is pretty much limited to the Los Angeles area though I know they've recently spread to nearby states and NorCal.
I was greatly disappointed in the only In-N-Out I’ve ever had, which is why I’ve never gone back, but the only Five Guys burger that I had was great, except for the soggyness of the bun one minute after I began eating it, but that seems to be a problem everywhere.
I like White Castle ‘cause it’s the best
but then I buy a Fatburger
when I’m way out West
The Beastie Boys
“In-N-Out is the sh!t if they weren’t always packed.”
All 3 that I have the option to hit after picking up my daughter from school are all always packed. The argument becomes, do we want to wait, their french fries are awful so we won’t get any and Sonic’s fries so much better - slow, better burger, crappy fries, fast, good burger, good fries? Sonic almost always wins unless it’s a last minute decision because I-A-O is a block from home. Although I prefer I-A-O, being “Mom” I put other’s first.
Now that In-N-Out is in Texas, I can happily move out there. Stop off at Sonic and add a Route 44 Diet Cherry Limeade and I’m in heaven! Those are the only two fast food places I frequent.
Never had a Five Guys so I can’t say.
I like In N Out burgers for the onions—always fresh, crisp, and very sweet. Their fries are flavorless. Their shakes are excellent.
Whataburger—meh.
Sonic—best onion rings.
Jack-in-the-Box two for a buck tacos—love ‘em.
Wendys—Frosties! (What else?)
I agree about Fudruckers. But the one in our area closed. So burgers at home or not at all.
“Sonic—best onion rings”
Maybe. But they outta be disqualified just for their commercials.
I really don't understand why they start with fresh potatoes when they are just going to end up with an inferior product?
Yep, medium rare is the only way on burgers, and the more fat, the better; healthier, and tastier.
In-N-Out burns their way too lean buggers to death, making the carcinogen special they sell, and mustard and ketchup do not belong on burgers. (They’re for hotdogs)
The burgers that come off my grill are a full magnitude above every burger I’ve ever bought. I grab a couple packets of varying cuts and have the meat guy grind them. I grill them over charred wood. I serve them with salt, pepper, garden tomato, and vidalia onion, on a cheap roll. No contest. Not even close.
The “burger wars” are B.S. marketing hype. I’ve had Wendy’s Doubles and B.K. Double Whoppers that were as good as burgers from the Shake Shake or the Burger Palace. There’s no consistency at any of these places.
Coors remains the #1 beer in the world by blind taste tests, but storing it warm ruins it, so most people have never had a real coors.
I’ve not had In-N-Out, but I have eaten a burger at Five Guys, grilled onions, toasted bun, steak sauce. Pretty good, messy. Fries were awesome, no bitter canola oil, they use peanut oil. They’re proud of the grease, put the fries in a brown paper bag that immediately gets grease staims. Stunned with the bill, though. I broke ten dollars for a burger, fries and a soda.
I’ve eaten at Fatburger and loved it, very real, unapologetic. It is what it is and they’re good at it.
Locally, I’d give Cookout burgers the nod. Just the smell of the chargrilling and smoke pulls traffic off the street, lol. The local Five Guys might be better overall but at twice the price of Cookout, they begin to suffer by comparison. Handcut cayenne fries are great at Cookout.
Sonic - wish I could find a good one again. They used to be great but all of the ones in my area are just high priced/low quality.
I went to several different In and Out locations in SoCal and still never saw what the big deal was.
My favorite is Cheeburger Cheeburger, a Florida based chain. Burgers are good, shakes are awesome, and the frings ( fries mixed with onion rings ) are to die for. They even sell the fring batter mix in bags. We always bring some home. They're not completely nationwide yet, but getting there. There isn't one in my area. I have to drive a couple of hours for it.
At one time, White Rose was staffed by ex-cons getting their first job out of the clink.
Another craving is for a slice of pizza from Lighthouse Point Bowling Center on Rt. 1 in Florida.
Some food experiences leave a strong impression, and these two remain on top for us.
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