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7 Fast-Food Burgers That Aren’t Full of Mystery Meat

Skip the mystery meat and try these 7 fast-food burgers made with real, quality beef.

If you are craving a delicious hamburger, you don’t have to fire up the grill or go to a gourmet sit-down restaurant – even if you want a patty made with real meat. Several fast food brands pride themselves on serving burgers that are actually real, high-quality ground meat with no fillers or icky ingredients. Here are 7 fast food burgers that aren’t full of mystery meat.

Shake Shack ShackBurger

Two ShackBurgers from Shake Shack stacked atop each other
Photo: Shake Shack/Facebook

Like all Shake Shack burgers, the ShackBurger is made with 100% Angus beef with no fillers or preservatives and is hormone- and antibiotic-free. “No hormones and no antibiotics ever,” it declares on the website. “Our proprietary Shack blend is freshly ground and served on a non-GMO potato bun.”

Five Guys Cheeseburger

Five Guys

Five Guys uses fresh, never-frozen ground beef with no preservatives or fillers. Each burger is cooked to order with “fresh ingredients hand-prepared.” Ingredients are so fresh, there aren’t even freezers at restaurants.

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In-N-Out Double-Double

In-n-out double double burger in wrapping
In-N-Out Burger/Yelp

The popular In-N-Out Double-Double comprises hand-pressed patties made from 100% USDA ground chuck with no additives, fillers, or preservatives. The meat is cooked fresh and served with hand-leafed lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, and their signature spread. The brand only uses “always serve only fresh – never frozen – high quality products,” it shared in a recent Instagram post. “In fact, we don’t even own a microwave or a freezer. We have always made our hamburger patties ourselves starting with fresh, high quality front-quarter beef chucks – no additives, fillers, or preservatives.” And, burgers are made “one at a time, cooked fresh to order. ”

Smashburger Classic Smash

smashburger grilled classic smash burger
Courtesy of Smashburger

The Smashburger Classic Smash is made with 100% Certified Angus Beef. Each “gourmet” Smashburger patty is “expertly crafted with Certified Angus Beef,” the brand maintains on its website. “We take great pride in using only the finest beef for our burgers, which is sourced from family-owned farms and ranches throughout the United States, such as Walter Angus located near our Colorado headquarters.”

Culver’s ButterBurger

culver's butterburger cheese and onion rings
Culver's / Facebook

According to its website, Culver’s, a chain originating in Wisconsin, uses “fresh, never frozen beef” with zero additives or fillers for its famous ButterBurger. “It’s a promise that begins with sourcing the best ingredients and continues through to the way we prepare your meal: fresh, just for you.” Every ButterBurger is cooked to order and topped with a lightly buttered, toasted bun.

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Habit Burger Charburger

Habit Burger

The Habit Burger Charburger is made with hand-formed, chargrilled patties from 100% beef. It “has built a loyal fanbase with its smoky, flavorful patties, chargrilled to perfection over an open flame, and a commitment to fresh ingredients,” says Yelp, who ranked it second out of all burger chains. The “standout” burger is the signature Charburger, “layered with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo on a toasted bun.”

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Original Double

Freddy's Original Burger Double Combo
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers serves delicious smashburgers made with wholesome ingredients. “At Freddy’s, we use 100% premium beef,” the brand declares on its website. Fans declare it a “god level” burger. “Had Freddy’s for the first time in Arkansas a while back and was shocked at how good it was,” another said.

Leah Groth
Leah Groth is a writer for Eat This, Not That! and Best Life. Read more about Leah