7 Chains With the Best Burgers Off the Grill
There is something truly brilliant about a hamburger freshly cooked on a grill. Sure, you can cook a burger in a skillet or a griddle, but unless you have those authentic grill marks across the patty, a burger just doesn’t do it for me. Not all restaurants and fast food chains use the grilling method for their burgers. Here are 7 restaurant chains with the best burgers off the grill.
In-N-Out Burger
Praised as America’s favorite burger chain, In-N-Out grills its patties fresh to order, giving them a smoky, juicy flavor that fans line up for. “Freshness You Can Taste,” is the chain’s slogan and is taken seriously. They “always serve only fresh – never frozen – high quality products,” the brand 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.”
The Habit Burger & Grill
The Habit Burger & Grill is a SoCal-founded chain specializing in chargrilled burgers, cooked over an open flame for that signature seared taste. 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.”
Shake Shack
At Shake Shack, gourmet burgers with no hormones or antibiotics are grilled with care. “Our proprietary Shack blend is freshly ground and served on a non-GMO potato bun,” it says on the website. The chain “hands down” serves the best burgers, one Redditor maintains. “There’s something in the crack that they use to coat the Pattie’s and give them that crust. Mmmmmmmm.” Another adds that the Shake Shack burger is “more elevated than McDonald’s or Burger King.”
Five Guys
At Five Guys, patties are formed using freshly ground beef and cooked on a hot flat-top grill, creating a caramelized crust and juicy center. According to the Five Guys website, all “fresh ingredients” are “hand-prepared.”
Smashburger
Smashburger uses a high-heat smash technique on the grill to lock in flavor and deliver crispy edges. Each “gourmet” 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.” The result? A perfectly smashed and grilled patty.
Whataburger
Whataburger cooks patties on a flat-top grill. When asked about cooking methods, an employee responded: “Grilled, we get them raw and frozen, pop them on the grill, season them, and cook them,” one Redditor says. “We use a skillet type of grill. The meat is placed on the grill, scored, seasoned, and then left to cook,” another added.
Culver’s (ButterBurger)
Culver’s serves flat-top grilled burgers pressed with butter for extra richness and flavor. According to its website, the chain uses “fresh, never frozen beef,” and it prepares ” your meal: fresh, just for you.”
