What we did<\/h2>\n
To find the best value burgers and fries at major chains in America, we calculated the national average price per ounce of single-patty cheeseburgers and medium (or regular) fries at the 14 largest U.S. burger chains, analyzing published nutrition data and using home scales to weigh patties and fries.<\/p>\n
Key Findings: Best value burgers and fries<\/h2>\n\n- Whataburger\u2019s<\/strong> classic \u201cWhataburger\u201d<\/strong> has the biggest patty<\/strong> out of the 14 U.S. restaurant chains in our study but also represents the best overall value for a burger, at $1.66 per ounce<\/strong> of meat.<\/li>\n
- Burger King\u2019s<\/strong> fries are around 15.6%<\/strong> less expensive per ounce than McDonald\u2019s.<\/li>\n
- The All-American Smash<\/strong> from Smashburger<\/strong> has the most protein<\/strong> of all \u2014 15.7 grams per 100 grams of burger<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Shake Shack<\/strong> has the best value fries at $0.40 per ounce<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Whataburger leads in burger value, despite higher prices<\/h2>\n
Identifying the best value burgers in this study wasn\u2019t as simple as looking at the lowest prices \u2014 we wanted to make sure customers were getting good value for their dollar. So we used kitchen scales to weigh single-patty cheeseburger variants from each of the 14 biggest U.S. burger chains and then calculated the price per ounce of meat for each burger.<\/p>\n
Even though Whataburger\u2019s signature sandwich costs $5.92 \u2014 which is more expensive than nearly every other U.S. burger chain included in our research \u2014 and the patty also weighs the most at 3.56 oz., so it levels out to a very fair price of $1.66 per ounce of meat.<\/p>\n
![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/www.netcredit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/01_The-Best-Value-Burgers-from-Major-Chains-e1770824533148.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nMcDonald\u2019s classic cheeseburger, on the other hand, had the thinnest patty, weighing just 1.06 ounces. Even so, it still came in second to Whataburger in overall value, since the price is so low \u2014 just $1.91 per ounce, or roughly $2.02 for the burger.<\/p>\n
This may be connected with McDonald\u2019s dropping its prices by about 5%<\/a> a few months ago \u2014 a move designed to pull in more customers, which didn\u2019t exactly pan out as foot traffic has continued to fall, according to foot traffic tracking firm Placer.ai.<\/a><\/p>\nShake Shack delivers the most fries for the money, while Sonic offers the least<\/h2>\n
Again, finding the best value fries wasn\u2019t about finding the cheapest fries \u2014 it was about narrowing it down to the U.S. burger chain in this study that offered the most fries for the least amount of money. We used kitchen scales to weigh a regular portion of fries from each of the 14 biggest U.S. burger chains, where regional price variations were normalized to reflect the nation\u2019s average for each chain.<\/p>\n
Shake Shack \u2014 despite having some of the more expensive fries on our list \u2014 had the best overall value, at $0.40 per ounce (because they do give customers a lot of fries \u2014 6.17 ounces per regular portion). By comparison, Sonic, which came in last of the 14 places, maintains a price of $1.27 per ounce, with a total of 2.54 ounces per serving.<\/p>\n
![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/www.netcredit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/02_The-Best-Value-Fries-from-Major-Chains-e1770824681631.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nFor those wondering about the classic \u201cBurger King vs. McDonald\u2019s fries rivalry<\/a>,\u201d we have some definite information that could settle the debate once and for all \u2014 at least in terms of value. We found that a serving of medium McDonald\u2019s fries weighs around 3.99 oz. At a national average price of $3.54, this adds up to about $0.89 per ounce \u2014 15.6% more expensive per ounce than regular Burger King fries.<\/p>\nWhataburger dominates on patty size, and the McDonald\u2019s patty is the smallest<\/h2>\n
When we weighed standard single-patty cheeseburgers from each of the 14 biggest U.S. burger chains, the classic \u201cWhataburger\u201d from Whataburger topped the listing at a hefty 3.56 oz. Shake Shack\u2019s cheeseburger trailed directly behind, followed by Dave\u2019s Single Cheeseburger from Wendy\u2019s.<\/p>\n
![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/www.netcredit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/03_Which-Major-Burger-Chain-Has-the-Biggest-Burger-Patties-e1770824829576.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Wendy\u2019s patty weighs over 2.5 times as much as the patty in a McDonald\u2019s Cheeseburger \u2014 the thinnest one on the list. This is despite the decision from McDonald\u2019s to make its patties thicker and juicier in 2024<\/a>. \u201cWe think we\u2019re going to be able to deliver a great tasting large burger at a superior value to what [customers] can get anywhere else,\u201d CEO Chris Kempczinski told CNN<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\nMore generally, even though some of these patties are clearly more substantial than others, this doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they contain the most protein or calories.<\/p>\n
Bigger doesn\u2019t mean more protein: Smashburger beats Whataburger<\/h2>\n
In order to find out how much protein was in each of the burgers at the biggest burger chains, we looked at their nutritional menus. Perhaps surprisingly, even though Whataburger\u2019s patty is substantially larger than others\u2019, it has just 9.2 grams of protein per 100 grams of burger \u2014 due to the weight of the sandwich\u2019s substantial bun and toppings.<\/p>\n
![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/www.netcredit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/05_The-Most-Protein-Rich-Major-Chain-Burgers-e1770825040234.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe All-American Smash from Smashburger, on the other hand, has almost double that protein amount, at 15.7 grams per 100 grams of burger. And while a cheeseburger may not exactly be the first thing you think of when it comes to a high-protein meal, protein is just what this burger delivers.<\/p>\n
Government nutritional guidelines<\/a> suggest that protein should make up about 10 to 35% of your daily calories \u2014 roughly 50 to 174 grams, depending on the person. At 15.7 grams of protein per 100 grams of burger, that equals about 11 grams of protein for one Smashburger \u2014 roughly the equivalent of two eggs<\/a>.<\/p>\nFry portions vary dramatically, with Five Guys far ahead<\/h2>\n
For most Americans, a burger just isn\u2019t a complete meal without a side of fries. So we carried out manual research to find out which of the 14 top burger restaurants had the most fries, by weight, using a set of kitchen scales to weigh a regular portion of fries from each chain.<\/p>\n
Of the chains in our study, Five Guys offers the largest regular-sized serving of fries, with 11.29 oz. per portion. That\u2019s nearly twice as much as the runner-up, Shake Shack (6.17 oz.), and over three times as much as Whataburger\u2019s fries (3 oz.)<\/p>\n
That said, Shake Shack\u2019s fries have a slightly better value per ounce since they\u2019re less expensive than fries from Five Guys.<\/p>\n
![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/www.netcredit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/04_Which-Major-Burger-Chain-Gives-You-the-Most-Fries-1-e1770825166549.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAt the bottom of our list is Sonic, with fries that weigh just 2.54 ounces. In mid-2024, the restaurant chain replaced its standard fries with Groovy Fries<\/a>, crinkle-cut to facilitate \u201coptimal dipping\u201d \u2014 a decision that has proved a polarizing choice<\/a> in the french fry world.<\/p>\nBurgers and fries can still be a budget option<\/h2>\n
Burgers and fries have gotten more expensive, but they can still offer a budget-friendly choice for an occasional treat. Our analysis shows that value isn\u2019t just about price alone but also about how much nutrition and satisfaction you\u2019re getting for every dollar you spend.<\/p>\n
If you want to make the most out of your order while keeping health in mind, consider these tips:<\/p>\n
\n- Prioritize protein:<\/strong> Protein-rich items tend to be more filling, which can help you stay satisfied longer without ordering more food.<\/li>\n
- Watch calories per dollar:<\/strong> Some menu items pack in far more calories than others at a similar price, making it easy to overpay for less nourishment.<\/li>\n
- Be mindful of portion sizes:<\/strong> As we discovered, bigger doesn\u2019t always mean better \u2014 oversized sides can add calories quickly without adding much nutritional value.<\/li>\n
- Customize when possible:<\/strong> Swapping sauces, skipping extra cheese or replacing a bun with a lettuce wrap are all ways to improve nutrition without raising the price.<\/li>\n
- Balance indulgence with value:<\/strong> If you\u2019re going to skip the grocery store<\/a> and treat yourself, choose menu items that deliver more food or protein per dollar so the treat feels a little more worthwhile.<\/li>\n
- Reduce red meat overall:<\/strong> While a burger and fries can be a satisfying treat, it\u2019s still important to enjoy red meat in moderation \u2014 no more than three servings per week according to the World Cancer Research Fund<\/a> \u2014 to support long-term health and well-being.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Even as prices climb, with a little awareness and the right order, it\u2019s still possible to get more out of every bite without overspending \u2014 or overindulging.<\/p>\n
Methodology<\/h2>\n
To discover the best value burgers and fries combination in America from major chains, we calculated the price per ounce of patties and fries at these 14 largest U.S. burger chains:<\/p>\n
Whataburger leads in burger value, despite higher prices<\/h2>\n
Identifying the best value burgers in this study wasn\u2019t as simple as looking at the lowest prices \u2014 we wanted to make sure customers were getting good value for their dollar. So we used kitchen scales to weigh single-patty cheeseburger variants from each of the 14 biggest U.S. burger chains and then calculated the price per ounce of meat for each burger.<\/p>\n
Even though Whataburger\u2019s signature sandwich costs $5.92 \u2014 which is more expensive than nearly every other U.S. burger chain included in our research \u2014 and the patty also weighs the most at 3.56 oz., so it levels out to a very fair price of $1.66 per ounce of meat.<\/p>\n
McDonald\u2019s classic cheeseburger, on the other hand, had the thinnest patty, weighing just 1.06 ounces. Even so, it still came in second to Whataburger in overall value, since the price is so low \u2014 just $1.91 per ounce, or roughly $2.02 for the burger.<\/p>\n This may be connected with McDonald\u2019s dropping its prices by about 5%<\/a> a few months ago \u2014 a move designed to pull in more customers, which didn\u2019t exactly pan out as foot traffic has continued to fall, according to foot traffic tracking firm Placer.ai.<\/a><\/p>\n Again, finding the best value fries wasn\u2019t about finding the cheapest fries \u2014 it was about narrowing it down to the U.S. burger chain in this study that offered the most fries for the least amount of money. We used kitchen scales to weigh a regular portion of fries from each of the 14 biggest U.S. burger chains, where regional price variations were normalized to reflect the nation\u2019s average for each chain.<\/p>\n Shake Shack \u2014 despite having some of the more expensive fries on our list \u2014 had the best overall value, at $0.40 per ounce (because they do give customers a lot of fries \u2014 6.17 ounces per regular portion). By comparison, Sonic, which came in last of the 14 places, maintains a price of $1.27 per ounce, with a total of 2.54 ounces per serving.<\/p>\n For those wondering about the classic \u201cBurger King vs. McDonald\u2019s fries rivalry<\/a>,\u201d we have some definite information that could settle the debate once and for all \u2014 at least in terms of value. We found that a serving of medium McDonald\u2019s fries weighs around 3.99 oz. At a national average price of $3.54, this adds up to about $0.89 per ounce \u2014 15.6% more expensive per ounce than regular Burger King fries.<\/p>\n When we weighed standard single-patty cheeseburgers from each of the 14 biggest U.S. burger chains, the classic \u201cWhataburger\u201d from Whataburger topped the listing at a hefty 3.56 oz. Shake Shack\u2019s cheeseburger trailed directly behind, followed by Dave\u2019s Single Cheeseburger from Wendy\u2019s.<\/p>\n The Wendy\u2019s patty weighs over 2.5 times as much as the patty in a McDonald\u2019s Cheeseburger \u2014 the thinnest one on the list. This is despite the decision from McDonald\u2019s to make its patties thicker and juicier in 2024<\/a>. \u201cWe think we\u2019re going to be able to deliver a great tasting large burger at a superior value to what [customers] can get anywhere else,\u201d CEO Chris Kempczinski told CNN<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n More generally, even though some of these patties are clearly more substantial than others, this doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they contain the most protein or calories.<\/p>\n In order to find out how much protein was in each of the burgers at the biggest burger chains, we looked at their nutritional menus. Perhaps surprisingly, even though Whataburger\u2019s patty is substantially larger than others\u2019, it has just 9.2 grams of protein per 100 grams of burger \u2014 due to the weight of the sandwich\u2019s substantial bun and toppings.<\/p>\n The All-American Smash from Smashburger, on the other hand, has almost double that protein amount, at 15.7 grams per 100 grams of burger. And while a cheeseburger may not exactly be the first thing you think of when it comes to a high-protein meal, protein is just what this burger delivers.<\/p>\n Government nutritional guidelines<\/a> suggest that protein should make up about 10 to 35% of your daily calories \u2014 roughly 50 to 174 grams, depending on the person. At 15.7 grams of protein per 100 grams of burger, that equals about 11 grams of protein for one Smashburger \u2014 roughly the equivalent of two eggs<\/a>.<\/p>\n For most Americans, a burger just isn\u2019t a complete meal without a side of fries. So we carried out manual research to find out which of the 14 top burger restaurants had the most fries, by weight, using a set of kitchen scales to weigh a regular portion of fries from each chain.<\/p>\n Of the chains in our study, Five Guys offers the largest regular-sized serving of fries, with 11.29 oz. per portion. That\u2019s nearly twice as much as the runner-up, Shake Shack (6.17 oz.), and over three times as much as Whataburger\u2019s fries (3 oz.)<\/p>\n That said, Shake Shack\u2019s fries have a slightly better value per ounce since they\u2019re less expensive than fries from Five Guys.<\/p>\n At the bottom of our list is Sonic, with fries that weigh just 2.54 ounces. In mid-2024, the restaurant chain replaced its standard fries with Groovy Fries<\/a>, crinkle-cut to facilitate \u201coptimal dipping\u201d \u2014 a decision that has proved a polarizing choice<\/a> in the french fry world.<\/p>\n Burgers and fries have gotten more expensive, but they can still offer a budget-friendly choice for an occasional treat. Our analysis shows that value isn\u2019t just about price alone but also about how much nutrition and satisfaction you\u2019re getting for every dollar you spend.<\/p>\n If you want to make the most out of your order while keeping health in mind, consider these tips:<\/p>\n Even as prices climb, with a little awareness and the right order, it\u2019s still possible to get more out of every bite without overspending \u2014 or overindulging.<\/p>\n To discover the best value burgers and fries combination in America from major chains, we calculated the price per ounce of patties and fries at these 14 largest U.S. burger chains:<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nShake Shack delivers the most fries for the money, while Sonic offers the least<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWhataburger dominates on patty size, and the McDonald\u2019s patty is the smallest<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nBigger doesn\u2019t mean more protein: Smashburger beats Whataburger<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nFry portions vary dramatically, with Five Guys far ahead<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nBurgers and fries can still be a budget option<\/h2>\n
\n
Methodology<\/h2>\n