Top 10 Unhealthiest Burgers In The U.S.
Burgers have become a staple in American cuisine, but not all are created equal when it comes to nutrition. Some burgers pack an alarming punch of calories, fat, and sodium that would make any nutritionist gasp.
From monster-sized patties to cheese-laden creations dripping with special sauce, these diet-destroyers might taste heavenly, but wreak havoc on your health.
1. Hardee’s Monster Thickburger
Holy beef mountain! This cardiac catastrophe boasts two 1/3-pound beef patties, four bacon strips, and three slices of American cheese, all smothered in mayo.
At a jaw-dropping 1,420 calories and 108 grams of fat, this burger alone exceeds many people’s entire daily calorie needs. One customer jokingly asked for a defibrillator as a side order!
2. Wendy’s Pretzel Bacon Pub Triple
Sporting not one, not two, but THREE beef patties, this monstrosity is a carnivore’s dream and a cardiologist’s nightmare. The pretzel bun might sound fancy, but don’t be fooled.
With applewood smoked bacon, beer cheese sauce, and crispy fried onions piled high, this burger packs a whopping 1,520 calories.
The sodium content alone (2,780mg) is higher than your recommended daily intake!
3. Sonic’s SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger
Skating straight into artery-clogging territory, this drive-in disaster delivers double beef patties, double cheese, and crispy bacon that’ll make your taste buds sing—and your heart weep.
Last summer, I attempted to finish one during a road trip and had to pull over for a nap afterward! The food coma was real.
With 1,280 calories and 87 grams of fat, this burger contains more than half your daily calorie needs.
4. Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger
Notorious for their generous portions, Five Guys doesn’t hold back with this greasy masterpiece. The standard version comes with two patties, though many don’t realize this when ordering.
Add bacon and cheese to the equation, and you’re looking at a staggering 1,060 calories—before adding any of their 15 free toppings!
The customization options make this burger a choose-your-own-adventure of unhealthiness.
5. Burger King’s Triple Whopper with Cheese
Fit for royalty with an appetite for destruction, this behemoth features three flame-grilled beef patties topped with American cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and ketchup.
My brother once ate two of these on a dare and couldn’t button his pants for three days!
Weighing in at 1,299 calories, 86 grams of fat, and 1,820 mg of sodium, this burger should come with its own warning label.
6. Whataburger’s Triple Meat Whataburger
Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the potential for heart disease! This three-patty monster lives up to the state’s reputation with its imposing stack of beef.
I once watched my Texan cousin devour one of these after claiming he was “just a bit hungry.” He didn’t eat again for 24 hours!
Clocking in at 1,100 calories with 29 grams of saturated fat, this burger delivers a day’s worth of fat in one sitting.
7. Fatburger’s XXXL Triple Kingburger
With a name containing both “fat” and “king,” you know this burger isn’t making any pretenses about being healthy. Three massive 1/2-pound patties tower precariously, threatening to topple at the slightest provocation.
Finish this 1,859-calorie monster in one sitting, and you might get your picture on the wall of fame. Your cardiologist, however, might put it on their wall of shame.
The 141 grams of fat could keep you full for days, or hospitalized.
8. Denny’s Double Cheeseburger
Surprising entry from a sit-down restaurant! Denny’s double cheeseburger sneaks onto our list with its two beef patties, American cheese, and all the fixings served alongside a mountain of fries.
Last Christmas, my uncle ordered this at 2 AM after holiday festivities. He claimed it was “breakfast” despite the obvious burger-ness of it all.
At 1,280 calories and 77 grams of fat, this diner delight is a slippery slope to naptime.
9. Red Robin’s Monster Burger
Red Robin might be known for bottomless fries, but their Monster Burger deserves its own infamy. Two flame-grilled beef patties serve as bookends for a bizarre middle layer of a third “burger” made entirely from melted cheese.
Add bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo, and you’ve created a 1,210-calorie beast. The 79 grams of fat might leave you feeling like you’re wearing a life vest under your shirt after finishing.
10. The Cheesecake Factory’s Bacon-Bacon Cheeseburger
Repetition in the name is your first clue that this burger doesn’t mess around with moderation. Smoked bacon and a thick slice of crispy bacon mac and cheese “cake” top the patty in this culinary crime scene.
The Cheesecake Factory is notoriously tight-lipped about exact nutritional info, but experts estimate this burger exceeds 1,500 calories. I once shared one with three friends, and we still couldn’t finish it all!