Mashed Survey Uncovers The Burger Topping Fans Can't Live Without

With the right recipe, practically anything can become a delicious burger topping. But which topping will burger lovers reach for every time? In a survey conducted on YouTube, Mashed asked fans to decide what their very favorite burger topping was. After more than 40,000 votes, we were unsurprised to see which topping won.

With nearly half of the overall vote, cheese is clearly the best topping for burgers. 49% of voters agreed that a burger without cheese just isn't worth enjoying. One survey voter commented, "Cheese can make an okay burger a great burger really quickly." Other users claimed that cheese is what transforms a patty and bun into a "true burger." Making the choice to crown only one burger topping can be difficult, as one voter admitted: "I like all 5 of those things, but if I had to pick the one I wanted most, cheese."

Deciding which cheese to add to your burger isn't always an easy choice. American cheese is widely popular amongst chefs and customers, who love the easy melting and familiar taste. Others opt for a cheese with a more prominent flavor, like sharp cheddar or aged blue cheese. Burrata burgers and mozzarella burgers have become increasingly popular as well. No matter which type you choose, 49% of voters insisted to Mashed that a burger is not complete without cheese.

While cheese won out as the most popular burger topping by a wide margin, not every burger has to be a cheeseburger. Many people opt out of adding cheese to their burgers for various dietary reasons and taste preferences. Some people aren't the biggest fan of cheese on burgers because the flavor can be overpowering and it distracts from the meatiness of the burger. For voters who don't mind a burger without cheese but can't live without condiments, one popular spread was the obvious runner-up.

Clearly, people think ketchup is the best condiment to put on a burger — according to the Mashed survey, 20% of voters prefer ketchup over any other topping on their burger. At practically every diner, ballgame, cookout, and fast food joint where burgers are sold, ketchup tends to be close by. The tangy sauce is a great complement to the savory patty, and it keeps your burger from feeling too dry. For voters who prefer an even creamier sauce experience, mayo earned 12% of the vote as the favorite topping. Fortunately for sauce lovers who had a hard time choosing between ketchup and mayo, oftentimes the two are combined to create a very popular burger topping that has gone by various names like "special sauce," "fry sauce," and even "mayochup."

Another topping that 13% of voters showed serious love for were onions, while the final 6% agreed that crispy bacon is the superior burger topping.