5 Burger Chains That Are Completely Overpriced (& Where To Eat Instead)

Burgers are nothing less than a staple of American food culture. You can get one nearly anywhere – a fast food joint, a five star restaurant, a diner, a drive-through, your neighbor's cookout, wherever! One reason people love this accessible and beloved food so much is because they tend to be fairly affordable. If you're out at a fancy restaurant or at a fast food place, chances are the burger will be one of the cheapest things on the menu ... or so it used to be.

Now, we know inflation and supply chain issues have been hitting everyone pretty hard. One of the most tangible ways to see the impact of this problem is by looking at how the prices of your favorite burgers have changed over the years. How bad is it? The costs of a burger meal at fast food restaurants have gone up an average of 24% in the last two years (via Money Geek). That's a lot, especially considering the general inflation rate per year is well below 10%.

With that in mind, we compared prices of cheeseburgers across a variety of popular burger chains to see which ones charge the most and which ones offer a more affordable alternative. We also included customer reviews to back up our conclusions of where to get a cheaper burger for roughly the same taste and value. Please keep in mind that prices vary by location and were accurate to the time the article was written.

Shake Shack is popular for its hot dogs, ice cream concretes, and its burgers. However, it started as a small hot dog stand in New York City back in 2001. Since then it has grown into an international fast food chain with a gourmet twist. A Shackburger, which contains an Angus beef burger patty, lettuce, tomato, Shacksauce, and American cheese, currently costs an estimated $7.49 for a single and $9.99 for a double. Given that the average minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 an hour, that means that this burger alone would take an hour of work for an American working a minimum wage position to afford it. And that doesn't even include fries and a drink!

The reason so many people love Shake Shack's delicious burgers is because of the juicy, fresh meat and the soft buns they're served on. However, many people on a subreddit about burgers agree that the Shake Shack burger is too expensive for what it is. As one poster summed it up, "Love it. Consistently delicious burger. I just wish it was a bit cheaper so I could have it more often."

Many people on the same thread compared the Shake Shack burger to many other fast food options. The general consensus is that Shake Shack's burger doesn't necessarily stand out amongst the rest. Unless you have a specific craving for a Shake Shack burger, there are cheaper options that, to many minds, taste just as good.

In-N-Out has been specializing in burgers since 1948, when it opened as a small drive-thru hamburger stand in California. It's popular on the West Coast and has locations throughout the country, currently as far east as Texas. However, many people from all over the country yearn to taste the famous In-N-Out burgers, which are lauded for being consistently tasty and coming at a reasonable price. One cheeseburger is typically just $3.85, while a double is $5.55. The burgers are made with an American beef patty (with no additives or preservatives), onions, lettuce, tomato, American cheese, and In-N-Out sauce. It is basically the same as the Shake Shack burger, but the main difference is where the restaurants source patties and craft sauces.

A reviewer at Tasting Table shared that the In-N-Out burger is much fresher and lighter tasting than the equivalent Shake Shack burger. When it comes to toppings, In-N-Out is more generous with its tomato and lettuce slices. The burger itself was less greasy at In-N-Out, making it more enjoyable to eat. They're not alone in this praise, either. When biting into the In-N-Out burger, one YouTuber declared that, "This burger outclasses the Shake Shack burger in terms of being a complete burger." 

With the price being so much lower and the taste coming out to be at least the same, if not better, we'd recommend getting a burger at In-N-Out over grabbing one at Shake Shack.

Five Guys opened in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia. It was created by a family — specifically, a mother, father, and their four sons — and began as a local hand-formed burger joint that eventually came to be something of an international sensation, currently with over 1,800 locations across the globe. We'll be honest: Five Guys does indeed make delicious burgers and the chain is widely popular. But that popularity doesn't mean that the burgers aren't still overpriced.

Case in point: one single cheeseburger at Five Guys costs a whopping estimated $11.59. If you were to get a whole meal with regular sized fries and a drink, it could easily come out to more than $20. That is about how much a burger meal can run you at a nice sit-down restaurant (of course, depending on the restaurant in question). Is it really worth it to get a burger at the same cost, only from a far more casual fast food establishment?

In the Five Guys subreddit, one poster argued that "Five Guys is insanely priced, and in the beginning it was a novelty in that the fries were freshly cut and the burgers were supposed to be fresh etc. Now the cost is DOUBLE other burger places." The poster has a point. There isn't anything specific about Five Guys that should warrant such a high burger price, and if you can get something just as good elsewhere, why wouldn't you?

In the summer of 1950, the very first Whataburger opened in Corpus Christi, Texas. The chain is highly successful now, with over 1,000 locations scattered around the country, but most are found in Texas, with 733 locations there.

Whataburger is similar to Five Guys in a few ways. Both have been around for similar periods of time, both serve what could be considered slightly elevated fare compared to your average fast food joint, and both serve a widely beloved burger. The main difference, at least right now, is that Whataburger's burger is set to cost you significantly less than the competition.

Whataburger's single cheeseburger is priced at $5.89, which comes out to basically half of the price for an equivalent Five Guys cheeseburger (though, of course, you may find price differences from region to region). Like at least a few other chains on this list, Whataburger draws upon fresh ingredients that are high quality. Meanwhile, many happy customers argue that both chain's burgers are comparable in quality and taste. The main difference, then, appears to come down to value. Insider Food shared a YouTube video of one of its employees tasting the chain's burger for the first time. He was pleasantly surprised, going so far as to wish that there was a Whataburger location in his state of New York. Even better — at least if you can access a Whataburger — that burger is still relatively affordable.

BurgerFi is a newer burger joint, having just opened in 2011 (yes, we know that seems far away and long ago — but compared to the other burger chains, BurgerFi is a newborn baby). The burgers are made from high quality Angus beef and the ingredients are all fresh. You can find BurgerFi mainly on the East Coast, but it also has as few random U.S. locations, like one currently in Anchorage, Alaska. 

If you were to get a single cheeseburger at BurgerFi, it would cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $7.27. If you opted for the double, you're looking at an estimated $9.27 for that bad boy. The burgers come with lettuce, tomato, proprietary BurgerFi sauce, and cheese. They are a bit fancy, with the BurgerFi logo burned into the bun, giving you the impression that the burgers are much higher quality. Perhaps that's what the high price is about?

Some people have compared the quality of BurgerFi to Shake Shack, saying that the burgers and fries are both delicious. However, the prices at BurgerFi can be even higher. Other reviewers on Reddit, however, didn't feel the same. It seems that many people found their experiences at BurgerFi subpar, with one Redditor sharing, "Not the best but not the worst. A solidly average experience." Others mentioned that they do enjoy the burgers, but it's just too expensive for what it is.

Jack In The Box is another fast food chain that has been around since the 1950s. Today, with over 2,000 locations around the U.S., it's clear that this is a fairly popular chain. It also presents a fairly unique menu and is popular for its tacos, all-day breakfast, and, of course, its burgers that come with a bold flavor that many people just can't get enough of.

It's little surprise that the variety of cheeseburgers on its menu is quite vast, with funky names and slight variations between each one. For instance, some have bacon, some have Swiss cheese, some sport smashed patties, and more. For what looks like a more simple and classic cheeseburger, however, it'll only cost you about $3.99. Yes, that about half the price of a burger from BurgerFi (your local prices depending, of course).

Just like BurgerFi, the burgers at Jack In The Box are prepared fresh. The flavor seems fairly popular amongst fans, too. One YouTuber shared a video where he scarfed down the burger within minutes, commenting that the burger was hot and fresh, and that the meat had a quality taste. A commenter on the video chimed in, saying "This is literally the best frickin' burger ever made!"

Bareburger opened in 2009 in Astoria, Queens, a borough of New York City. It is now mostly spread across New York and New Jersey, with other locations in places like Connecticut and Ohio speaking to its growing popularity. People love Bareburger because of its juicy burgers and allergy-friendly options, as well as its variety of meats, which currently include unique proteins like bison and elk, as well as high-quality versions of grass-fed beef, turkey, chicken, and more.

The most expensive burger on the menu is $19.95 for its "Sweet Bison Blues" burger, which is understandable given the unique ingredients involved. Meanwhile, the cheapest option on the menu is the Single Standard grass-fed beef burger, which comes in at  $12 (or $8 if you want to order off the kids menu). But is it really worth the price for a regular cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and mayonnaise that you could get at many other chains?

According to Reddit, the quality of food served at Bareburger was completely different 10 years ago. Multiple people claim that the portion sizes, options, and overall taste has diminished, yet the prices have gone up. As per one Redditor, "My take on Bareburger is that I've never had food more adequately prepared that still tastes horrible. There's something wrong with their recipes there." If you want a quick, gourmet burger, then Bareburger might be the place for you. However, if you're wanting a simple yet high quality cheeseburger, you can get it for a much more affordable price elsewhere.

Wendy's came onto the fast food scene in the late 1960s in Columbus, Ohio. Over the years, Wendy's has offered a bevy of affordable and, for fast food, rather unique menu options. These include not just a baked potato, but the chain's Super Value menu that launched in 1989, which offered nine different items for only 99 cents.

Wendy's burgers have always stood out amongst other fast food restaurants, mainly because of its square patties that are marketed as "fresh, never frozen". It upholds high standards for the quality of meat, similar to how Bareburger does. Wendy's burgers still come at a great price, even if you're not getting it under one of Wendy's meal deals. For a single cheeseburger with all of the usual toppings, it'll cost you as low as $2.59. If you want a more of a gourmet burger, like the Dave's single on a premium bun, the cost will come out to approximately $6.99.

Wendy's has quite a fan base for its burgers, too. One Quora reviewer shared, "A burger from Wendy's is like having a meal. The square patties are more filling and portioned perfectly. The vegetables are also nice and fresh. Above all, they are great indulgences, especially the Baconator."

Sonic Drive-In opened in 1953, with waiters exercising the increasingly unique option to wear roller skates to deliver food to the people waiting in cars, making it a fun experience for all. Today, while it's unlikely that your local Sonic carhops will be required to skate, the menu has a wide variety of options, like chicken tenders, popcorn chicken, various sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, and of course, burgers. For a Sonic cheeseburger, which comes standard with onions, lettuce, pickles, tomato, ketchup, and mayonnaise, the price will typically come out to $6.49. Compared to other fast food burger chains that we've covered, that is somewhat above the average price for a cheeseburger.

Users on Reddit have maintained that the quality of Sonic has gone downhill over the years, while the prices continue to go up. Some have gone so far as to describe the burgers with some less than exciting language, deeming them to be rubbery, foul, and fake when describing the burger meat. On Reddit, one dissatisfied customer shared that they had visited different Sonic restaurants over a period of six months, and each time they didn't enjoy the food. Another person chimed in, saying, "It's not even that it tastes old, cold, it's just GROSS, it's off. A hospital cafeteria burger tastes better than this ... It's obviously the meat quality."

Ah, Burger King. It's been a fast food classic since the year 1954. The chain reportedly sees over 11 million people in its restaurants every single day — and it remains the second-largest fast food hamburger chain in the entire world (right behind McDonald's). Currently, one of its regular cheeseburgers only costs $2.99 – and that includes the standard slate of lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. If you want to add bacon to the burger, it will cost you extra but remains relatively affordable, totaling out to just $4.29 after the upgrade. The chain also offers a variety of meal deals that change depending on your location and time of year, so be sure to keep an eye out for those when you're about to order.

Burger King's most popular item is the Whopper, which it frequently refers to as "America's Favorite Burger." This item is a bit more expensive, costing around $6.99. However, this burger is hefty — it's made with a quarter pound of beef with all of the usual toppings and placed on a sesame bun. It's much larger than other burgers you'd get at a burger chain, so $6.99 isn't really all that bad. The great thing about Burger King is you have the option to choose a cheaper burger for less than $3, or you can get a more intense burger for a few dollars more.

Mashed and Tasting Table are owned and operated by Static Media Inc.