We Tried 13 Fast Food Burger Buns And This One Was The Worst

Hamburgers often come piled high with different toppings, from veggies and cheese to house-made sauces and extra kinds of meat. These various fixings certainly add some excitement to the sandwich, but the most important components of the meal are the burger patty itself and the bun that holds it. Yet, some fast food restaurants with burgers on their menus have dropped the ball on their buns, and Dairy Queen is one of these. While the chain may be royalty regarding its milkshakes, its hamburger buns were named the worst in our ranking of fast food burger buns.

Our reviewer, Sam Skopp, sampled the buns of the cheapest burger on the menu at 13 different chains. He tasted each one on its own first, focusing primarily on its texture and taste, then reassembled the hamburger to see how well the bread contributed to the sandwich in its full form. His first observation about DQ's bun was that it wasn't toasted, though Dairy Queen claims on its website that all of its hamburgers are served on a "soft and toasted bun." Regardless of whether or not this was a mistake, it's not likely that toasting would have moved DQ's bread further up in the rankings.

Skopp explained that after just one bite, the bun took on a gummy texture that he simply couldn't look past. Furthermore, he also noted that it had a neutral flavor and was unnecessarily tough. No wonder we essentially deemed it the court jester of burger buns.

Hamburger buns can often get lost in the minutiae of the sandwich, especially when they're filled with delicious toppings. But a quality bun is a key element of a good hamburger — just ask celeb chef Bobby Flay. The restaurateur told Today in 2016 that using a soft, squishy bun (as opposed to the tough, gummy ones from Dairy Queen that our reviewer tested) is one of his secrets to making a perfect hamburger. This keeps all of the dish's other elements intact and prevents the whole thing from falling apart. After all, who wants to eat a burger with utensils? As Flay told the outlet, "A burger is a sandwich and is meant to be eaten as such."

The late Anthony Bourdain felt similarly, listing a "soft, squishy potato bun" as one of his three essential components for a top-notch burger (via Insider Tech). While Bourdain was partial to potato buns for his burgers, Flay likes ones that are toasted and topped with sesame seeds — both of which Dairy Queen may want to consider if it wants to up its hamburger bun game.