Five Guys Has the Best Fast-Food Burger in the Nation, According to Study

There's nothing like the feeling of biting into a juicy, hot hamburger from your favorite fast-food chain.

America, of course, doesn't lack for burger chains. According to research from Maptitude, more than 85,000 burger chains and restaurants are located throughout the U.S., as of the latest data. That's a lot of meat.

Now, when it comes to the best burger in the nation, that's a bit subjective. But, an April 2026 study has revealed the top burger in the country, according to a new survey.

The Fast-Food Chain With the Best Burger in the Nation, According to Experts

According to YouGov's 2026 U.S. restaurant rankings, Five Guys has taken the No. 1 spot for the best quality fast-food burgers in the country with 15.5 percent of survey respondents naming them the top. That makes them America's favorite fast-food burger.

Coming in just behind them on the survey was Burger King with 15 percent, In-N-Out at 12.1 percent, Wendy's with 10.2 percent and McDonald's at 8.7 percent. While it's great to see Five Guys honored as the best fast-food burger in America, it is subjective, and plenty of other great burgers are out there, as well.

Also, according to the study, two in three Americans purchase food or drinks from fast food restaurants at least once a month, coming it at 70 percent. Plus, 30 percent of respondents said they eat fast-food once a week.

"This demand is driven by a younger, economically active audience," the study notes. "Over half (51 percent) of weekly fast food diners are under 45, and 49 percent fall into middle-income households."

About America's Favorite Burger

Five Guys' story starts in 1986 as a small, carry-out burger restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, according to their official website. It's been 40 years since they got their start, and today, they operate more than 2,000 restaurants worldwide, "all driven by an obsessive focus on quality and consistency," the company states.

"A really good hamburger is one of life's simplest pleasures. Five Guys founder Jerry Murrell took that simplicity to heart," the company adds in their mission statement. "Like his mother always told him, 'If you can give a good haircut or if you can serve a good drink at a bar or if you can serve a good hamburger, you can always make money in America.'"

They add that no matter how much they change about their chain, one thing will remain the same: their "dedication to freshness, quality and the simple-but-serious pursuit of great burgers and fries."

Looking at pizza instead of burgers, it's worth noting that according to the same YouGov study, Pizza Hut has the best pizza in the country, with 19.1 percent of voters casting their vote for the chain, followed by Domino's at 17.1 percent.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 10:55 PM.