'We tried the biggest burgers at 4 fast-food chains - there's a clear winner'

01 September 2023 , 14:59

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Two of our reporters have shared their thoughts on fast food burgers (stock image) (Image: Ariane Sohrabishiraz)

As the world debates the size of the Whopper, we put the biggest burgers from different fast-food chains to the test. People often disagree over which one has the most flavour, so it was time to finally determine a winner. We had reporters Billie Schwab Dunn and Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz try different burgers, both plant-based and meat, from Shake Shack, Burger King, McDonald's and Wendy's. No matter whether your heart sings before you sink into a classic Big Mac or you're a fan of the square patty at Wendy's, burgers have always been a popular takeaway item. In order from the worst to the best, read on to find out their thoughts.

McDonald's

McPlant - £3.69

For both of us, there was a clear winner (Ariane Sohrabishiraz)

"Upon taking the McPlant out of the box, I was impressed by the amount of tomato and lettuce that was included, as well as the lashings of sauce. I went in with high hopes… only for them to be dashed. Before things turned sour, I was impressed with the flavour of my first bite. The patty was juicy, as the website promises, the vegetables were a nice and fresh addition and the sauce was delicious," Billie said.

"It's safe to say it has a lot of flavour. But soon after my second bite, I started feeling ill. I could feel the oil leaking out of my pores and soon a not-so-nice McDonald's smell was stinking up the office. While I personally don't think the burger is suited for a midweek lunch in the office, it would be the perfect option for a drunk feed or a hungover feast. For me, it came in at last place."

Big Mac - £3.69

The McPlant from McDonald's had good flavour (Billie Schwab Dunn)

While the Big Mac is a classic, it didn't far well in the competition (Billie Schwab Dunn)

"I'm conflicted about the Big Mac because it's a classic for a reason. The Big Mac sauce is addictive, and the double patties, cheese, fresh lettuce and extra buns give it some serious height - but it's still not substantial enough. Although the taste is there, the patties are so-so, especially compared to the other burgers I've tried," Ariane explained. "It has that classic McDonald's flavour many of us know and love, but the meaty flavour is lost in the flavour of the sauce. If you ask me, it needs thicker patties."

Burger King

The Plant Based Whopper was better than it looked (Billie Schwab Dunn)

The Whopper felt like a substantial meal (Billie Schwab Dunn)

Plant Based Whopper - £4.99

"The Plant Based Whopper is made up of a soy patty, tomatoes, lettuce, vegan mayo, pickles, ketchup, and sliced onions on a soft sesame seed bun. Being the first burger we tried out of the bunch, I didn't know what to expect. In terms of aesthetics, the burger looked pretty good, and I couldn’t get over how big it was," Billie said.

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"While it might not have lots of layers like other burgers we tried, the bun and the patty were definitely larger. It also had a great amount of sauce and there wasn't one dry bite. As an added bonus, biting into it didn’t make me feel ill. I was impressed by how much sauce there was and love the fact that they didn’t skimp out on the pickle. Compared to the others, it wasn’t as exciting, but it’s something I would consider ordering if I were at an airport.”

Whopper - £4.99

"There's a reason Burger King describes the Whopper as 'the burger to rule them all' - and when it comes to the most common fast food chains, I'd tend to agree. For the price, this comes the closest to a 'normal' burger you might buy in a restaurant. It's big in size, meaning it feels like a substantial meal - and its 'real meaty' beef patty tastes and feels like good quality," Ariane said.

“The meat is also flame-grilled, and served with refreshing iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, ketchup and mayo - all served on a sesame-topped bun. You get a lot for what you pay, and there's just the right amount of sauce. I always opt for the Whopper Cheese, which really does just round it all off. Overall, it's a great burger, it's generously sized and incredibly flavourful."

Wendy's

Dave's Triple - £9.14

Ariane was initially scared by the hefty size of Dave's Triple from Wendy's (Billie Schwab Dunn)

The burger was extra-cheesy (Billie Schwab Dunn)

"Wendy's Dave's Triple was my most surprising discovery during this burger journey - taking the second favourite spot of the meaty ones. When it arrived, my hand dropped to the table due to the sheer weight of this burger. With three-quarters of a pound of fresh British beef, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup and mayo - it's not a light bite," Ariane said. "I had to use both hands - but it was worth the effort. This was my first Wendy's experience and I wasn't disappointed. The beef has a tonne of flavour, and the cheese was perfectly melted. There's no way I could finish the entire thing, so I would probably go for the humble Dave's Single in future."

Shake Shack

The Crispy Shallot from Shake Shack was gourmet (Billie Schwab Dunn)

The ShackBurger was one of the winners (Billie Schwab Dunn)

Crispy Shallot Burger - £9.55

"Opening up the burger from Shake Shack, it felt small in comparison to the one from Burger King - but boy, did it pack a punch. Firstly, I was impressed by how good it looked and once I bit in, I knew it was going to stand out amongst the rest. It tasted deliciously gourmet, which is no surprise as the patty is bespoke, created in collaboration with Chef Neil Rankin. Adding to its decadent factor, the burger is topped with beer-marinated crispy shallots, smokey vegan cheddar and a tangy dijonnaise sauce," Billie shared.

"This burger means business and it's definitely not a light bite. While it's pricer than the other options, you're really getting what you pay for where this burger is concerned. The website says the patty is 'decadent, juicy, satisfying and packed full of umami flavour' - and I couldn't agree more. If I was craving a burger this is definitely one I would think about ordering but being practically double the price of the one from Burger King, it isn’t necessarily budget-friendly."

ShackBurger - £8.95

There's no doubt, at £8.95 for a single burger, without fries, the ShackBurger is one of the most expensive items we've tried. It's also one of the smallest items - but what it lacks in size it makes up for in flavour. From the toasted bun, to the 100% all-natural Aberdeen Angus beef - the taste is elevated over any other meat-based beef burger we ried. It's smaller, but the patty feels dense and meaty, and is complemented perfectly by the cheese, lettuce and ShackSauce. It has a tonne of flavour, and feels decadent - but not one I would reach for if I was particularly hungry."

Billie Schwab Dunn