America has spoken and chosen its favorite fast-food burger restaurant, and it seems that customers are choosing quality over a cost-friendly meal.
A new study from YouGov reveals that a whopping 70% of Americans dine at a fast-food restaurants at least once a month, with 30% grabbing a quick bite once a week.
The study reveals that Five Guys — the Alexandria, Virginia-based chain founded by Janie and Jerry Murrell — that opened in 1986 — was named the most popular burger chain.
Five Guys (15.5%) narrowly beat out Burger King (15.0%) for the top burger spot, with Irvine, California-based In-N-Out taking third place with 12.1%.
Massive national chains Wendy’s and McDonald’s rounded out the top five, which could indicate that customers are moving away from cheaper fare.
The survey report tracked consumer behavior between March 2025 and February 2026, and during that time frame, AllRecipes rated Five Guys the most expensive fast-food chain.
A Five Guys cheeseburger alone costs upwards of $12, while Burger King’s famous Whopper costs between $7.50 and $8.
A Wendy’s Dave’s Single cost range is between $6.10 and $8.20, while McDonald’s Big Mac can cost between $5.80 and $6.00.
In-N-Out’s iconic Double-Double is the cheapest of the five most popular chains, costing between $4.45 and $5.00.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
Five Guys — named for founder Jerry Murrell and his four sons — got its start in the Washington D.C. metro area, focusing on fresh burger patties and hand-cut fries with no freezers allowed.
The chain — which offers more than 250K possible topping combinations — started franchising in 2003, quickly growing into a global brand with nearly 2,000 restaurants in 29 countries.
While Five Guys earned burger supremacy for this year, they were a distant second place when it came to America’s opinions on french fries.
McDonald’s was the overwhelming favorite when it came to fries, with 39.2% voting for the Golden Arches, and In-N-Out coming in second with just 9%.
Chick-Fil-A (7.1%), Wendy’s (6.9%) and Burger King (6.5%) rounded out the top five fries.
