Summer is upon us and that means it’s time to start firing up the grill. It’s the unofficial burger season! Americans eat more burgers in the summertime than any other season, and while it’s fine – if not necessary – to indulge in a big, juicy burger here and there, most of the burgers you’ll find in restaurants and fast-food chains are not your typical beef patty and bun.
So, before you start on your summer burger run, it’s time for Eat This, Not That’s 2012 Worst Burgers in America!
11. Worst Classic Fast-Food Burger
Burger King Whopper with Cheese
760 calories, 47 g fat (16 g saturated, 1 g trans), 1,410 mg sodium
The Whopper has more than 200 calories on the McDonald’s Big Mac, due to loads of mayo and an extra jumbo patty. And if you add medium fries and a medium coke, which is more than likely, you’re looking at a 1,500-calorie meal. Stick to a standard cheeseburger instead.
10. Worst Burger Kids’ Meal
McDonald’s McDouble Mighty Kids Meal with Fat-Free Chocolate Milk Jug
765 calories, 30 g fat (9.5 g saturated, 1 g trans), 1,215 mg sodium
Skip the “Mighty Kids Meals” designed for the “in-betweens” – kids ages 8 to 12. The standard happy meal contains plenty of food, and more fat and calories than an adult meal should in the first place.
9. Worst Basic Burger
Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger
920 calories, 62 g fat (29.5 g saturated), 1,310 mg sodium
That’s a lot of fat and calories for a basic burger. Things are oversized at Five Guys, meaning when it comes to basic, you should really go for the smallest size possible. Stick to the Little Bacon Burger instead, which has 560 calories and 33 grams of fat.
8. Worst “Healthy” Burger
Ruby Tuesday Avocado Turkey Burger
968 calories, 61 g fat, 1,601 mg sodium
There is nothing healthy about a burger that has nearly 1,000 calories – without the fries and drink! This turkey burger has more calories than their Classic Cheeseburger! If you take away anything from this list, it should be that turkey burgers aren’t always a better option.
7. Worst Burger Melt
Red Robin All-American Patty Melt
1,254 calories, 94 g fat, 1,951 mg sodium
This is one of the worst items on Red Robin’s menu, thanks to big amounts of butter and cheese, and a whopping 350 calories worth of Thousand Island dressing.
6. Worst BBQ Burger
Chili’s Shiner Bock BBQ Burger
1,300 calories, 74 g fat (24 g saturated), 2,840 mg sodium
Nearly all of Chili’s burgers have over 1,000 calories, so it’s no surprise that their bbq burger does too. It’s topped with fried onion rings, and comes with fries on the side, delivering an entire days worth of calories in one sitting. Don’t even bother ordering a burger here – there’s no healthy way to go.
5. Worst Sliders
Applebee’s Cheeseburger Sliders with Applewood Smoked Bacon
1,340 calories, 87 g fat (75 g saturated, 3 g trans), 2,550 mg sodium
Sliders are one of the worst choices on the burger menu because most people think they are ordering a smaller-sized meal, not knowing they are consuming more calories than they would with a regular sized burger. It’s one thing to share it with someone – as it’s suppose to be ordered – but not consumed by one person with fries on the side.
4. Worst Double Cheeseburger
Denny’s Double Cheeseburger
1,400 calories, 87 g fat (41 g saturated, 2 g trans), 2,680 mg sodium
Wow. 1400 calories for a double cheeseburger? Go to Wendy’s instead, and save yourself hundreds of calories and artery-clogging trans fat.
3. Worst Crazy Burger Creation
Friendly’s Grilled Cheese Burger
1,540 calories, 92 g fat (35 g saturated), 2,490 mg sodium
What do you get when you combine a grilled cheese sandwich and a burger? A day’s worth of calories for some! Skip this horrendous creation, and stick to a plain grilled cheese sandwich or a plain burger. Save the crazy concoctions for your own kitchen.
2. Worst Fast-Food Burger
Sonic Ring Leader Loaded Burger Double Patty
1,660 calories, 120 g fat (44 g saturated, 4 g trans), 1,450 mg sodium
This is one of Sonic’s latest creations, and it’s absolutely one of the worst ones yet. It’s topped with bacon strips and onion rings, but is also layered with two slices of cheddar cheese and extra mayo. Gross.
1. Worst Burger in America
Chili’s Jalapeño Smokehouse Bacon Burger
1,910 calories, 126 g fat (43 g saturated), 5,290 mg sodium
The worst of the worst comes from Chili’s, thanks to a patty piled high with tortilla strips, bacon, cheddar, mayo, and jalapeno-ranch dressing. It’s not only an entire day’s worth of calories, but it also has more than 2 days’ worth of saturated fat and as much sodium as you’d find in 6 pounds of McDonald’s fries.
Bottom line: Fire up the grill at home the next time you’re craving a hamburger. You just never know what you’re getting when you order a burger from a restaurant!
