Fast food is a convenient option across the country, often being quick and affordable. However, regular consumption can harm our health. According to the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, fast food has been linked to conditions like obesity, heart attacks, dementia, diabetes, stroke, and even cancer.
“Eating this kind of food on a regular basis may contribute to increased risk of nearly every chronic disease, including hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease,” says expert nutritionist Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, CLEC, author of the First Time Mom’s Pregnancy Cookbook and Fueling Male Fertility. “Plus, it is said that much fast-food packaging is made with poly-fluorochemicals known as ‘forever chemicals.’ While more research is needed to explore the effects of these chemicals, some studies suggest a potential link to negative reproductive health issues and liver injury.”
Still, fast food is sometimes the only option, so knowing which items are more harmful can help you make better choices. For instance, if you know which fast-food burgers to avoid, you can look for lighter alternatives at your favorite chain.
To help you feel more prepared the next time you need some quick food, we prepared a list of the unhealthiest burger you can find at all of the major fast food chains. These options are packed with calories, saturated fat, sodium, and, in some cases, trans fat. None of the burgers on this list has less than 15 grams of saturated fat—exceeding the American Heart Association’s daily limit of about 13 grams. In fact, some (like the Wendy’s Big Bacon Classic Triple and Checkers/Rally’s Baconzilla Burger) contain nearly three times the recommended daily amount.
Here’s your guide to the unhealthiest fast-food burgers of all time. And for a list of healthier choices, check out these 15 Healthiest Fast Food Burgers.
McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 740
Fat: 42 g (Saturated Fat: 20 g)
Sodium: 1,360 mg
Carbs: 43 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 48 g
If you’re heading to McDonald’s, you’ll be faced with plenty of menu items loaded with calories, saturated fat, and sodium. But one that truly takes the cake is their classic Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese. “This item features two quarter pound burger patties, with two slices of melted cheese and sauce on a bun,” says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim and member of our Medical Expert Board. “The fact that it’s a double means it’s going to have around twice the calories, saturated fat, and sodium.”
Burger King Triple Whopper with Bacon & Cheese
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,350
Fat: 94 g (Saturated Fat: 33 g, Trans Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 1,990 mg
Carbs: 59.5 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 15 g)
Protein: 82.5 g
“The portion size of three 4-ounce patties makes it a winner for one of the most unhealthy burgers,” says Young. Along with having more than twice your recommended amount of daily saturated fat and more than half of your recommended sodium limit, this burger also contains over half a day’s worth of calories!
Wendy’s Big Bacon Classic Triple
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,220
Fat: 86 g (Saturated Fat: 36 g)
Sodium: 1,850 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 9 g)
Protein: 75 g
According to Young, when you’re heading to Wendy’s, you may want to steer clear of the Big Bacon Classic Triple. “This is both ‘triple’ and ‘big,’ making it to my top choice for worst burger at Wendy’s,” she says. Not only are the calories, sodium levels, and total fat levels extremely high in this burger, including 4.5 grams of trans fat, but the saturated fat grams are almost triple what you’re recommended to have in one day.
Hardee’s Monster Burger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,400
Fat: 79 g (Saturated Fat: 29 g)
Sodium: 2,580 mg
Carbs: 49 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 68 g
“This burger contains a third of pound patties, 4 strips of bacon, 3 slices of melted American cheese, and mayonnaise, served on a toasted potato bun,” says Young. “It is ultra-processed and too high in saturated fat and sodium, in addition to too many calories.” If you find yourself at a Hardee’s, try ordering something like the BBQ Grilled Chicken Sandwich instead.
Checkers/Rally’s Baconzilla Burger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,210
Fat: 96 g (Saturated Fat: 36 g)
Sodium: 2,950 mg
Carbs: 42 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 11 g)
Protein: 58 g
“The Checkers Triple Baconzilla Burger is high in calories, fat, and sodium, and consuming such a high amount of these components regularly can contribute to various health issues, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease,” says Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements.
Best also adds that for those with high blood pressure or other conditions where sodium may be an issue, this unhealthy fast food burger contains a dangerous amount at almost 3,000 milligrams. It’s also important to note that the Baconzilla comes with 2.5 grams of trans fat, and the World Health Organization recommends limiting yourself to less than 2.2 grams of trans fat per day.
Dairy Queen 1/2 lb Triple Signature Flamethrower Stackburger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 930
Fat: 63 g (Saturated Fat: 24 g)
Sodium: 2,020 mg
Carbs: 34 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 61 g
According to Best, the Dairy Queen Flamethrower Stackburger is certainly one of the most unhealthy fast food burgers you can choose off of the Dairy Queen menu. “The fat, sodium, and calories of this burger are all high, but the fat content is most concerning,” says Best. In fact, she adds that if the daily recommendation of fat is around 25-35%, that would be 55-78 grams of fat per day on a 2,000 calorie diet. Unfortunately, this burger alone has 61 grams.
In-N-Out Double-Double Burger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 670
Fat: 41 g (Saturated Fat: 18 g)
Sodium: 1,440 mg
Carbs: 39 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 37 g
In-N-Out is near and dear to fast food lovers out west, but like other major chains, it comes with plenty of calorie-loaded, saturated fat-heavy burgers. “The In-N-Out Double-Double Burger is lower in calories, fat, and sodium compared to most of the unhealthy burgers on this list, but this doesn’t mean that it should be considered a healthy option,” says Best. “For a lower-calorie and fat burger, the sodium content is still at a concerning level for increased risk of high blood pressure and risk of heart disease.”
Jack in the Box Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 930
Fat: 65 g (Saturated Fat: 25 g)
Sodium: 1,960 mg
Carbs: 31 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 55 g
“The Jack in the Box Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger is among the unhealthiest burgers on their menu for the same reasons as most: calories, fat, and sodium content,” says Best. Also concerning is the three grams of trans fat, which exceeds the recommended limit per day. In fact, many experts say you should just limit your consumption of trans fats and keep the number “as low as possible.”
Wendy’s Pretzel Baconator
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,050
Fat: 71 g (Saturated Fat: 27 g, Trans Fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 1,690 mg
Carbs: 43 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 61 g
Bacon is notoriously salty, so it should come as no surpsise that layering six slices of bacon and American cheese on two burger patties is a salt bomb. “The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend keeping sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams; the Pretzel Baconator gives you 73% of that daily limit,” says Johna Burdeos, RD. “High sodium is associated with an increased risk of kidney disease, high blood pressure, and heart disease.”
Jack in the Box Bacon Double Smashed Jack
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,070
Fat: 78 g (Saturated Fat: 29 g, Trans Fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 1,910 mg
Carbs: 47 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 45 g
The Bacon Double Smashed Jack contains two quarter-pound smashed patties layered with hickory smoked bacon, American cheese, pickles, grilled onions, and Jack-in-the-Box’s “Boss Sauce” on a brioche bun, resulting in a burger with 145% of your daily value of saturated fat along with a hefty 4.5 grams of trans fat.
Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,060
Fat: 62 g
Sodium: 1,310 mg
Carbs: 40 g
Five Guys is known for their bags of greasy fries and complementary peanuts, but be careful when ordering a burger, because most are loaded with unhealthy qualities—especially the Bacon Cheeseburger.
“The highest-calorie burger on Five Guys’ menu is the Bacon Cheeseburger,” says Morgyn Clair, MS, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and author at Fit Healthy Momma. “It also has tons of unhealthy saturated, total fat, and way more sodium than we should get in one meal.”
Dietitians recommend leaving off the bacon, choosing a Little Hamburger from Five Guys and loading up on healthier toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, green peppers, and mushrooms.
Sonic SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,130
Fat: 75 g (Saturated Fat: 22 g)
Sodium: 2,000 mg
Carbs: 54 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 57 g
Sonic is full of unhealthy options on their menu, but one of their worst burger options is the SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger. “It has almost half the calories that many people need in an entire day,” says Clair.
Hey, guess what? Order Sonic’s combo deal with fries and a large soda and you’ll get more than triple the calories, a super sonic 3,790!
Shake Shack Double Smokeshack
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 830
Fat: 53 g (Saturated Fat: 22 g)
Sodium: 3,030 mg
Carbs: 28 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 58 g
If you’re heading to Shake Shack, you may want to steer clear of the Bacon Double Cheeseburger. “There is so much more saturated fat in this one burger than we should get at one meal,” says Clair. And honestly, there’s more saturated fat here than what we should be getting in an entire day.
Not only that, another reason it’s considered an unhealthy fast food burger is because the sodium levels in this one sandwich are over 700 milligrams higher than the maximum amount that someone should limit themselves to on a daily basis.
Whataburger’s Triple Meat Whataburger
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,075
Fat: 63 g (Saturated Fat: 20 g)
Sodium: 1,720 mg
Carbs: 62 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 65 g
Despite that all-American mantra “more is better,” when it comes to burgers, think “less is healthier.” Order the regular, single-patty Whataburger instead of the Triple and you’ll still get a meal that makes your mouth sing “what a burger!” But you’ll trim the calories and fat by almost half. Doing so, will also limit your consumption of trans fats to 1 gram. Trans fats are the worst of the worst fats for your body, increasing your risk of heart disease.
McDonald’s Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 630
Fat: 35 g (Saturated Fat: 15 g)
Sodium: 1,470 mg
Carbs: 43 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 10 g)
Protein: 36 g
With roughly one McDonald’s restaurant per 24,000 people in the United States, you don’t have to look hard to find the Golden Arches on the highway horizon.
“An occasional visit is OK,” says Manaker. “You can find some better choices than other burgers that are packed with saturated fat.”
For example, a regular hamburger at Micky D’s is a healthier option than the Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese, which has “a whopping 630 calories, over half the recommended intake of sodium and 15 grams of saturated fat, which is 77% of the DV,” says Manaker.
Rally’s/Checkers Triple Smoky BBQ Bacon Buford
Nutrition (Per burger):
Calories: 1,210
Fat: 90 g (Saturated Fat: 33 g)
Sodium: 2,300 mg
Carbs: 47 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 14 g)
Protein: 58 g
Order this monster of a triple-patty cheeseburger from either Rally’s or Checkers, and you’ll be treated to 2,500 milligrams of sodium, which is 250 milligrams more than the American Heart Association recommends we limit ourselves to daily. If you have high blood pressure or, well, just happen to be an adult, the AHA suggest you limit yourself to just 1,550 mg of salt. “No one should consume this burger on a regular basis,” warns Best. “It’s three burger patties and three slices of American cheese contribute 78 grams of fat and half of the standard calorie intake for a day.”
