By Mike Thayer
Traveling around the Wichita Metro, I've sampled the burger offerings from just about any joint that has burgers on the menu. It didn't really matter who, I ate burgers from local joints, regional restaurants and the national chains. To determine a true champion of burgers in the metro, a broad sampling had to be taken in order to measure the best. I was on a mission in the name of "burger science" (cough).
Ranking the Fast Food and Fast Casual burgers
Why did I bother with national chain fast food and fast casual joints? C'mon, admit it, you're just as curious to see how they stack up against the locals and grill/pubs etc., as I was! And in conducting such a comprehensive review, the information also serves as a baseline. It's food information, a demonstration in how other places might be so much tastier and really not that much more expensive. It's good to know burger info!
The Best in the Wichita Metro Burger Challenge 2022 demonstrated how much better many of the local places truly are. National chain fast food isn't necessarily the cheapest or quickest option. There are some national chain burger options out there giving you decent burger bang for the buck, but if you really want a truly Burgerlicious experience, buy local. I've grouped fast food and fast casual together because there's really not a heck of a lot of difference in the amount of time that goes by before receiving your order. Whether you're sitting in your vehicle at a fast food drive thru or sitting inside a fast casual restaurant waiting for your burger, the time to order in most instances is about the same.
An example of scoring, click to enlarge
Scoring: Being evaluated on a point system scorecard were a plethora of categories that included but was not limited to the appearance, meat, bun, meat to bun ratio, the cheese, how the burger was dressed (that means the assortment of veggies, sauce and/or condiments for those of you who live in Haysville), price and of course, the TASTE. With each category being evaluated on a scale of 1-9, the best possible score was a 63. In the event of a tie score, the tiebreaker was the cost. The burger with the better dollar value was ranked higher on the chart. Burgers tallying 56 points or more are Bachelor on the Cheap 5 star burgers. Burgers tallying between 49-55 points earned 4 stars, while burgers tallying between 42-48 points earned 3 stars. I'm pleased to report that nobody presented a truly awful burger (although Applebee's was close) receiving a 2 or OMG a 1 star rating. But I will say that a 3 star rating is not really worthy of a repeat buy given all the goodness out there in the Wichita Metro, 4 stars and up.
Here's how the fast food and fast casual burgers ranked from worst to best of listed by star rating and score. Click the link in the respective blurbs for the full review:
Costing me $10.95 for the combo meal, the Dog N Shake Double Cheeseburger with a bacon add scored just 44 out of 63 possible points, earning it 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. I was hoping for better from a local establishment, but in an honest assessment there was nothing special about this burger and sadly, it's not a repeat buy. Of Note: Worst visual and nearly the most bland burger of the Challenge. Time to order: < 5 minutes.
Costing me $11.27 for the combo meal, the Spangles Gourmet Supreme with a bacon add scored 47 out of a possible 63 points earning it 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. I actually prefer the Gourmet Supreme over the Big Mac, but not over the Quarter Pounder. Like McDonald's, Spangles is not worthy of a repeat buy, not even among other fast food restaurants. Time to order: 5 minutes.
Costing me $10.95 the Hardee's Bacon & Cheese Angus Burger scored 48 out of a possible 63 points, earning it just 3 stars. What Hardee's serves is a Whopper wannabe and that's not saying much. If this was a BK Whopper w/cheese & bacon vs. Hardee's Bacon & Cheese Angus Burger battle, BK wins. But there are better burgers out there to be had, even in fast food no less. Time to order: < 5 minutes.
Costing me $10.62 for the Value Meal, the McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe and a bacon add scored 48 out of a possible 63 points earning it 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. I've never really been a huge fan of McDonald's, but now that I've become a Burger Snob in conducting this Challenge, Micky D's is REALLY not a repeat buy. Time to order: < 5 minutes.
Costing me $9.28 with tax, the Calvin's Hamburger Haven 'Bacon' Double Cheeseburger scored 48 points out of a possible 63 earning it 3 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. The overall poor execution in putting the burger together was a missed burgerlicious opportunity. Calvin's is very reasonably priced but the 3 star burger I was served is not a repeat buy. Time to order: 10 minutes.
Costing me only $7, this was one of the better bangs for the burger buck of the Challenge. T
he Berneal's Carryout Cheeseburgers with bacon scored 49 out of 63 possible points, earning 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. If you have a slider craving they'll satisfy it and for the money, they're worthy of a repeat buy. Time to order: 15 minutes.
Costing me $13.42 for the combo meal, the Burger King Whopper with cheese and bacon scored 50 out of a possible 63 points earning it 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. But look at that price! That's on the high end of fast food prices, an example of why folks should consider a local fast food, fast casual or bar/grill to have a much better burger for about the same price! A Whopper is a repeat buy but ONLY if you're on time constraints and BK is your closest option, or maybe a Plan B alternative when on the road traveling and you don't want to take the time for a sit down restaurant. Let's face it, BK is an "Eh" burger experience. It's far from the best, but also not the worst option out there. Time to order: 5 minutes.
Costing me $9.12 for the combo meal which included less-than-stellar fries and a shake, the Dairy Queen Bacon Two Cheese Deluxe 1/3 lb.* double Signature StackburgerTM scored 50 points out of a possible 63, earning it 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Take off just two more points and it would be a 3 star burger. It's Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly, but it's not the best burger choice out there, not even if just considering fast food options. Time to order: < 5 minutes.
Costing me $11.05 for the combo meal, the Bionic Burger Bacon Cheddar Burger scored 51 points out of a possible 63, earning 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Bionic makes a solid burger and it's Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly. It's a satisfying eat and worthy of a repeat buy. Time to order: < 5 minutes.
Costing me $12.01 for the burger, onion rings and a drink, the West Street Burgers Double Cheeseburger w/bacon scored 52 points out of a possible 63, earning 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. I enjoyed my visit and will definitely be back again. Too bad they don't have a location on my side of town, yes, I'm an East Sider... Time to order: < 10 minutes.
Costing me a bit over $8, the Braum's Bacon Cheeseburger scored 51 out of a possible 63 points, earning it 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Overall a good burger, but there were a few fundamental misses preventing it from being a better burger such as a better sear, melted cheese and a little more care in timely assembly. For the price, it's a repeat buy, the fries, not so much... Time to order: 10 minutes.
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osting me $12.35 for the burger, fries and shake, the Wendy's Big Bacon Classic Double scored 53 points out of a possible 63, also earning 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Under seasoned beef and over dressing the burger with condiment overkill made for a bit of a disappointing burger experience. Here's a case of a burger with a lot of potential, that under performed. Time to order: 5 minutes.
Costing me $10.74 for the combo meal, the A&W Bacon Double Cheeseburger scored 53 out of a possible 63 points, earning 4 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly it's a good but not great burger, but yes, worthy of a repeat buy. The veggies are fresh, but there's a bit of lettuce overkill and even though you get two beef patties, they're thin. The bun is huge, resulting in a meat to bun ratio that's a bit heavy on the bread. Time to order: 10 minutes.
Costing me $12.67 for the burger, fries and shake, the Freddy's Bacon & Cheese Double scored 54 points out of a possible 63, earning it 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. The beef truly was the star of this burger show. The method used to apply the bacon and the rather ordinary bun prevented this burger from scoring higher, but it's still a fast food worthy repeat buy. Time to order: 10 minutes.
Costing me $11.06 for the combo meal, Sonic's "SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger" scored 54 out of a possible 63 points, earning 4 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Reasonably priced, timely and tasty, this burger in my humble opinion outperforms the national chain fast food competition and is worthy of a fast food repeat buy. Time to order: 5 minutes.
Costing me $16.87 to include tax for a 1/2 pound burger, "Little Fry" and a drink, the Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger scored a total of 56 points out of a possible 63, earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. It may be on the higher end of pricing for a premium Fast Casual burger, but it's most definitely a repeat buy. I dined at more than a couple places during the course of this Challenge and got 'nickle and dimed' for additional toppings, driving the price of the burger up past the Five Guy price. Time to order: 10 minutes
Costing me $16.07 for the half pound burger, fries and a drink, overall this was a great burger experience and I'm giving Fatburger & Buffalo's Express 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. The burger alone makes Fatburger a habitual repeat buy. The price isn't exactly Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly, but we are talking a half pound of beef and this is no ordinary run-of-the-mill burger! It's loaded with flavor! Time to order: 10 minutes.
Costing me $13.08 for the burger, fries and a drink, the Ty's Diner Bacon Cheeseburger scored 56 out of a possible 63 points earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Just a few missteps on the execution of this burger prevented it from scoring even higher. Both the seasoning and crust on the patty were stellar. Reasonably priced, Ty's makes a fine burger worthy of a repeat buy, but I think I'll try a different side next time I visit.
Costing me $12.46 for the double burger, fries and a drink, the Big Larry's Burgers Bacon Cheddar Double Burger scored 56 out of a possible 63 points, earning it 5 stars. It's Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly and it would have scored even higher with the simple addition of another slice of tomato, another ring or two of onion and bacon in every bite. Time to order: 5 minutes.
Costing me $17.74 for the burger, tots and a drink, TJ's Burger House Bacon Cheeseburger scored 57 points out of a possible 63, earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Overall, it's a tasty burger, but falls into the lower tier of the 5 star rated group in terms of both points scored and the cost. There are better burgers out there for a lower price. Time to order: 10 minutes.
Costing me $10.19 for a very enjoyable lunch, the Broadway Burger & BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger scored 57 points out of a possible 63, earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. It was quite tasty and I wish I would have gotten a double, it's most definitely a repeat buy. Time to order: 10 minutes.
Costing me $10.63 for the combo meal, the Sport Burger #5, a Double Bacon Cheeseburger scored 57 points out of a possible 63, earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. This is one of the more reasonably priced burger joints in town, providing you a 1/2 pound of beef vs. the single patty (1/4lb.) a lot of competitors serve for about the same price. Time to order, up to 30 minutes, yes, they're that good and the line can be long.
Costing me $10.42 for the burger, fries and a drink, the SE Carryout Double Cheeseburger with a bacon add scored a 57 out of a possible 63 points, earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Very reasonably priced, this is a tasty burger overall and is most definitely worthy of a repeat buy. Time to order: 5 minutes.
Costing me $8.59 for the burger, side and a drink, the Burger Central Bacon Cheeseburger scored 58 points out of a possible 63, earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. The burger was flavorful, juicy, stacked well and very balanced. Burger Central crafts a top notch classic bacon cheeseburger and it's Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly at only $8.59 for the basket. This is a repeat buy, a burger I would order again, and again, and again. Time to order: 10 minutes.
Costing me $13.27 with tax for the sliders, onion rings and a drink, the Slider Shak Bacon Cheeseburger sliders scored 59 points out of a possible 63, earning 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. This is NOT your typical slider, both the patty and the slider overall is slightly larger than your average slider but that's not what makes it so much better. It's a top notch slider because of the outstanding execution in preparation and it's done with quality ingredients. Both the Slider Shak Bacon Cheeseburger sliders and onion rings are definitely repeat buys! Unfortunately, Slider Shak made the decision to close its doors on 09/13, which is a shame, Craig put out a great product. Here's the snippet from the Slider Shak Facebook page: As of today I have decided to close Slider Shak. The lack of sales is the reason. I chose it’s South Seneca location and that was my fault. Slider Shak’s concept, food and labor cost is pretty much spot on. I’m sure Slider Shak will do well in another location and I will continue to evaluate other location options as they become available. Thank you for your support. Stay Safe and Happy Eating.
Costing me $11 plus hitting the tip jar, the Buster's Burger Joint Double Cheeseburger with a bacon add scored a 59 out of a possible 63 points earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. Buster's is VERY Bachelor on the Cheap wallet friendly, the value is tremendous and if Buster's isn't already on your burger to try list, it should be! Time to order: 15 minutes.
Costing me $15.85 for the burger, fries and a drink, the Bill's Charcoal Grill Double Cheeseburger with bacon scored 60 out of a possible 63 points earning it 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars. This is a repeat buy, again, and again, and again... Bill's isn't only the best tasting fast food/fast casual burger of the Challenge, they won the whole thing, beating out diners, dives, bars & grills! It's the best tasting burger in the Wichita Metro! Time to order: 10 minutes.
Expand your burger horizon
If time is on your side, why shell out $13+ at Burger King when you can go to Buster's Burger Joint and get a WAY better burger and a superior side for $2 less? Buy local. If you're in a bit of a hurry, or only have a half hour for lunch, why spend $12+ at Wendy's when you can enjoy a better burger and side from Southeast Carry Out or Burger Central? You'll spend less money and the time to order is about the same. Buy local.
Related: The Best in Wichita Metro Burger Challenge 2022: The Top 10 Best Burgers
$pend Wisely My Friends...
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