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Three cheeseburgers next to bags from McDonald's, Burger King, and Shake Shack.
I tried cheeseburgers from McDonald's, Burger King, and Shake Shack.

Tiffany Leigh

  • I tried cheeseburgers from Shake Shack, McDonald's, and Burger King.
  • This was my first time having Shake Shack, and I thought the burger was great.
  • However, I wasn't as impressed by the options from Burger King and McDonald's.

As a food writer, I'm no stranger to cheeseburgers. However, I know that no matter how standard this classic meal is, not all burgers are created equally.

So, to find out which fast-food chain serves the best cheeseburger, I tried options from McDonald's, Burger King, and Shake Shack.

Here's what I thought of each one.

Prices may vary by location.

First, I went to Shake Shack.
The counter of a Shake Shack restaurant with digital menus.

Tiffany Leigh

This was my first time trying Shake Shack, which didn't have a Canadian location until the summer of last year.

When the restaurant first opened, the lines were very long, so I was excited to see if the food would live up to the hype.

I ordered a ShackBurger, which cost 9.50 Canadian dollars, or about $6.80. It came with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce, but I also added pickles.

I really enjoyed the ShackBurger.
Two halves of a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and pickles stacked on top of each other.

Tiffany Leigh

When I took a bite of the ShackBurger, I immediately noticed the crispy edges and nice char. The Angus beef was also tender and tasty.

The toppings gave the patty some additional moisture, and the soft potato bun held everything together nicely. I liked that the bun was sturdy and had a delicate sweetness to it.

I would definitely order this burger again.

Next, I went to Burger King.
Tiffany holds a Burger King bag in front of the counter.

Tiffany Leigh

I didn't grow up eating Burger King, so my experience with this fast-food chain was pretty limited.

I ordered a standard cheeseburger for CA$4.10, or about $2.95, which came with American cheese, pickles, yellow mustard, and ketchup on a toasted sesame seed bun. I also added lettuce and tomato to keep it consistent with the burger I tried at Shake Shack.

The Burger King cheeseburger was just OK.
Two halves of a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a sesame seed bun stacked on top of each other.

Tiffany Leigh

The first thing I noticed about this burger was how messy it was. There was a ton of ketchup and mustard on it, which I thought overwhelmed the other flavors.

The sesame bun was light and fluffy, but I found it to be pretty bland.

Thankfully, I could definitely taste the flame-broiled char on the burger patty. The overall flavor reminded me of what I'd find at a backyard barbecue.

However, I probably wouldn't order this burger again.

Finally, I took a trip to McDonald's.
The interior of a McDonald's restaurant with three ordering Kiosks.

Tiffany Leigh

Unlike the other two chains I visited, I'm very familiar with McDonald's. Growing up, there was a McDonald's around the corner from my house, and I could always smell the food cooking.

I used to eat there a lot, and in high school, I was a fan of the Quarter Pounder with cheese.

This time, I ordered a standard cheeseburger for CA$5, or about $3.60, which came with cheese, onions, and pickles. I also added lettuce and tomato.

The McDonald's cheeseburger was my least favorite of the three I tried.
Two halves of a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo stacked on top of each other.

Tiffany Leigh

When I took a bite, the first thing I noticed was that the bread's texture wasn't fluffy and soft like I'd hoped. It was too sweet for me, and I thought it tasted a bit stale.

I didn't enjoy the patty itself, either, which I felt had a slightly unpleasant aftertaste. The burger was also the messiest to eat, and toppings slid out as I picked it up.

I wouldn't order this burger again, which was disappointing because I remember enjoying the Quarter Pounder with cheese so much in my school days. Maybe this simple cheeseburger just wasn't the right McDonald's order for me.

Overall, the burger from Shake Shack was my favorite.
Three cheeseburgers cut in half next to bags from McDonald's, Burger King, and Shake Shack.

Tiffany Leigh

At the end of the day, the burger from Shake Shack was my favorite by a landslide. The burger had a good balance of meat, toppings, and sauces, and had delicious, fresh-tasting ingredients.

Though it was the most expensive of the three cheeseburgers I tried, it definitely felt worth the price.

This story was originally published on May 12, 2025, and most recently updated on September 8, 2025.

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I tried cheeseburgers from Shake Shack, McDonald's, and Burger King. There was …