Best and Worst Hamburgers

Who doesn’t love a good burger? Unfortunately, not all hamburgers, or even turkey or veggie burgers, are created equal. Cooking method, portion size, and choice of bread and toppings can mean the difference between a relatively harmless lunch and a day’s worth of calories, fat, and sodium.

We rounded up some of the healthiest and unhealthiest examples of what American restaurants are serving between two buns, and got an expert’s feedback on the nutritional pitfalls. Here’s what to look for—and what to stay far away from—the next time a burger craving hits.

Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger

A healthy rule of thumb is to keep your meal around 500 calories, says Katherine Brooking, a registered dietitian and cofounder of AppforHealth.com, but that can be hard with big juicy burgers and lots of fixings. You’re generally safe, though, with the plainest, smallest burger available.

“If you stick with a plain single patty, you may even be able to have a small order of fries,” she says. All the major drive-throughs have similar plain offerings, but Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger—at just 230 calories, 8 grams of fat (3 grams saturated), and 470 milligrams of sodium—is the least nutritionally offensive.

Dairy Queen’s Mushroom Swiss GrillBurger

A burger topped with mushrooms has to be healthier than the competition, right?

“When it comes to fast food, all bets are off,” says Brooking. “Mushrooms could have been sautéed in butter or high-fat oil, or had a lot of salt added.”

Dairy Queen’s quarter-pound Mushroom Swiss GrillBurger is best, with 590 calories, 35 grams of fat (12 grams saturated), and 700 milligrams of sodium. Remember: Veggies are usually a smart idea, but check nutritional information to see how much fat those seemingly healthy toppings are adding.

Ruby Tuesday’s Zucchini Cake Minis

Don’t let size fool you. A serving of mini burgers at some chains can easily cost you more calories than a single normal-size sandwich. (Chili’s Big Mouth Bites dinner served with ranch dressing and fries totals more than 2,100 calories!)

Ruby Tuesday’s combination meals, which let you pair mini burgers with soup or salad, is the smartest choice we found. Our favorites are the delicious zucchini cake patties—made with roasted red peppers and feta cheese—with 580 calories, 22 grams of fat (3 grams saturated), and 1,714 milligrams of sodium.

Burger King’s BK Veggie Burger

Even vegetarians can have it their way with Burger King’s Morningstar Farms Garden Veggie patty on a sesame-seed bun with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayo. Order it without mayo and it’s only 320 calories, 7 grams of fat (1 gram saturated), and 960 milligrams of sodium.

Brooking says high amounts of sodium are difficult to avoid in fast-food burgers. The current recommendation for most people is no more than 2,300 milligrams a day (about a teaspoon of table salt), because high-sodium diets can raise blood pressure and contribute to heart disease.

Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger

Swapping your bun for a tortilla isn’t the solution, says Brooking. “When you’re at the grocery, you can make smart choices and buy a low-fat tortilla with 100 calories. But at a restaurant, you have no idea what’s in there.”

Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger is ground beef with “Mexi-ranch sauce,” pico de gallo, bacon, and shredded lettuce, served in a pepper Jack and cheddar quesadilla. With 1,240 calories, 103 grams of fat (43 grams saturated), and 3,530 milligrams of sodium, it could bring you one step closer to a life-threatening heart attack.

Chili’s Southern Smokehouse Bacon Burger

We thought we were going to have a tough time crowning the very worst burger. And then we found the Southern Smokehouse Bacon Burger.

Think of every high-fat, high-sodium, and high-calorie topping, and this one’s got it: maple bacon, smoked cheddar, mayonnaise, crispy onion strings, and ancho-chile barbecue sauce. With fries, the meal has 2,290 calories and more fat and sodium than you should consume in two days: 139 grams of fat (211% of the proper daily intake), 46 grams of saturated fat (230%), and a bloodcurdling 6,500 milligrams of sodium (271%).