Burger King Burgers, Ranked Worst To Best
Headed to Burger King? You may have noticed that the menu is flooded with both old and new beefy offerings, making the task of selecting just one incredibly difficult. To be honest, I haven't stepped foot in a Burger King in years — partially because I've been avoiding fast food like the plague, but also because I've been somewhat suspicious ever since I'd heard of the burger chain's struggles to stay in business and decline in popularity. McDonald's still sits at No. 1 in sales among fast food joints, but there are plenty who say Burger King is far superior. So, I thought sampling all of the burgers at Burger King would make for a good review since, after all, I have no allegiance to the chain.
Before making my purchase, I knew there was one thing I still remembered about BK, and that was the smokiness of the patties. Oh, how I love a good chargrilled burger with all those yummy, crisp toppings piled atop sloppy mayo, which serves as the ultimate sauce. I also wondered what the quality of the burger might be like at this point. Would it taste hearty, authentic, and flavorful, or would it come off as processed and cheap?
Well, I'm here to announce that I've successfully tried (almost) every burger on the Burger King menu and have come to a few surprising conclusions. Join me as I dish the deets on each Burger King burger and rank them from the worst to the best.
12. Cheeseburger
Okay, y'all. You might think Burger King's standard cheeseburger earned itself a position at the bottom of the pile simply because it's basic by nature. But actually, I found this burger to be pretty awful as soon as I sunk my teeth into it. Now, don't get me wrong; it still packs plenty of smoky grilled flavor, and for that, I give it kudos. Still, it isn't necessarily the flavor that does this burger in, but rather, the texture and mouthfeel that left me unsatisfied.
If I had to describe the burger in one word, I'd use "dry." Upon first bite, I was hit with a mouthful of bread and almost no patty. The condiments used were minimal, though I got a refreshing zip of mustard here and there, which I will admit tasted quite yummy against the backdrop of the smoky, chargrilled beef flavor.
Also, don't expect your standard onion, tomato, and lettuce lineup here. You get those on the Whopper-style burger grabs, though you can still enjoy the taste of a scantily scattered pickle or two. All in all, despite my fond childhood memories of having loved this standard BK cheeseburger, the adult me is giving this one a thumb down.
11. Impossible Whopper
I went into the Impossible Whopper with an open mind — I really did. Now, I'm no stranger to the world of diet restrictions — I've been on quite a few diets myself. Still, the taste and texture of this one left me wanting, though I can understand why people who may avoid meat would like it.
For reference, I ate the Impossible Whopper last so that I could give a good comparison to how it stacked up against the original Whopper varieties. Upon peeling back the wrapper, I tried not to be offended at the smell of the patty — though not entirely vicious, it was different from beef, which was to be expected. What really threw me off, though, was the first bite. Man, was the bun on the bottom soggy. As for the taste ... it wasn't horrible, but as a carnivore myself, it certainly wasn't the best. The most notable thing I found missing was that delicious, flame-grilled flavor that BK patties are so famous for. I did think the flavor of the patty was surprisingly close to beef; however, this Whopper is not one I'd choose over the original.
Is the Impossible Whopper suitable for non-meat eaters? Sure. Does it taste the same as the original Whopper? Ummm, no. I really just didn't enjoy this one, but I'm still glad Burger King carries it for those who would rather skip the beef.
10. Bacon Cheeseburger
After testing out BK's Bacon Burger, I must say that I'm impressed with the overall taste of the bacon. The strips aren't super hearty, meaning it's not the best bacon I've ever had, but I like bacon that packs good flavor —and this does it for me. As for the standard Bacon Burger at Burger King, I found it to be decent but not my favorite.
Let's start at the beginning.
At first glance, this is a sad-looking little burger. It's endowed with only a tiny squirt of ketchup placed upon two tiny buns, a couple pickles, bacon, and cheese. Oh yeah, there's a bit of mustard hiding on there, too, but not enough to make the condiment noticeable. Biting into this burger, I was definitely surprised by how much the bacon-y flavor stood out. Still, I was thrown off by that dry mouthfeel I got from the original cheeseburger, and I couldn't move past the lack of condiments here. What results is just a dry little number that's saved only by the flavor of bacon in the background. It wasn't as terrible-tasting as the original cheeseburger, but it definitely isn't my top pick for a BK burger grab.
9. Double Cheeseburger
The Double Cheeseburger was a sight for sore eyes, especially after tasting a few of the sadder-looking burgers on BK's lineup. Though this is one of Burger King's more understated burgers, it definitely looked the part as it featured plenty of thick, melty cheese. Still, upon digging in, I gotta say I wasn't too impressed — even though it was definitely loads better than the classic cheeseburger.
The Double Cheeseburger at Burger King comes with mustard, ketchup, pickles, two patties, and two slices of cheese. As previously stated, the taste of this one wasn't bad. The cheese on the burger made it seem not quite as dry as some of the others, and the grilled flavor of the patties was pleasantly detectable. Still, compared to the Whopper, I felt that it was a bit of a parched bite. Personally, I much prefer the Micky D's version of a double cheeseburger than Burger King's rendition. Sorry, BK.
8. Rodeo Burger
Oddly, this was my 4-year-old daughter's favorite, which I totally didn't expect. But after tasting BK's Rodeo Burger, I could see why. The Rodeo Burger is a cheap menu item, and considering its appearance, I didn't go into this one with much excitement. The burger looked small and floppy, the barbecue sauce was virtually non-existent, and the onion rings seemed flat and soggy.
Nevertheless, after the first bite, I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Other reviews I had seen of the Rodeo Burger were split, with some loving it and some hating it. I think I lie somewhere in the middle. For the price point, I actually think this is quite good. In fact, if you're someone who likes a good barbecue sandwich, I might even recommend it. Of course, I wouldn't advise you walk into this with expectations of getting one of the better steakhouse BBQ burgers, but for a couple of bucks, I think it's well worth a buy.
One thing I do think the Rodeo Burger could use is a slice or two of bacon. You should also be advised that, for some reason, my daughter found the barbecue sauce particularly spicy, though I disagree. Either way, you might want to be cautious if purchasing this one for your littles, especially if they're sensitive to spicy tastes.
7. Triple Whopper
Yep, you heard it here. The Triple Whopper means well, and since I do truly love the Whopper original, you might think it surprising that I wasn't much into this meatier, artery-clogging version. It isn't that I don't like the taste of a lot of meat — I do. Actually, I'm a steak and potatoes kind of gal, and cheeseburgers are one of my favorite foods. It's just that this Triple Whopper is a lot, and I don't just mean in terms of appetite. What the Triple Whopper means to do in terms of ambition is what kills it; the meat overtakes the burger in an unpalatable way.
Basically, biting into a Triple Whopper is like biting into three patties of beef at the same time — nothing more and nothing less. If you really, really like the taste of plain burger patties, then by all means, order this. But if you expect to enjoy flavorful toppings in addition to the meat, you can forget it. Unfortunately, Burger King seemed to neglect the fact that more meat should also mean more toppings. Instead, it seemed to stick with the same original single Whopper topping status quo, making this frustratingly meaty without the satisfaction of the much-needed extra burger accessories on it.
So, yeah, this wasn't my favorite. But if you're a really hungry, plain-meat, carnivorous sort of person, this just might be your jam.
6. Texas Double Whopper
Okay, this one was kinda confusing. Part of the issue I had with deciding where to place the Texas Double Whopper on our Burger King burgers worst-to-best list was the fact that this is a good burger. That's without question. The problem is whether it lived up to my expectations, especially given its title. That's where things go left.
First of all, I get that this is a Whopper. That means you'll get the standard condiments and toppings on the burger, and with that, I'm fine. Still, I think it would've been good for Burger King to add a little more than a few slices of bacon and jalapeños to really constitute this thing as anything truly special. Again, it isn't that this sandwich isn't good; it certainly is. And the jalapeños add just the right amount of heat to make it uniquely enjoyable compared with the original Double Whopper. But that's where the buck stops. The bacon on the sandwich doesn't really shine through, and there are no other exciting additions (barbecue sauce, onion rings, pepper jack cheese, and grilled onions, anyone?) that I equate with the word "Texas" in a burger title.
If it were up to me, the Texas Double Whopper would feature all the aforementioned toppings and then some — instead, the jalapeño and bacon additions didn't seem special enough for me to want to order it again.
5. BBQ Bacon Whopper Jr.
I was salivating over the sound of the BBQ Bacon Whopper Jr., but to be real, the flavors here clashed a bit. It definitely packed its own unique taste compared with the original Whopper Jr. but not enough to make it worthy of ordering again. One of the issues I had with this burger is that I couldn't taste the bacon and barbecue sauce as much as I wanted to. I consider myself a bit of a burger connoisseur, and when it comes to any burger labeled "BBQ bacon," I instantly assume the barbecue sauce and bacon will be the focus in terms of flavor.
In this instance, the barbecue sauce and bacon, though tasty, weren't the stars. Instead, the mayo, lettuce, onion, and tomato seemed to detract from the barbecue sauce and bacon flavors, leaving my taste buds sorely confused. Like the Texas Double Whopper, I kind of have a biased idea of which flavors pair well with barbecue sauce and bacon, and they aren't the flavors of a traditional Whopper. At least Burger King is smart enough to leave off the ketchup and mustard. While still tasty, this burger has a lot missing that would warrant making this a repeat purchase-worthy treat.
4. Double Whopper
The Double Whopper was one heck of a good Burger King burger, and I struggled with whether it should come in as the top pick on this list. Several bites later, however, I determined that this burger would not be taking the coveted top spot — but it sure is worthy of a mention high on the list.
What makes the Double Whopper so good is that it's the original taken to new heights. It features the same crispy lettuce and onion, beefy tomato, and classic condiments that make the original burger so tasty. So, why did I knock it down a few pegs on our Burger King burgers worst-to-best list? The double meat patties make it a little drier than the original. And as you likely know by now, I detest dry burgers. Still, the burger isn't so dry that it's no longer enjoyable. Actually, this was one of my favorite burgers on the list.
All in all, if you're a person who likes a more beef-forward flavor in a sandwich, the Double Whopper should definitely be your pick. As for me, I like the taste of the beef with all the goodness of hearty toppings, so I prefer the original single patty over the double. To each their own!
3. Whopper Jr.
The Whopper Jr. is a dainty little sandwich. It's quite a bit smaller than the original but certainly doesn't disappoint in terms of taste. I've heard some complain about the size of the burger, but to me, the sandwich is the size you'd expect — after all, it is a "junior" version of the real thing. There is the same pickles, onion, lettuce, and tomato combo on the sandwich, along with your standard ketchup, mustard, and mayo. I quite like the classic flavors of the Whopper here, and I prefer it over the assortment of flavors in the BBQ Bacon Whopper Jr. I mentioned earlier. There's no barbecue sauce confusing my taste buds here, and the traditional condiments suit my palate better.
Could just be me, but I think the Whopper Jr. is well-deserving of the third spot in our list of great BK burgers even despite being pee-wee size.
2. Bacon King
The Bacon King surprised me in terms of taste. As mentioned earlier, I'm a huge fan of anything bacon, and while Burger King's bacon tastes good, I had been mostly disappointed with the bacon burger offerings as a whole from BK.
Upon opening this sandwich, I quickly found that this was not a burger for the weak; it was enormous. On top of its size, this burger made me appreciate the amount of cheese featured. It reminded me of the BK Double Cheeseburger, but much larger and with pieces of bacon throughout. At first bite, I was immediately floored by how good the sandwich was, and I quickly decided that this would be among my favorites. The cheesiness of the burger melded perfectly with the bacon, and what's best is that there were no harsh toppings (like raw onions) getting in the way of the flavor. There also didn't appear to be mustard on this bad boy (as confirmed by the website), and I quite liked the way this burger tasted without it.
Overall, the Bacon King turned out to be a delectable pick. I'd order it again in a heartbeat, but I'd also need to be really hungry to get it all down.
1. Whopper
I know, I know. The Whopper taking the top spot probably isn't what you'd expect given all the tantalizing burger options available from Burger King. But after careful assessment, it's the only conclusion I could come to. The original Whopper is, in my humble opinion, the best burger on the menu.
The smokiness of the beef patty is perfectly paired with just the right ratio of toppings, while the yumminess of the mayonnaise and ketchup dripping from the burger with each satisfying bite is enough for me to hail this as my all-time BK favorite. Are there some good contenders on the Burger King menu? Sure. The Bacon King came in as a close second, but for me, it doesn't hold a candle to the classic flavors encompassing the original Whopper. Call me super basic, but when it comes to scoring a good burger at Burger King, the Whopper still reigns supreme.
Methodology
To come up with this list of Burger King burger contenders, I first consulted the Burger King menu, where I selected almost every Burger King item on the menu within my budget. Some menu items were painfully similar and were left off the list for the sake of brevity.
When it comes to what I like in a burger, I really look for only a few characteristics. Quality is one for sure, but I also look for flavor. To me, a good burger needs to have chargrilled savor as the smokiness of the patty helps elevate the overall burger experience. I also always enjoy good toppings, and thus, any burger consisting of just patties and cheese tends not to be a favorite.
Is every burger ranked as you'd classify it? Likely not. But that's the beauty of it, isn't it? Either way, I did my best to break down what I loved and hated about each burger so you can make your own informed decision on which burger from the King is truly right for you.