I ordered the most expensive burgers at McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King. My favorite was so big, I could barely lift it with one hand.

Erin McDowellMay 22, 2023, 21:43 IST

The author holding the Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Club triple burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

I compared the most expensive burgers from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King.
I thought Burger King's Bacon King, which cost almost $10, was great value for money.

Fast food is often considered a cheaper alternative to going out to eat, but some fast-food burgers are surprisingly pricey.

I've tried a variety of fast-food burgers in my time as a food reporter, from practically every double cheeseburger to the signature burgers at fast-food chains.

After noticing how the prices of these meals seem to be creeping up, I decided to try out the most expensive burgers from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King to see which, if any, are worth top dollar. I judged them on flavor and value for money. All of the burgers were ordered without customizations from each chain's a-la-carte menu.

Here are the most expensive burgers from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King, ranked from worst to best.

My least favorite of the burgers I tried was McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese and bacon. It cost $8.99.

McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese and bacon.Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger comes with two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, sliced onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a sesame-seed bun.

McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese and bacon.Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger wasn't too oversized, and it was the least expensive of the burgers I tried.

McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese and bacon.Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger patties were on the drier side, but I liked that the bacon added a smoky flavor.

McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese and bacon.Erin McDowell/Insider

My second-favorite burger was Burger King's Bacon King burger, which cost a dollar more.

Burger King Bacon King burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

The Bacon King was smothered in mayonnaise. The other toppings included two flame-grilled beef patties, smoked bacon, two slices of American cheese, and ketchup.

Burger King Bacon King burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger was a similar size to the chain's double Whopper, but the toppings were different.

Burger King Bacon King burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

Biting in, I was impressed.

Burger King Bacon King burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

My favorite burger was one I had never heard of before: the triple Pretzel Bacon Club burger from Wendy's. It was cheaper than Burger King's most expensive burger, but it still cost me almost $10.

Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Club triple burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

My favorite burger was one I had never heard of before: the triple Pretzel Bacon Club burger from Wendy's. It was cheaper than Burger King's most expensive burger, but it still cost me almost $10.

The burger, which comes on a pretzel bun, came with a whopping three quarter-pound burger patties, Muenster cheese, strips of Applewood-smoked bacon, honey mustard, beer cheese sauce, fried onions, and pickles.

Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Club triple burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger, which comes on a pretzel bun, came with a whopping three quarter-pound burger patties, Muenster cheese, strips of Applewood-smoked bacon, honey mustard, beer cheese sauce, fried onions, and pickles.

The burger was absolutely massive. I could barely pick it up with one hand.

Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Club triple burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

I absolutely loved the toppings on this burger, but I could have done without one or even two of the patties.

Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Club triple burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

In the end, my favorite burger in terms of flavor and value was the Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Club triple burger.

The author holding the Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Club triple burger.Erin McDowell/Insider

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I ordered the most expensive burgers at McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King. My favorite was so big, I could barely lift it with one hand.

My least favorite of the burgers I tried was McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese and bacon. It cost $8.99.

The burger comes with two beef patties, two slices of American cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, sliced onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a sesame-seed bun.

The burger wasn't too oversized, and it was the least expensive of the burgers I tried.

The burger patties were on the drier side, but I liked that the bacon added a smoky flavor.

My second-favorite burger was Burger King's Bacon King burger, which cost a dollar more.

The Bacon King was smothered in mayonnaise. The other toppings included two flame-grilled beef patties, smoked bacon, two slices of American cheese, and ketchup.

The burger was a similar size to the chain's double Whopper, but the toppings were different.

Biting in, I was impressed.

My favorite burger was one I had never heard of before: the triple Pretzel Bacon Club burger from Wendy's. It was cheaper than Burger King's most expensive burger, but it still cost me almost $10.

The burger, which comes on a pretzel bun, came with a whopping three quarter-pound burger patties, Muenster cheese, strips of Applewood-smoked bacon, honey mustard, beer cheese sauce, fried onions, and pickles.

The burger was absolutely massive. I could barely pick it up with one hand.

I absolutely loved the toppings on this burger, but I could have done without one or even two of the patties.

In the end, my favorite burger in terms of flavor and value was the Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Club triple burger.