To make Fieri's perfect burger at home, you'll need: 

• Ground beef (Fieri recommends 80% lean, 20% fat)
• American cheese slices 
• Brioche buns 
• Lettuce
• Tomato 
• Onion 
• Pickles

Fieri told me it's important to shred the lettuce, slice your tomato, and "cut those white onions so thin that they only have one side." 

I also buttered the brioche buns and popped them into the oven so they could get nice and toasty, per Fieri's recommendation.

I seasoned my ground beef with salt and pepper, then shaped it into balls. 

Fieri said it was essential that I cook my burgers "on the hottest griddle or cast iron pan you can get." 

"You smash it down hard — we're talking a half-inch thick," he added.

The Mayor of Flavortown also told me it was important to let my patty crisp up to "get all that delicious caramelization going." I waited until the edges of my patty got crunchy before flipping it over.

Fieri loves using American cheese slices on burgers because "they melt really well," he told me. 

First, I sprayed some water around my burger. Then, per Fieri's instructions, I had to place "some sort of dome or metal bowl" over my patty. 

"That steam will melt your cheese before you overcook your burger," he said. 

I didn't have a metal bowl on hand, so I used an old Marie Callender's pie tin I found in my parents' kitchen. 

Look at how beautiful it is!

I placed my patty on the bottom bun, then added the tomato, onion slices, and pickles. I placed the shredded lettuce on the top bun and voilà — I was done! 

What impressed me the most about Fieri's burger was how juicy it tasted, with just the right amount of crispiness. The perfectly cooked patty truly stood on its own; it didn't even need any condiments!

The brioche bun added a nice hint of sweetness, and the beautifully melted cheese tasted almost buttery. The burger was pure perfection. 

Read my full review of Guy Fieri's perfect burger here. 

To make Ramsay's cheeseburgers at home, you'll need: 

• Ground beef
• Brioche buns 
• Cheddar cheese
• Egg yolks
• Frozen red chile
• Tomato 
• Onion 
• Bacon
• Little Gem lettuce 
• Mayonnaise 
• Sriracha 

I added 16 ounces of ground beef to a bowl along with two egg yolks. I sprinkled some salt and freshly ground black pepper on top, plus one grated frozen chile. 

After mixing everything by hand, I made four patties, each about 1 inch thick. 

"Remember that the thicker you make the patties, the longer they will take to cook," Ramsay writes in his cookbook. "So if you want these on the table in under 10, press your burgers until they are a little thinner for a quicker cooking time."

I let my patties cook for four minutes over medium-high heat, seasoning them with more salt and pepper. Never forget to season!

After adding my bacon and onion slices, I increased the heat to high and let everything cook together.  

I mixed four tablespoons of mayonnaise with two teaspoons of Sriracha, plus some salt and pepper. 

I washed some gem lettuce leaves and sliced one tomato for the bottom of my burgers.

I also toasted my buns in the oven for about two minutes.

I took the bacon and onion slices off the griddle first, placing them on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Ramsay also covers the patties to help the cheese melt. But, unlike the Mayor of Flavortown, he doesn't spray the burger with water first. 

Per Ramsay's recipe, I added some butter to the griddle, placed the cheese slices on top of my patties, then covered both with a metal bowl.

This is such an easy trick and clearly worked well for both Fieri's and Ramsay's burgers. I now consider it an essential step for making a great cheeseburger at home. 

First, I spread some of Ramsay's Sriracha mayonnaise on my bottom buns. Then I added the lettuce, tomato, and onion slices, along with my cheeseburger and bacon. 

After I threw a few more onion slices on top and spread more sauce on my top buns, my burger was ready to go. 

There's no denying how impressive this burger looks, and it tasted great, too. The patty was plump and juicy, and I loved the kick of heat from the Sriracha mayonnaise and grated chile. 

The bacon and onion also gave some nice crunch and savoriness, while the tomato and lettuce added a dose of freshness. 

Read my full review of Gordon Ramsay's perfect burger here.

You have to keep track of quite a few steps to make Ramsay's burger happen in 10 minutes. Fieri's recipe is far simpler, and still delivers fantastic results. 

Plus, I couldn't believe Fieri's burger tasted so good without any sauce or condiments. I've found his burger to outshine those I've had from places like Five Guys, and it's comparable to the gourmet burgers I've tried all over New York — for a fraction of the cost. 

But at the end of the day, you really can't go wrong with Fieri or Ramsay. Either way, you're going to have one very delicious burger. 

I love a good trip to Culver's. The chain, which started in Wisconsin, is a Midwest staple that's expanded to over 1,000 locations across 26 states since 1984.

During this visit, I ordered a ButterBurger with cheese, which cost me $5.46.

I liked how the Culver's burger was wrapped in waxy paper. Although I waited to eat my burger at home, I could easily peel the paper back and eat it on the go.

My deluxe single cheeseburger came with one flat patty, tomato, American cheese, lettuce, sweet red onion, pickles, and the brand's signature mayo.

The bun was buttered and nicely toasted, and the produce was crisp. It tasted fresh and flavorful. I had no complaints.

For those who aren't as familiar with the fast-food chain, Sonic has only drive-in and drive-thru options — customers don't go inside.

Founded in Oklahoma, Sonic is by far the largest chain in this taste test, with more than 3,000 locations in 47 states.

Sonic locations have stalls where you can pull in, push a button, and order your meal. Carhops then walk or skate the food to your car, giving it a nostalgic, 1950s-style vibe.

However, you can also use the more modern drive-thru if you don't want the production.

I was quickly in and out of there with my $5.96 burger.

Sonic's cheeseburger came wrapped in foil and paper, and it did get slightly smashed on the side after riding in its bag to my final destination.

The patty was thick and juicy and stacked with crinkle-cut pickles, American cheese, onions, ketchup, mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes.

In my opinion, Sonic's burger patties were the juiciest and packed the most flavor. The burger had a lot of condiments, however, so the toasted bun was soggy by the time I sat down to eat it.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 2002. These days, Freddy's has more than 500 locations across 36 states.

Inside, Freddy's has a bit of a '50s diner aesthetic, with bright white and red decor and fun signs pointing to the pickup stations.

My original cheeseburger cost $7.52 and came in a square, insulated sleeve. Since it wasn't wrapped as tightly, I had to rearrange the bun and toppings a little when I got home.

Freddy's regular burgers come with two patties, which are flat with crispy edges. Those are layered with two slices of cheese, crinkle-cut pickles, ketchup, mustard, onions — all between a toasted bun.

In the past, I've really enjoyed the crispy edges of Freddy's burger patties. This time, though, the edges of my burger were more chewy and dry than crispy. I don't know whether it was the packaging, the commute, or just some unfortunate luck.

If the Freddy's patties had been as crispy as I've had them before, I would've liked them more.

Still, the burger was delicious and filling — and I enjoyed the mix of condiments, cheese, and pickles — but I also missed the tomatoes and lettuce that came on the other two.

For this taste test, I ordered the default iteration of each burger, but next time, I'd add lettuce and tomatoes to this one (for no extra charge).

For me, the winner of the three-burger showdown was Culver's.

The fresh crispness of the produce and thicker tomato slices added texture and flavor. The patty felt like a decent size, and the buttery, toasted bun was a nice touch.

Culver's burger also ended up being the cheapest of the three, which is a huge plus.

I'd definitely eat at the other two chains again, but the Culver's burger was just too good to beat.

This story was originally published on October 29, 2024, and most recently updated on May 26, 2026.