The Healthiest (and Unhealthiest) Fast Food Burgers of 2021

Photo credit: Kyle Monk - Getty Images
Photo credit: Kyle Monk - Getty Images

Ahead of National Cheeseburger Day, this new analysis claims to know which fast food burgers are the highest (and lowest) in calories.

Funded by Yorktest, a food sensitivity company (more on those here), this study used nutritional data from each restaurant’s U.S. menu to develop the calorie figures for each burger. Kid's menus and slider-style burgers weren't included. (Sorry, White Castle.)

As far as major findings, Burger King is also the winner for highest and lowest-calorie burger. Confusingly, the list also includes chicken sandwiches.

Here are the top 10 burgers calorie-wise:

  1. Burger King - Bacon King - 2,102 calories

  2. Fatburger - XXXL Triple Kingburger - 1,859* calories

  3. Wendy’s - Big Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger Triple - 1,420 calories

  4. Smashburger - Double smoked bacon brisket burger - 1,290 calories

  5. Carl’s Jr - The Really Big Carl - 1,180 calories

  6. Sonic Drive-In - Supersonic Bacon Double Cheeseburger with Mayo - 1,140 calories

  7. Whataburger - Mushroom Swiss Burger - 1,110 calories

  8. Culvers - The Culver’s Bacon Deluxe Triple - 1,090 calories

  9. Five Guys - Bacon Cheeseburger - 1,060 calories

  10. Steak n’ Shake - Bacon ‘n Cheese Triple - 1,030 calories

Here are the 10 burgers (er, sandwiches) that came in at the lowest calorie count:

Photo credit: Men's Health
Photo credit: Men's Health
  1. Burger King - Hamburger - 241 calories

  2. McDonald’s - Hamburger - 250 calories (tie)

  3. Wendy’s - Jr. Hamburger - 250 calories (tie)

  4. Whataburger - Whataburger Jr. - 310 calories

  5. Steak n’ Shake - Single steakburger without cheese - 320 calories (tie)

  6. Chick-fil-A - Grilled chicken sandwich - 320 calories (tie)

  7. A&W - Hamburger - 350 calories (tie)

  8. Dairy Queen - Hamburger - 350 calories (tie)

  9. KFC – Honey BBQ sandwich – 350 calories (tie)

  10. Arby’s - Classic roast beef and roast buffalo chicken sandwich - 360 calories

Not every burger or chicken sandwich is super high in calories, so pick your patties wisely.

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