I'm a die-hard In-N-Out fan who went to Roy Rogers for the first time and found an even tastier fast-food burger

  • In-N-Out has served my favorite fast-food burger for a decade, but I just found an even better one.

  • I went to Roy Rogers, a chain on the East Coast, and thought their burger tasted like a steak.

  • While it had simpler toppings, the Roy Rogers burger was juicier than burgers I've had at In-N-Out.

The author eats burgers from Roy Rogers (L) and In N Out (R)
The author digs in at Roy Rogers (L) and In-N-Out (R).Joey Hadden/Insider

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I've been eating In-N-Out's burgers since 2011, when the fast-food chain opened its first location in Texas — my home at the time.

The author eats In-N-Out
The author dines at an In-N-Out in Austin.Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: In-N-Out

Video: The best burgers in every state

While I find their fries to be too stiff, I've always preferred In-N-Out's burgers to other fast-food sandwiches.

A meal at In-N-Out Burger
A meal from In-N-Out.Joey Hadden/Insider

The toasted bun and grilled onions give it a stand-out flavor, in my opinion.

A meal at In-N-Out burger
A half-eaten In-N-Out burger.Joey Hadden/Insider

Now that I live on the East Coast, I decided to try Roy Rogers since the chain had a large following in the late 20th-century and is starting to become more popular again, Mashed reported in 2021.

A selfie at Roy Rogers
The author goes to Roy Rogers.Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Mashed

I went to a Roy Rogers on the University of Maryland campus. They also have locations in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, and New York.

A Roy Rogers in Maryland
A Roy Rogers at the University of Maryland.Google Maps

Source: Roy Rogers

I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and a soft drink for $9.21. At In-N-Out, I've paid about $8 for the same meal.

Roy Rogers dining room Maryland
The counter and dining area at Roy Rogers.Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Insider

While I was waiting for my food, I noticed that the burger toppings were self-served, unlike at In-N-Out.

the fix-ins area at Roy Rogers
A bar of toppings at Roy Rogers.Joey Hadden/Insider

Within five minutes, a server handed me my meal in a paper bag.

Roy Rogers burger and fries
The author's meal from Roy Rogers.Joey Hadden/Insider

When I unwrapped my burger, I noticed that it looked slightly larger than most fast-food burgers I've seen, including In-N-Out's.

A burger at Roy Rogers
The author's unwrapped burger.Joey Hadden/Insider

After removing the toasted bun, I added the all same toppings I would have ordered at In-N-Out. But there were no grilled onions at the topping bar — only raw.

An open burger at Roy Rogers
A Roy Rogers burger full of toppings.Joey Hadden/Insider

When I took a bite, I thought the patty alone was juicier and even more flavorful than an In-N-Out burger with grilled onions. It tasted like a steak.

A half-eaten Roy Rogers burger
A view of the inside of the burger.Joey Hadden/Insider

The fries were soft and doughy. While I preferred them to In-N-Out's stiff fries, I longed for crispier ones.

french fries at Roy Rogers
The fries from Roy Rogers.Joey Hadden/Insider

After eating at Roy Rogers, I think both chains serve top-notch fast-food burgers. But at Roy Rogers, the patty is tastier.

In-N-Out meal (L) and Roy Rogers meal (R)
Similar meals at In-N-Out (L) and Roy Rogers (R).Joey Hadden/Insider

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