6 fast food chains that serve the most authentic steakburgers
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What is the difference between a regular burger and a steakburger? The burgers, named after the major city of Hamburg in northern Germany, are made from ground beef derived from almost all the muscle of the cow. A steakburger, on the other hand, is made from ground meat from a specific cut of beef, according to the Chicago Steak Company, aka steak. While many fast food chains offer 100% pure ground beef burgers, only a few offer authentic steakburgers.
The steaks used to make steakburgers vary, but sirloin and rib eye are both commonly used. Because a cut of steak is generally tastier than chunks of beef from all over the animal, the resulting burger made from ground beef is also tastier than a regular burger. Steak ‘n Shake is considered the original steak burger chain, but the practice of upgrading the meat used for a quick burger has spread to many fast food chains.
Steakburgers can cost more than regular burgers, but once you’ve tried a few, you’ll probably think they’re worth it. And hey, a fast food steakburger is still much cheaper than a steakhouse steak. Or even a steakhouse steak burger, for that matter.
It makes sense that Steak & Shake offers steakburgers, doesn’t it? Ground Beef ‘n Shake just wouldn’t have the same appeal. And in fact, this chain offers steakburgers garnished in a variety of ways, including options like the Western BBQ n’ Bacon Steakburger, with American cheese, bacon, crispy onions, and barbecue sauce, and the unique Garlic Double. Steakburger with American Cheese, garlic spread, and garlic salt. There is also a 7×7 Steakburger with seven patties! But we do not recommend it for calorie reasons.
Along with those great burgers at Steak n’ Shake, you can also, of course, get a dozen specialty shakes or four classics, namely vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and banana. But you might not be able to get some in some places, as the chain has suffered a major contraction in recent months, shutting down dozens of sites. According to data from ScrapeHero, there are only 414 Steak ‘n Shake restaurants open as of this writing.
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As the full name of this chain is Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers, it’s safe to say that you can get some great shakes and steakburgers at the chain. At Freddy’s, there are five steakburgers on the menu, as well as a steakburger fondant, chicken sandwiches, a veggie burger, a hot dog, and sides. Plus the shakes and ice cream.
But if you take it from the internet community, shakes, hot dogs, and chicken sandwiches are fine, but go for those steakburgers first. On Reddit, one user posted a photo of his Freddy’s steak burger and wrote in part, “First time and can’t think of a better fast food burger, amazing,” a post that sparked an outpouring of comments. love for Freddy’s with comments like: “My favorite fast food I’ve ever had” and “I love Freddy’s!!! I stop every time I pass it, I can never turn it off this magic.”
There’s a lot going on at Culver. such as breaded shrimp and cod, chicken sandwiches and tenderloins, pork loin, roast beef, Reuben sandwiches, soups, and sides including cheese curds and pretzel bites, as well as lots of freshly made ice cream and shakes. And then there are the amazing burgers.
Culver’s beloved “Butterburgers” aren’t made from single cuts of steak like many steakburgers are, but they aren’t ground beef that just might come from dozens of different cows. Instead, at Culver’s, burgers are made with a mix of sirloin, chuck, and plate steak cuts that are always fresh, never frozen before being ground, blended, and cooked.
Arby’s Deluxe Wagyu Steakhouse Burger is superb. It’s thick, juicy, hearty, and really has the taste, texture, and commanding presence of a burger you’d get at a steakhouse. However, there are two big caveats about this meaty burger.
First of all, this burger is only 51% American Wagyu, the rest is 49% regular ground beef. The second caveat is that this is a limited-time menu item, but since it sold out when it first aired, it seems to come back every few months. All those asterisks aside, it’s definitely worth a try.
Jack in the Box’s new steakhouse burgers are only available for a limited time, but they’re well worth a try. The All American Ribeye Steakhouse Burger and the Bacon All American Ribeye Steakhouse Burger are both made with 100% rib eye. Both also include cheddar cheese, aioli, red onion, lettuce, and tomato piled high on a potato bun. The Bacon All American Ribeye Steakhouse Burger, of course, comes with bacon. This burger is similar to the one the chain launched in 2017, but this rib-eye burger was topped with provolone cheese instead of cheddar.
Tom Wahl’s is a fast food restaurant chain with nine locations in upstate New York famous for its burgers which it calls burger patties. They are actually steakburgers. The chain is also known for its craft root beer, brewed the same way since 1955. While the root beer is amazing, the burgers are the star. They are made from ground beef that is pressed on the grill and they are wider than toasted buns. The famous Wahlburger has ham, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and Wahl sauce served on a five-inch roll, but there are plenty of single and double patty combos to choose from on the menu.
