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Anyone who has ever eaten at In-N-Out knows the fast food chain has an absolutely banging burger. Seriously, that beef patty is like crack. But apparently the rest of America is no longer as enamored with In-N-Out as I am. The joint has been unseated as the nation’s favorite burger chain two-years running by Five Guys Burgers and Fries, according to the Harris Poll’s annual EquiTrend Study.
In all fairness, Five Guys makes a mean burger as well and it’s not as if In-N-Out fell off the map; it still came in at No. 2 on the list. Still, it’s a sad day for burger aficionados who prefer the latter.
After Five Guys and In-N-Out came Shake Shack, Wendy’s, Culver’s, Whataburger, McDonalds, Sonic, Smashburger and Steak ‘n Shake. Shout out to Burger King for not even making the top 10 despite their braggadocios name. That’s gotta hurt.
“The burger brand category has become less fragmented, as regional brands expand and become available in more parts of the country,” Joan Sinopoli, vice president of brand solutions at The Harris Poll, said in a statement.
“This is certainly the case with Five Guys, who has shed its ‘small regional player’ designation as it expands its footprint and marketing budget along with its fandom, which is a tremendous contributor to brand equity.”
This is the first time Five Guys has managed to claim the top spot. While I may not wholly agree with it, I have to give them credit for a hard fought battle in the burger wars. Five Guys came out swinging like Jon Snow in “Battle of the Bastards.”
Quick history lesson: the first Five Guys opened in Arlington, Virginia in 1986 and expanded to several DC-area locations by 2001. In 2003, Five Guys began franchising and today there are almost 1,500 locations worldwide. Man, we must kill A LOT of cows.
So, what do you think is the best burger in the game?
