Whataburger's Big Slip; Burger Rankings Show Texas' Chains Decline

We recently came across a burger ranking from this summer, which shows something we (and others) have been saying for a while: Whataburger has lost its edge.

USA Today's 10 Best Fast Food Burger ranking is based on editors' and readers ' independent selections. In last year's list, we noted that Whataburger's Double Meat Whataburger came in at No. 6, which was surprisingly high to some of us.

In 2019, Whataburger's original owners sold the franchise to BDT Capital Partners, which quickly expanded across the nation. The general opinion is that since the sale, the quality of food and service has suffered greatly. The Washington Post published a lengthy article last year aptly titled "What Happened to Whataburger?"

Many people raised in Texas know Whataburger because of its simple, cooked-to-order burgers and fries. It was founded in 1950 in Corpus Christi with the goal of serving two-handed burgers. In many parts of Texas, it was the only fast food spot open late, meaning we often visited throughout high school or college. The orange numbered table tents are collector items, and the spicy ketchup made the retail crossover.

However, as some brands have really leaned into (or stuck to) the quality of food, like In-N-Out and Habit Burger, Whataburger seems to have relied more on marketing and its legions of loyal fans. And anyone who commits to the drive-thru is taking a massive gamble; the wait times are long. Use the app if you're having a craving.

In its latest ranking of best burgers in the U.S., Whataburger is barely holding at No. 10. The Double Meat Whataburger is a simple burger with two all-beef patties and cheese.

Below are the rest of the rankings:

No. 9 Burger King's Whopper
No. 8 Freddy's Original Double
No. 7 ShackBurger from Shake Shack
No. 6 Five Guys' Cheeseburger
No. 5 ButterBurger Cheese Double from Culver's
No. 4 Double-Double from In-N-Out
No. 3 The Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger from Jack in the Box
No. 2 PapaBurger from A&W
No. 1 Double Char from Habit Burger and Grill