The Chain Burger Joints

Dang! It is getting cold.
Sick of eating blubber sandwiches here in the frozen north.......heading south.

What! in your opinion is your favorite chain burger?

I am curious.............traveling south, why would you be looking for "chain" burgers?

Dick's (greasy in Seattle)
Stanich's in Portland ... a fave of mine.
Burger Master (Portland area) ... not a fave of mine.
Eventually In 'n Out ...

At first I was going to question Seattle and Portland as south but then I noticed Noodles & Cheese was coming south from Fairbanks, Alaska. I've been to Fairbanks. A good chain burger could be an upgrade to the usual.

If you get to the Midwest try a Culver's and a Butter Burger.

N & C, if you are coming south on I-5, shoot me a e-mail. In the Rogue Valley, Jasper's on old 99 between Medford and Central Point ihas always been good, but a new guy(John) has taken it over and he has fresh ground Hamburgers.
M-Sa 11-6
Meat from our local Cherry Street meats.

quote:

why would you be looking for "chain" burgers?

I would find it hard remembering a Bills in Timbuktoo.

I believe, there are good, interesting gourmet burger joints along the way ; and no doubt a real treat. But! the advertising the big boys have done......kind of sticks.
But how good are they? I am looking for opinions.

I am interested in other establishments also and have been reading other forums and appreciate all the replies.
I want to see the country and planning a drive to Florida.

quote:

Originally posted by bill voss

N & C, if you are coming south on I-5, shoot me a e-mail. In the Rogue Valley, Jasper's on old 99 between Medford and Central Point ihas always been good, but a new guy(John) has taken it over and he has fresh ground Hamburgers.
M-Sa 11-6
Meat from our local Cherry Street meats.

OMG, sorry to forget this little chain is just around the corner from me. They are great and really the best burgers around, aside from home-made.

Love the 50's ambiance, with juke boxes at every table. Best burgers in Sacramento, IMHO!

I really love the buy one, get one free coupons in the weekly paper.

come on down to Daytona Beach. 74 degrees now.
we've got sonic,checkers,krystal,steak & shake,and those other joints.
but the best burgers down here are the Brickyard and Boondocks.

quote:

If you get to the Midwest try a Culver's and a Butter Burger.

Mmmmmm! Butter Burger sounds interesting. Sonic,checkers,krystal,steak & shake, Think, I had a Checkers once, and thought they were pretty good, or am I dreaming about what a good burger should taste like?

Brickyard and Boondocks. Duly noted.

quote:

Originally posted by Noodles & Cheese

quote:

If you get to the Midwest try a Culver's and a Butter Burger.

Mmmmmm! Butter Burger sounds interesting. Sonic,checkers,krystal,steak & shake, Think, I had a Checkers once, and thought they were pretty good, or am I dreaming about what a good burger should taste like?

Brickyard and Boondocks. Duly noted.

N&C, we had a high of 84 yesterday here in the Naples area and yes we've got Checkers/Sonic/Steak & Shake. We've also got FatBurger (transplanted from the West Coast) plus 5 Guys and a local chain which started here called CheeBurger Cheeburger. We've also got another local eatery called Mel's Diner which makes a fine burger. So come on down and welcome to RoadFood!!

QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

N&C -

You are getting a lot of fastfood responses - Culver's, Sonic, Checkers, etc.

You mentioned gourmet burger, are you looking for fastfood or for a sitdown chain - Red Robin, Applebee's, TGIF, etc.?

Jim

I second the Culver's recommendation. Also, if you're ever in NE Tennessee, Pal's (local FF chain) has really decent fast-food burgers. I also like Fuddrucker's taste but they're a little pricey IMO.

Getting some really good responses. I am keeping a list and plan on trying, as many of them as I can. Naples is close to where I will end up. That 84 degrees is clashing with our 24 below. Not sure about Red Robin, but isn't Applebees and TGIF kind of like roadhouses? I prefer drive-ins or a old fashion burger joint. Don't want to get too fancy, besides, fancy thinks....a burg on a kaiser is a burg.
Not to me; I want mine on a good old fashion hamburger roll.

Fuddruckers, now there is a name for you.LOL

We're getting two restaurants here in Huntsville, AL, called Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Any one know anything about them? Apparantely that is all they serve and their fries and suppose to be hand cut and fried to order.

Sassy,

There have been over a dozen threads on Five Guys. Just search for Five Guys in both the Hamburgers and Fast Food Franchises sections.

They grill fresh (not frozen) beef on a flat griddle, and I find them quite juicy. I'm going to try the original stores next time I'm down in the Washington, DC area. to see how they compare to the franchises up here. Their regular burger has double patties; I find the "small" burger is better and more manageable to eat.

OBTW, N&C, there's one more local burger chain here on the SW Gulf Coast of Florida called Juicy Lucy's. They make an above average burger in many burger fan's opinions. They have multiple locations in Ft Myers and Charlotte Cnty which is the next county to the north. They are a double drive-thru type setup w/ some outside seating if you don't want to eat in your car.

QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

In my honest opinion, fast food chains have to be pretty good or they wouldn't grow or survive.
I realize they are low on the totem pole here at RF but millions of people can't be wrong. I do like Mom and Pop establishments, I also like value for money.
What I don't like, is all the so called gourmet Roadhouse establishments where the tip is bigger than a drive thru bill.Heck! I would have pan gold for a month to pay the gratuity

quote:

welcome to RoadFood

Thanks QFan.

And thanks to everyone for all your responses and suggestions.I hope we are not done.

You can go into just about any neighborhood working man's bar or pub and find a burger better than what any chain can serve and the prices are comparable.

If you're coming down I-75 through Kentucky there's a Steak & Shake, Backyard Burger, and a few other chain joints off the Man O'War exit in Lexington. But, if you want to go to an old fashioned burger drive-in try the Parkette on New Circle Road (not too far from the Man O'War exit) and worth the extra few minutes!

Andrea

quote:

Originally posted by Noodles & Cheese




... fast food chains have to be pretty good or they wouldn't grow or survive.



...but millions of people can't be wrong.

welcome to roadfood N&C!

if you must do chains, smaller, regional hamburger chains are apt to put out a better product then huge chains imo.

I'm not sure Blake's qualifies, since it is limited strictly to New Mexico. But that's my favorite.

Here is what I have so far.
Dicks, Stanich's, Burger Master, In n'Out, Culvers, Butter Burger, Jaspers, Sonic, Checkers, Krystal, Steak & Shake, Brickyard, Boondocks, Fatburger, 5 Guys, Cheeburger, Mel's Diner, Pal,s, Fuddruckers, Juicy Lucy's, Backyard Burger, Parkette, And Blakes.

23 establishments.
Quite a list.
Now! think of all the road food places that Jan & Michael Stern have visited and reviewed. No small feat.
I wonder how many more small chains can be added.
Larry - RibRater - Jay say'

quote:

if you must do chains, smaller, regional hamburger chains are apt to put out a better product then huge chains imo.

I have a belief, that all chain restaurants, start from small beginnings, and they must have been good to survive.

Don't get me started on pubs, Davydd.
A cold draft beer is nectar of the gods.I'd forgo the burg.

Thanks Larry - RibRater - Jay for the welcome.

Farmer Boys if you make it this far.

If you get to the Midwest you have to try a White Castle. White Castle was probably the first chain burger joint started in 1920 and they are special.

Correction. Butter Burger is the main hamburger served by Culver's. If you were to pass through Minneapolis/St. Paul you could go to a Culver's, a White Castle and then go to Casper and Runyon's the Nook in St. Paul and try a Jucy Lucy hamburger. The Nook is a neighborhood pub of the kind I was referring to. With those three you would experience the gamut in my opinion and would not be disappointed.

I eat what I like and what I can afford. And if a ff burger joint is what keeps folks happy for a treat every now and then, we will visit. I don't make it a habit and I'm pretty picky.

Sonic...I like the variety and the tots. With a family of 9 you run the risk of not everyone agreeing oh...about every 2 seconds. We usually always agree when we drive up there.

Backyard Burger. Real meat, that looks and tastes like real meat, freshly cooked. I can get my favorite, which is a blackened burger with pepper jack cheese and creole mayo and it just about tastes like I made it. They have a few extras, seasoned fries, baked potatoes and salads that you can pick from, plus chicken sandwiches that are pretty dern tasty. Old fashioned shakes and cobbler are big hits here too.

Now, I only eat those because I can't get home to Alabama and get a Milo's hamburger or a Jacks. I actually sent my mother money to buy a cooler for her car and to pick me up some Milo's burgers and tea. I haven't had one since we moved and I'm wanting one pretty badly. Even if it will be cold, I'll take it. That's how much I like them.

That's it. I visit no other places. Don't do pubs or bars...kids ain't exactly welcomed there.

quote:

Originally posted by Noodles & Cheese

Here is what I have so far.
Dicks, Stanich's, Burger Master, In n'Out, Culvers, Butter Burger, Jaspers, Sonic, Checkers, Krystal, Steak & Shake, Brickyard, Boondocks, Fatburger, 5 Guys, Cheeburger, Mel's Diner, Pal,s, Fuddruckers, Juicy Lucy's, Backyard Burger, Parkette, And Blakes.

23 establishments.
Quite a list.

One small addition, N&C, Rally's and Checkers are the same thing just vary by what city or geographical region you happen to be in. So happy burger hunting and keep all of us RF-ers updated on your progress.

QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

Keep driving until you see a Whataburger, not necessarily because it's the best chain burger (although it beats the national chains like a rented mule), but because then you know you're getting into more hospitable winter weather.