Every Wendy's Burger, Ranked Worst To Best

The first thing that springs to mind when you think of Wendy's is likely burgers — made with fresh, never-frozen beef, of course. Whether you're eating at the first Wendy's restaurant or visiting one of its thousands of locations around the globe, the fast food chain is well-known for slinging top-notch burgers (along with various flavors of its Frosty, which isn't a milkshake). But with a bounty of options available to carnivorous customers, declaring which burger reigns supreme above the rest is no easy task.

Now, tackling difficult queries — like eating, then ranking, every Wendy's burger — is what we do best here at Tasting Table. With that in mind, I took on this immense challenge, sampling every burger sold by the restaurant named in honor of Dave Thomas' redheaded daughter. Given my lifetime of familiarity with Wendy's burgers  (I've eaten the vast majority of them at least once prior to writing this article, and countless times, in most cases), I'm well-suited to tackle this task.

I focused almost exclusively on flavor and mouthfeel when deciding the ranking order and considered both the Wendy's burgers I sampled for this article as well as my previous experiences with each one. Additionally, while the Dave's Single and Big Bacon Classic are also offered as double- or triple-pattied options, I only sampled (and considered) the standard single-patty versions. Without further ado, here is the definitive ranking of every Wendy's burger, from worst to best.

The Jr. Hamburger was No. 10 with a bullet (Fall Out Boy was singing about burgers, you see), though this burger was at a disadvantage from the start. While the precise origins of the hamburger is hotly debated, it can't be surprising to learn that the sole cheese-less burger on the Wendy's menu was doomed by its lack of any dairy-derived topping. Would anyone, anywhere, argue against the notion that a plain burger — as in one without cheese — is the least exciting fast food option in existence? Presumably not. Even someone who avoids dairy products (whether as a personal choice or a medical necessity) would likely agree: A burger sans cheese simply fails to match a bonafide cheeseburger.

Now, to be fair, the beef was perfectly acceptable. There was nothing wrong with the pickles, onions, mustard, or ketchup either, and it's not nearly as unenjoyable as, say, the worst McDonald's burger. With so many better options available, though, the Jr. Hamburger simply can't compete with the rest of the restaurant's offerings or rank any higher than last.

To be clear, there's no such thing as a bad Wendy's burger, meaning there's bound to be some nitpicking when it comes to which rank near the bottom. There's nothing wrong or unpleasant about the Double Stack in any real way — I've eaten this burger countless times in the past for a reason. But it's also lacking that special something when compared to the higher-ranked entries, so it comes in second-to-last place.

Again: The two smaller patties are tasty, and I have no complaints when it comes to the cheese and basic toppings. Yet nothing really elevates this burger beyond a decent option. The additional patty feels more like filler than a necessity, and the lack of any lettuce or tomato also doesn't do this meal any favors. All in all, the chain's take on a straightforward double cheeseburger falls a bit flat when judged against the rest of its menu. Simply put, there are better burgers to be found at Wendy's.

If you're shocked to see this (smaller) bacon-and-cheese-loaded burger rank so low, well ... I don't really know what to tell you. After all, the degrees of separation between entries largely comes down to personal preference. Yet I found this mini-me version of the renowned Baconator to be somewhat of a letdown compared to the real thing, which means it ranks near the bottom.

Quite frankly, the Son of Baconator is more akin to a Bacon Double Stack with mayo, minus the pickles and onions. Unfortunately, the dearth of anything to cut through the inherent richness of a bacon cheeseburger makes this tough to swallow. There's literally nothing to relieve your palate of the fatty beef, cheese, or condiments, and it lacks the mouthfeel-amplifying presence of the actual Baconator's larger, meatier patties.

Now, the key to life is moderation, and it's perfectly fine to treat yo' self with a burger from Wendy's on occasion. But if you're looking for a deliriously excessive combo of beef, cheese, bacon, and mayonnaise, opt for the full-sized Baconator instead. While the bacon helps this best the bottom two burgers, the undesirable condiment combination keeps it below the rest.

There's something to be said about a single-patty cheeseburger with no real accoutrements. On that note, I can't say I've regularly chosen the Jr. Cheeseburger over the Double Stack. I'm 6 feet, 4 inches, after all, so I prefer the additional protein offered by the extra patty. Yet I was pleasantly surprised by the simple deliciousness of this Wendy's burger. I couldn't bring myself to place it above the higher-ranked entries, but it more than earns a spot in the middle of this list.

The singular patty allows for a better balance of mustard and ketchup compared to the Double Stack, though the lack of lettuce or tomato does work against it (hence the Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe's higher placement). Quite frankly, this burger is exceptionally unexciting. With that said, if you're in the mood for a smaller hit of beef sans anything fancy or excessive, it's also perfectly pleasing.

What can I say but this: Bacon makes (almost) everything better. In fact, my quibbles from the bacon-less Double Stack were somewhat alleviated by the presence of the salty pork on this one. Since the supposedly applewood-smoked bacon on this burger was a slam dunk, there's no doubt the Bacon Double Stack belongs above the lowest-ranked entries — even if it couldn't quite crack the top five.

The bacon being cooked to an ideal crispy-yet-chewy texture was an absolute factor in this burger's delectability. There's still a bit too much beef (just like the standard Double Stack), which keeps the condiment ratio sort of askew compared to what's on the chain's single-patty junior burgers. Of course, while I can't bring myself to rank it higher, there's no real way to describe the bacon Double Stack as anything but delightful. There may be better burgers from Wendy's, but you're unlikely to walk away dissatisfied if you order this.

The first Wendy's burger on this list that uses larger patties (like those found on the classic Dave's Single), the Baconator is just the sort of option you'd expect to find at an American fast food joint. Featuring a half-pound of beef topped with several slices of orange-tinted American cheese, multiple strips of bacon, and an enormous slathering of mayo, the Baconator is the definition of excess. And the beef is absolutely dynamite — the difference in quality and enjoyability between the chain's smaller and larger patties is rather staggering. Still, the overflowing amount of mayonnaise was tough to look past and may have made the bacon a bit soggy.

Upon further thought, Wendy's might want to consider some of our tips to cook the best bacon to avoid the inconsistencies I encountered between burgers. Unlike the strips found on the bacon Double Stack, the fatty, pig-derived protein pieces here were either nicely crisp or undesirably flimsy — with no happy medium found. Then again, this issue didn't diminish the combination of flavors offered in this meaty mammoth or make the overall experience any less enjoyable, meaning it's well-placed at No. 5.

As I mentioned when discussing the Jr. Cheeseburger, Wendy's does a much better job with balancing condiments and toppings on its single-patty junior options than its Double Stacks. Consequently, the Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe — which is essentially a miniature Dave's Single in its composition — is a consistently delicious menu option for anyone seeking an affordable yet well-rounded burger. Since I'm partial to burgers that include a full suite of classic burger toppings (as in lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mayonnaise), there was virtually nothing I disliked about this burger.

Realistically, if the top three options weren't so phenomenal, this could have taken the top spot. It's also a much more enticing option than what's offered at some other fast food chains (which I'll refrain from naming). Furthermore, the collection of fresh veggie toppings Wendy's is known for helps elevate the Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe above its more basic, non-Deluxe cousin. This also allowed it to overcome the slightly less pleasing textural makeup of the chain's smaller patty, hence its placement just above the Baconator.

Despite a mildly infuriating cost as of March 2025, this fairly humble classic remains a genuine delight among Wendy's burgers. Of course, since I'm not using price as a determining factor in these rankings, the former 99-cent value menu staple isn't hampered by any inflationary concerns. But even if I was, it would be difficult to justify placing the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger anywhere outside the top three Wendy's burgers.

Now, while I mentioned a personal preference for a full bevy of burger toppings, I've also noted my predilection for lettuce and tomato above all else. Consequently, the exclusion of pickles, onions, and ketchup on this burger in favor of two strips of bacon doesn't remotely diminish the quality. The much less aggressive amount of mayonnaise found on the Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger (compared to the double-pattied Baconator) also helped drastically, ensuring all the ingredients had their chance to shine. In all honesty, outside of the chain's customizable Frosty dessert, I've likely ordered and consumed more Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers than any other menu item from Wendy's. It may not be the absolute best burger the restaurant sells, but it remains my personal favorite, and its third-place ranking is well-deserved.

The only Wendy's burger I'd never previously tried, I sort of knew what to expect from the Big Bacon Classic. After all, this is basically a Dave's Single with bacon (it's even available in double and triple-pattied versions, too). With this in mind, I knew the odds of it being anything but a fantastically toothsome burger were slim to none. Unsurprisingly, the addition of bacon works like gangbusters with the rest of the classic Dave's configuration. If it weren't for the slightly-less-than-perfect texture of that bacon, it might've toppled the OG Wendy's classic.

Of course, while the Big Bacon Classic only earned the silver medal in this ranking, that's not a knock given the level of competition. Just like the Dave's Single, the equal footing afforded to all the toppings (including the bacon) allowed it to burst with a variety of nicely complementary flavors. And the addition of the salt-forward processed pork product brought just enough variety to the burger to ensure it stood out, bringing an additional dimension of delectability.

I nearly broke my own rules and placed this burger as 1B (with the top-placed Wendy's burger as 1A). But arbitrary rules I made up have to be adhered to, so while the Big Bacon Classic is an incredible fast food burger, it just misses out on the top spot.

It had to be the classic Dave's Single in the top spot, didn't it? Of course it did. The best burger sold by Wendy's has been the chain's standout menu item since day one, and it's apt to remain its top option as long as the restaurant stays in business. Whether it's the exquisite mouthfeel of the large, square-shaped patty, its ideal cheese-to-beef ratio, or the classic collection of burger toppings and condiments, the Dave's Single stands head and shoulders above its beefy brethren.

It's not just that Dave Thomas' signature culinary creation is the best Wendy's burger, though. A burger I previously deemed superior to McDonald's famed Big Mac, the Dave's Single could easily best a ranking of every fast food burger on the market. After all, just as Wendy's best breakfast sandwich gets everything right, the Dave's Single is as close to perfect as a fast food burger can reasonably get. 

With that in mind, when compared to every other Wendy's burger available to customers, nothing comes close to besting the Dave's Classic. Since it's by far the best burger I've tried from Wendy's — in this taste test and in the past — it comes in first place.

When preparing this list, I ordered all 10 standard Wendy's burgers from the chain's menu, and I tried each burger in one sitting with a single bite. More than anything, I considered the overall taste of the burger, including balance of flavors, quality and composition of ingredients, and freshness (among other factors). I also took the overall mouthfeel and textures of each entry into account when deciding how they compared to each other.

I aimed to be as objective as possible when sampling each burger and deciding the rankings order. Additionally, while the quality of each burger I sampled for this piece was of utmost importance, I also took my past experiences with each burger slightly into account when deciding where to place each item.