New Tasting Table Survey Reveals Which Steakhouse Has The Worst Burger

Tasting Table asked, and 588 of you couldn't wait to weigh in with your vote for which steakhouse makes the worst burger. We've crunched the numbers, and the results may surprise you. Clearly, there's no one right way to make a burger, but there does appear to be a consensus about who makes a bad one. Survey respondents could choose from five steakhouses: Outback Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris, Fogo de Chão, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Texas Roadhouse.

As you'd expect, each steakhouse puts its own spin on the classic hamburger, and selections and prices will vary, depending on your location. Outback Steakhouse offers an Outbacker burger with spicy house-made pickles and a Bloomin' Burger with its signature Bloomin' Onion petals. Ruth's Chris' entry features prime beef and hand-cut fries. Fogo's Brazilian-inspired Picanha burger is ground in-house and is topped with chimichurri aioli. Longhorn's hefty half-pound entry is slathered in a signature burger sauce, while Texas Roadhouse serves up their burger on a Texas-sized bun and a side of steak fries. But which one ranks at the bottom?

There are countless reasons why a hamburger may end up a flop. If a burger doesn't have the right fat-to-lean ratio, it may either be too messy or too dry. The ground beef may be overmixed, resulting in a texture that's less than appetizing. The burger patty may be the wrong size, either hanging off the edges or dwarfed by a too-big bun. Or it's possible that one of the steakhouses may be too heavy-handed with their signature seasoning or sauce. 

According to our 588 respondents, Ruth's Chris fared the best among our choices, bringing in 91 votes for the worst burger, or about 15%. Longhorn Steakhouse was a close tie with 95 votes or roughly 16%. Texas Roadhouse is the third worst, with 144 votes for about 19% of responders. The next on our list of least-favorite is Outback, which 126 of you rated the worst, about 21%. It turns out the least loved steakhouse burger, according to 162 of you, or just over 27%, is Fogo de Chão's Pichana burger.

Sometimes the best burger may be the one you make at home. Try our tips for the best homemade burgers and you can skip the steakhouse altogether.