The Unhealthiest Fast-Food Cheeseburgers, Ranked

There’s no place American cheese feels more comfortable than between a bun and a patty. The cheeseburger is a fast food staple — and one of the unhealthiest things on the menu. 

A study by PlushCare ranked popular fast food cheeseburgers from least to most unhealthy. The scoring was based on four things: calories (up to 10 points), fat (10), sugar (2), and sodium (20). The higher the score, the worse the burger. 

Here’s how they all stacked up. 

Unhealthiness Score: 17 

1. Energy: 4 
2. Fat: 7 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 5 

Technically a burger, optionally with cheese, but Culver’s still comes in with the lowest unhealthiness score at 17. Doesn’t mean it’s healthy — just less unhealthy than the rest. 

Unhealthiness Score: 18 

1. Energy: 3 
2. Fat: 6 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 8 

Your childhood favorite somehow lands among the least offensive. At 18, it’s not winning any nutrition awards, but with 720 milligrams of sodium, it’s far from the worst offender.  

Unhealthiness Score: 18 

1. Energy: 3 
2. Fat: 6 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 8 

Tying with its biggest rival, the King’s offering is modest, by fast-food standards. No nutritionist is recommending it, but at least it’s not trying to kill you in one bite.  

Unhealthiness Score: 20 

1. Energy: 4 
2. Fat: 7 
3. Sugar: 0 
4. Sodium: 9 

Standing alone at the 13th spot is Jack in the Box, serving a cheeseburger that’s ingredient-wise no different from most on this list. But with 880 milligrams of sodium, it makes quite a salty impression. 

Unhealthiness Score: 23 

1. Energy: 5 
2. Fat: 7 
3. Sugar: 2 
4. Sodium: 9 

A&W’s Papa Burger comes stacked with two patties, cheese, and all the standard toppings — nothing groundbreaking. It also has almost 1,000 milligrams of sodium, and it really should come with a blood pressure pill on the side.  

Unhealthiness Score: 25 

1. Energy: 5 
2. Fat: 8 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 11 

The West Coast darling’s cheeseburger and its not-so-secret Thousand Island spread will run you 1,000 milligrams of sodium.

Unhealthiness Score: 25 

1. Energy: 4 
2. Fat: 8 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 12 

Tied with In-N-Out, Dairy Queen — the place you hit for a sugar rush — will also hit you with 1,120 milligrams of sodium in its cheeseburger. 

Unhealthiness Score: 26 

1. Energy: 4 
2. Fat: 9 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 12 

You’ll feel this one in your arteries a little more. Fat and sodium tag-team their way to an unhealthines score of 26. Still better than you’d expect from a place known for shakes. 

Unhealthiness Score: 30 

1. Energy: 5 
2. Fat: 11 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 13 

With an unhealthiness score of 30, the NYC-trendy pick sneaks in some serious fat (24 grams) and sodium (1200 milligrams) under its shiny potato bun. Tastes better than it scores. 

Unhealthiness Score: 30 

1. Energy: 6 
2. Fat: 7 
3. Sugar: 0 
4. Sodium: 13  

It’s called Fatburger for a reason. The medium “Original” from Fatburger isn’t trying to fool anyone — big, greasy, and stacked with beef, cheese, pickles, mustard, and relish, it clocks in around 590 calories, 30 grams of fat, and 1,090 milligrams of sodium. 

Unhealthiness Score: 34 

1. Energy: 7 
2. Fat: 15 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 11 

Wendy’s Dave’s Single comes with everything: beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mayo. That adds up to 590 calories, 37 grams of fat, and 1,210 milligrams of sodium.  

Unhealthiness Score: 36 

1. Energy: 8 
2. Fat: 11 
3. Sugar: 2 
4. Sodium: 15 

Sonic’s cheeseburger lands in the top five for fat and sodium — 720 calories, 43 grams of fat, 1,370 milligrams of sodium. 

Unhealthiness Score: 37 

1. Energy: 8 
2. Fat: 13 
3. Sugar: 2 
4. Sodium: 14 

Carl’s Jr.’s Famous Star, with 670 calories, 39 grams of fat, and 1,410 milligrams of sodium, it proudly holds a spot in the top five for cholesterol chaos. 

Unhealthiness Score: 42 

1. Energy: 8 
2. Fat: 12 
3. Sugar: 2 
4. Sodium: 20 

Whataburger’s Jalapeño & Cheese probably tastes incredible at 2 a.m., when judgment is asleep but with 1,580 milligrams of sodium (75 percent of the daily value), it sure comes with a lot of regrets.  

Unhealthiness Score: 42 

1. Energy: 7 
2. Fat: 15 
3. Sugar: 2 
4. Sodium: 18 

Smashburger’s Classic Smash is exactly what it sounds like—everything smashed together, including your daily limits. With 620 calories, 43 grams of fat, and 1,240 milligrams of sodium, it’s greasy, heavy, and proudly second-worst.  

Unhealthiness Score: 50 

1. Energy: 12 
2. Fat: 26 
3. Sugar: 1 
4. Sodium: 11 

Five Guys takes the crown for the unhealthiest cheeseburger in the country. Their cheeseburger brings 980 calories, 55 grams of fat, and 1,050 milligrams of sodium — without fries, without a shake, without remorse. 

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