A Survey Of 35,000 Diners Says These Are The Best Fast Food Burgers
People have different definitions of what constitutes a good hamburger. Some folks go wild for smashburgers; others prefer thick, juicy patties. But, according to a Newsweek and BrandSpark International survey of 35,215 consumers, Americans can agree on one thing: You can trust McDonald's for a solid burger.
The 2026 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards ranked 182,000 brands in 359 categories, ranging from windshield repair (Safelite) to organic yogurt (Stonyfield). The title of top quick service restaurant for hamburgers went to McDonald's, with second and third place going to Burger King and Wendy's, respectively. McDonald's also ranked second as diners' favorite quick service restaurant for sandwiches, behind Subway. "The 2026 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards winners stand apart by consistently delivering the quality, reliability, and value that is necessary to earn and retain the trust of U.S. shoppers," the market research company explained in a press release.
The company didn't provide any insight as to why exactly Americans trusted the Golden Arches over other brands, but consumer psychology might give us a clue. People are hardwired to like familiar things. The phenomenon is known as the mere exposure effect, and it influences everything from the friends we make to the brands we trust. McDonald's is the most famous restaurant chain in the United States: According to YouGov, 100% of Americans recognize the brand. While McDonald's didn't become the most famous brand in America by selling subpar products, it probably benefits from its own reflected glory.
Does McDonald's really have the best burgers?
The title comes with another caveat: "most trusted" doesn't necessarily mean "best." Other stats tell a different story. A 2026 YouGov survey found that Five Guys is America's favorite burger restaurant, while the absolute top burger chain in the U.S., according to Yelp in 2025, was In-N-Out, followed by The Habit Burger Grill and Shake Shack. McDonald's came in at a dismal number 17. Here at The Takeout in 2024, we tried nine chain restaurant burgers and ranked them, and the Shake Shack ShackBurger topped the list. Out of the nine burgers that our reviewer tried, McDonald's classic Big Mac ranked eighth.
Still, McDonald's has its merits. Americans do have good reasons to trust the chain, even if other fast food joints offer tastier fare. While overpriced Big Macs and a McDonald's E. coli outbreak have made headlines in recent years, the chain is still a remarkably safe, inexpensive place to eat. In February 2026, NetCredit found that McDonald's cheeseburgers offer the second-best value among fast food burgers, right after Whataburger's signature burger. McDonald's does put a strong emphasis on food safety, too. Despite occasional outbreaks, it has one of the fast food industry's safest supply chains. And, if you're looking for a place to stop on a family road trip that won't break the bank or give you food poisoning, "most trusted" may just beat "best."