Customers Say These Are The 5 Best New Fast Food Burgers Of 2026 So Far

The fast food chicken wars are sliding into history, but there's a new food fight forming on the horizon: the battle for the best burger. Despite consistently creeping prices, customers still crave a good burger, and chains are once again beefing over beef. These days, fast food chains are adding more and more limited time items to their menus, too — so new burger releases seem like a near-daily occurrence.

For chains, new items increase foot traffic and drive customer hype. But for customers, constant releases can be exhausting, not to mention expensive. After all, not every new item is worth a try. There have been plenty of fast food releases that bombed in 2026 — including McDonald's most-hyped burger, the Big Arch. Not everyone hates the burger as much as McDonald's CEO, but the response has been lukewarm at best. Our own review of the big burger was less than enthusiastic.

2026's other headline-making burger, the New Whopper, fared better: You'll find the new and improved version of the iconic burger below. Not all of the fast food industry's best burgers made front page news, though. Sonic, Buffalo Wild Wings, White Castle, and Shake Shack also added new fan favorites to their menus in 2026, and they're all worth a try.

Sonic launched one of the first new burgers of 2026 when it dropped the All-American Sonic Smasher nationwide on January 12. The burger builds on the original Sonic Smasher by adding ketchup, mayo, lettuce, and tomato to the cheese, pickle, and onion toppings of the original double-patty smashburger. 

"I definitely didn't have 'Sonic coming out guns blazing with a perfectly lacey crusted smashburger' on my bingo card," wrote one Redditor on the r/burgers subreddit. "Lowkey, this is like the best fast food burger I've had in a minute." Another Reddit poster noted, "Best fast food burger in the game." However, this burger might not be for you if you avoid sodium: Many commenters stated that the patties were on the salty side. A double-patty All-American Sonic Smasher contains 1,650 milligrams of sodium, more than half the Food and Drug Administration's recommended daily amount.  

While the $6 All-American Smasher Meal deal that helped launch the burger has come and gone, the burger itself is still available. One All-American Smasher costs $7.09 at my location; a combo costs $11.59 and comes with a medium drink and a side of tots or fries.

In February, Burger King updated its iconic Whopper for the first time in 10 years after listening to customer complaints. The goal? Bringing back customers who'd lost their love of Whoppers. 

The chain focused on improving the texture of the bun and the presentation of the burger. The bun got bigger and better, and the burger now comes in a sturdy cardboard box instead of a paper wrapper. The burger comes with the same toppings and the same flame-grilled beef patty, with slight tweaks to the mayo. 

The chain's efforts appear to be paying off. In May, Burger King reported better-than-expected earnings and improved Whopper sales. Customer feedback has been strong, too. "I have eaten more of the new Whoppers in the last 2 weeks than I ate all of last year," wrote one Redditor. "It was reminiscent of when fast food tasted better," claimed another Reddit poster. "I'm on the Whopper train." 

Some reviewers said the changes were barely noticeable — but for Burger King, that was the point. "You don't want to just tear up the playbook and start all over," Tom Curtis, President of Burger King US and Canada, told CNN. "It's like we're putting our famous iconic burger in a tuxedo instead of a leisure suit." 

While franchisees were warned not to pass costs to customers, prices vary considerably from location to location. Some locations sell Whoppers for around $5, but a Whopper with cheese can cost over $9 in pricier spots. 

In June 2026, White Castle released the new Southwest Veggie Slider after discontinuing Impossible Sliders. According to the chain's press release, "The Southwest Veggie Slider features a crispy brown rice crust and a savory blend of six vegetables — sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, red bell peppers, onions and carrots." A slice of jalapeño cheese and seasoned with chipotle and sweet BBQ complete the meal.

Unlike the Impossible slider, this patty doesn't try to mimic meat: White Castle found that diners wanted vegetable-based patties instead. Customers can swap the jalapeño cheese for American or cheddar, and vegans can order the sliders cheese-free. However, vegans and vegetarians should be aware that the sliders are cooked alongside meat products. 

But even carnivorous customers appreciate the new veggie slider. "This has a nice crispy outside," explained Influencer King Schratz in a TikTok review. "Southwest comes through immediately." While some customers mourned the loss of the Impossible Sliders, the ones who'd tried the replacements enjoyed them. "I tried them the other day and they were really good," wrote one Facebook user. "The first time I had it dry as-is and it was delicious. The second time I asked for grilled onions and it was even better," shared another. 

White Castle's Southwest Veggie Sliders are a permanent menu item, starting at $2.49 nationwide. No White Castle nearby? Try Dr. Praeger's Crunchy Southwestern Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers — the sliders use a similar same recipe.

Nearly everyone who reviews Shake Shack's West Coast burger mentions its undeniable resemblance to In-N-Out's cult favorite, the Animal-Style burger. The West Coast burger dupes In-N-Out classic's onion-and-pickle-forward flavor with Angus beef patties, caramelized onions, honey mustard pickles, Shake Shack's "Secret Sauce," and a slice of American cheese. Even the name evokes the famous California chain. 

But Shake Shack isn't encroaching on In-N-Out's turf — at least, not too much. Shake Shack is basically doing us East Coasters a favor, since In-N-Out has no East Coast locations and no plans to expand. The burgers aren't exactly the same, either: Shake Shack's version doesn't include lettuce or tomato. 

"West Coast burger is the best fast food burger I've ever had," wrote one Redditor on the r/shakeshack subreddit. "Shake Shack delivered something that was new, surprising, and a welcome change of pace and taste," explained Tasting Table in a review. Some reviewers even claimed that the Shake Shack burger was an improvement on In-N-Out. "I love them both, but if I were to choose, Shake Shack definitely wins," posted influencer @hanneats in a side-by-side taste test on Instagram. 

One single-patty burger costs $9.49 at my nearest location. East Coasters who want a taste of the West — or curious West Coasters hoping to find a new favorite — should act fast, though. The burgers will only be available for a limited time.

Don't worry, pineapple pizza haters: You won't find fruit on these sliders. They're part of a collaboration with King's Hawaiian bakery, and the only thing "Hawaiian" about them is the roll. The sliders do pay homage to a different state, though — the slider's Golden Fire sauce has a South Carolina-style mustard base combined with chili pepper heat.  The sauce stars alongside American cheese, grilled onions, and miniature smashed patties, all served on King's Hawaiian Slider Buns. 

Reviewers love the burgers — especially the spicy sauce. "What makes it good, and what makes it exciting for me, is that there is a plethora ... of flavor in this little slider," YouTuber @theendorsement said in a review. "That golden fire sauce ... It's right up my alley." In another video, YouTuber @rednecksnack said of the sliders, "Pretty delicious ... not the greatest beef patty, but everything else is really nice. Soft bun, good sweet and spicy sauce." 

Buffalo Wild Wings released the King's Hawaiian Cheeseburger Sliders as part of its March Madness menu, so it won't be around forever. For the time being, though, the fan-favorite sliders are still available to order. Four cheeseburger sliders sell for $10.99 at my nearest location.