The Double Char burger from Habit Burger & Grill has been recognized as the best fast-food burger in the United States for the third consecutive year, according to USA TODAY’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Despite not being available in every state, this burger continues to win over fans.
Habit Burger & Grill also secured the title of best fast-casual restaurant for the second year. Known for charring burgers over an open flame since 1969, the restaurant started in Santa Barbara, California, and has grown to over 350 locations. The Double Char features two freshly chargrilled beef patties, caramelized onions, fresh lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayo, and an option to add cheese—all served on a toasted bun.
USA TODAY highlighted that while Habit Burger & Grill offers a diverse menu, ranging from chicken clubs to Caesar salads and ahi tuna filets, their Charburgers stand out. The unique appeal lies in individually cooking the burgers over an open flame.
The annual contest covers various travel and lifestyle categories, with nominations by experts and votes from USA TODAY readers. In-N-Out’s Double-Double burger earned second place, known for its freshly baked bun and a proprietary spread recipe from 1948. Freddy’s Original Double came in third with its savory steakburger patties topped with cheese, onion, pickles, and mustard.
The Papa Burger from A&W, featuring beef patties and A&W Papa Sauce, landed in fourth place. Culver’s double ButterBurger Cheese secured fifth place, described as a strong contender in burger offerings with fresh, never-frozen beef and Wisconsin cheese.
Other notable mentions include Shake Shack’s SmokeShack cheeseburger, Five Guys’ cheeseburger, Burger King’s Whopper, Wendy’s Son of Baconator, and Whataburger’s Double Meat Whataburger.
Habit Burger, part of Yum! Brands, which owns Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, operates over 380 locations across 14 states and internationally. States with Habit Burger include Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
Teresa Mull, a freelance writer, contributed to this report for the Lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.
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