{"id":1026,"date":"2025-08-21T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/?p=1026"},"modified":"2025-08-21T10:49:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T10:49:08","slug":"we-ranked-all-of-mcdonalds-burgers-and-best-one-is-absolutely-unreal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/2025\/08\/21\/we-ranked-all-of-mcdonalds-burgers-and-best-one-is-absolutely-unreal\/","title":{"rendered":"We ranked all of McDonald\u2019s burgers and best one is \u2018absolutely unreal\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"McDonald's\t<\/div>
The Metro team has picked their favourites (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether you\u2019re a Big Mac<\/a> enthusiast, or a lover of McNuggets,<\/a> everyone will undoubtedly have a hot take about your McDonald\u2019s<\/a> order.<\/p>\n

The fast food chain<\/a> is beloved across the globe, and while the UK menu might change every six weeks<\/a>, a number of items remain the same throughout the year.<\/p>\n

From the Filet-O-Fish<\/a> (which IS a burger, according to McDonald\u2019s), to the McPlant there\u2019s bound to be something on the menu for everyone \u2014 but which is the top choice when it comes to burgers?<\/p>\n

If you ask the internet, the people of Reddit<\/a> claim that it\u2019s the Double Quarter Pounder that\u2019s the superior order. The sizeable burger features two beef patties, two slices of cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard.<\/p>\n

Others say you can\u2019t go wrong with a Big Mac, while some will forever be obsessed with the long lost McRib<\/a> (which actually made a comeback in October 2024<\/a>…)<\/p>\n

In celebration of National Burger Day this year, the team at Metro<\/a> shared their honest thoughts about the classic burger offering at McDonald’s, ranking 10 of them from \u2018best\u2019 to \u2018worst\u2019.<\/p>\n

So without further ado, here\u2019s our honest verdict:<\/p>\n

1. Cheeseburger <\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"MCDONALDS\t<\/div>
The humble cheeseburger was our top choice. (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cheeseburger is a classic for a reason, it\u2019s got a little bit of everything – beef, cheese, onions, pickles, mustard, and ketchup in a soft bun. <\/p>\n

For those that are really hungry, you can upgrade it to a double cheeseburger and you can add and take away ingredients that you aren\u2019t keen on.<\/p>\n

For Metro\u2019s specialist food writer, Courtney Pochin<\/a>, the cheeseburger is the superior option when ordering from Maccies. She\u2019s been enjoying them since her Happy Meal days, but she can do without the onions or mustard.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Sometimes less is more and the cheeseburger is proof of that. It doesn\u2019t need bacon, it doesn\u2019t need more than one patty, or extra bread, it\u2019s just right as it is,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

And she\u2019s not the only one who thinks its top tier, as Metro\u2019s video editor, Chris Rickett agrees.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"MCDONALDS\t<\/div>
The Double Cheeseburger was also a winner. (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018The cheeseburger is absolutely unreal value to this day. Carries the torch of pickles, onion and mustard being bedrock ingredients of a diner-style burger. Can go double if you want decadence, but triple is vulgar and throws the ratio too far off. <\/p>\n

\u2018No matter what your Maccies order is, adding a cheeseburger to it is always a wise choice. A perfect squishy delight.\u2019<\/p>\n

Deputy news editor, Liam Coleman, and first-person and opinion editor Jess Austin are also team cheeseburger, with Liam saying: \u2018McDonald\u2019s best burger is the double cheeseburger with extra cheese (IMO)\u2019.<\/p>\n

Jess was also keen for more cheese (who isn\u2019t TBH) as she revealed her go-to order is a double cheeseburger, which she \u2018hacks\u2019 by ordering cheese bites and adding these into the burger for what is sure to be a delicious stomach ache in the making. <\/p>\n

2. Quarter Pounder <\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"MCDONALDS\t<\/div>
The Quarter Pounder with Cheese (and the double version) proved popular with the team (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Following in closely behind the cheeseburger is the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, and Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese. <\/p>\n

This shouldn\u2019t really surprise anyone, as they’re essentially bigger versions of the cheeseburger, containing a little bit more of everything. <\/p>\n

Assistant lifestyle editor, Jessica Lindsay, and head of social video, Alex Goldsmith, both praised the burger, saying \u2018you can\u2019t go wrong\u2019 if you order one.<\/p>\n

And since McDonald\u2019s recently introduced their new \u2018best burger\u2019 method of cooking beef<\/a>, the Quarter Pounder flavour has improved, with a \u2018slight creamy, dairy note\u2019. Yum!<\/p>\n

3. Big Mac<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"MCDONALDS\t<\/div>
The Big Mac is an icon. And the perfect hangover cure, apparently (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Big Mac is an institution at McDonald\u2019s, so we\u2019re aware that not crowning it victorious might upset a few people. But, top three is where it\u2019s at for us.<\/p>\n

Two beef patties, cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles and that famous sauce<\/a> are stacked between three pieces of bun. It\u2019s big, it\u2019s iconic, and it\u2019s safe to say people who love it take it very seriously.<\/p>\n

For Metro\u2019s resident fashion and beauty expert Sarah Bradbury, there\u2019s nothing better. \u2018I loveee a Big Mac,\u2019 she tells us. <\/p>\n

\u2018When I’m ridiculously hungover, it’s the only thing that makes me feel both better and worse at the same time. I always add extra lettuce and pickles. For me, I think it’s the nostalgic taste of the sauce and gorgeous, melted cheese.\u2019<\/p>\n

Deputy first-person and opinion editor Ross McCafferty agrees that it\u2019s all about the Big Mac Sauce.<\/p>\n

\u2018It’s the sauce that makes it \u2014 often imitated, never replicated, the absurdly sweet condiment elevates what could simply be dry mouthful of carby stodge into something that is rightly beloved all over the world, and the perfect hangover cure.’<\/p>\n

4. McSpicy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"The\t<\/div>
The McSpicy divided Metro (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Taking fourth place in the rankings, this chicken burger divided the Metro team, as Courtney and Jess Austin were big fans, but Sarah wasn\u2019t so keen.<\/p>\n

Launched in 2021, the McSpicy was marketed as McDonald\u2019s hottest burger yet and featured a chicken fillet marinated in a spicy coating, with lettuce and mayo in a toasted bun. <\/p>\n

Earlier this year the chain they brought back an even hotter version<\/a>, as they teamed up with Frank\u2019s Red Hot Sauce. But it\u2019s the OG one we\u2019re concerned with here\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2018I consider my tolerance pretty average when it comes to spice \u2014 things like jalape\u00f1o peppers and buffalo hot sauce don’t bother me, but I do tend to opt for milder dishes most of the time,’ Courtney said.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a solid choice for your McDonald\u2019s order. There\u2019s a generous amount of chicken, a nice crispy coating with good crunch and just the right amount of lettuce.<\/p>\n

\u2018If you like it hot, this one won\u2019t be for you, as my mouth certainly wasn\u2019t on fire at any point, but it\u2019s pleasantly warm and did have me reaching for the little bottle of milk that came along with it once or twice.\u2019<\/p>\n

She adds: ‘The only real downside to this burger and why this one doesn\u2019t rank any higher for us is that it doesn\u2019t come with any cheese, and as I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve probably worked out by now, we\u2019re BIG fans of cheese.\u2019<\/p>\n

5. Filet-O-Fish<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"The\t<\/div>
The Filet-O-Fish is a solid middle-ground option (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pollock fish in crispy breadcrumbs, a slice of cheese, and tartare sauce are placed inside a steamed bun to create this one.<\/p>\n

The Filet-O-Fish is pretty divisive, as some won\u2019t consider it a burger, but others will. For Sarah, it doesn’t really matter what it’s called, as the Filet-O-Fish is a favourite of hers.<\/p>\n

\u2018Fish fingers, chips and beans was the ultimate comfort food for me after school as a kid \u2014 and now after work as a (lazy) adult. I just feel the mix of cheese, tartare sauce and chunky fish square is equally as comforting. I don’t really understand half the slice of cheese, but I’ll take it.\u2019<\/p>\n

Lifestyle editor Kristina Beanland is also a Filet-O-Fish advocate, agreeing that it\u2019s deserving of its middle place in this ranking.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Filet-O-Fish will never be my favourite burger (shout out to my one and only, the Philly Cheese Stack<\/a>) but it’s a reliable mid-table burger that ought to be recognised. <\/p>\n

\u2018It was my childhood order, and my intro into tartare sauce, a highly underrated condiment. In the same way that a fish finger sarnie rarely disappoints, whether at a pub lunch, or making a Birdseye one at home, the Filet-O-Fish is simple, yet delicious. <\/p>\n

‘It doesn’t need all the frills of pickles and a special sauce, it is what it is: comforting, not too filling, and a solid alternative to a meatier option. And while there is never one ready to immediately chuck onto your tray, it’s well worth the wait.\u2019<\/p>\n

And if you’re a fan, there’s now also a double version of the classic<\/a>, so you can enjoy even more of your fave.<\/p>\n

6. McCrispy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"MCDONALDS\t<\/div>
The McCrispy was deemed ‘Mc-Meh’ (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We\u2019re passed the half-way mark now in our rankings and while they start to go downhill from here, this burger is a solid \u2018Mc-Meh\u2019. <\/p>\n

The burger contains chicken breast fillet in a crispy coating, iceberg lettuce, black pepper mayo and a sourdough-style sesame topped bun. But none of this impressed Ross very much.<\/p>\n

He had been excited to try the crispy chicken burger when it hit the menu in November 2022, but ultimately found it lacking.<\/p>\n

\u2018Both bun and mayo are clearly meant to be a bougie version of their more humble (and cheaper) McChicken varieties, but the mayo lacks that so-bad-it\u2019s-good sweetness and the bun doesn\u2019t really add anything beyond a pretty pattern. <\/p>\n

‘As for the chicken itself, it doesn\u2019t really taste much different from the Chicken Legend which was bumped off the menu. It certainly won\u2019t be this I\u2019m reaching for when I\u2019m next in need of a Maccies fix.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\tOur ranking of classic McDonald's burgers:\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n
    \n
  1. Cheeseburger<\/li>\n
  2. Quarter Pounder with Cheese<\/li>\n
  3. Big Mac<\/li>\n
  4. McSpicy<\/li>\n
  5. Filet-O-Fish<\/li>\n
  6. McCrispy<\/li>\n
  7. McChicken<\/li>\n
  8. McPlant<\/li>\n
  9. Vegetable Deluxe<\/li>\n
  10. Hamburger<\/li>\n<\/ol><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

    7. McChicken<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n\t\t\"MCDONALDS\t<\/div>
    The McChicken was thought to be ‘too dry’ (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The McChicken Sandwich is one of the fast food chain\u2019s original offerings, and it was rather tough to work out where to place it on this list. <\/p>\n

    For SEO Reporter Elizabeth Atkin, it was the ‘best’ chicken burger McDonald’s sells. She said: ‘I like the simplicity of the McChicken \u2014 a bit of lettuce, plain mayo and a simple sesame seed bun is all its needs.’<\/p>\n

    And while her review certainly earned it points, it was knocked down a few pegs by scathing comments from others.<\/p>\n

    \u2018I\u2019ve watched with alarm as the McChicken has shrunk faster than the value of the pound,\u2019 says Ross. <\/p>\n

    And he\u2019s not the only one who wasn’t pleased. Chris declared its the worst burger on the menu \u2014 and definitely not worth the money.<\/p>\n

    \u2018There are times in my life when consuming the crisp fiver exchanged for it would have been less dry than the McChicken sandwich,\u2019 he admits. <\/p>\n

    8. McPlant<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n\t\t\"MCDONALDS\t<\/div>
    The vegetarians in the office weren’t impressed by the McPlant (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    McDonald\u2019s vegan burger has been hailed a \u2018game-changer\u2019 by fans, as it\u2019s supposed to taste like meat, while being completely plant-based.<\/p>\n

    The patty was co-developed with Beyond Meat and is served on a sesame seed bun, with a vegan alternative to cheese, mustard, ketchup vegan sandwich sauce, onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomato.<\/p>\n

    Courtney was pretty taken with it the first time she tried it, as she felt she wouldn\u2019t have known it was vegan, if she hadn\u2019t been told. \u2018It\u2019s almost indistinguishable in terms of taste from a regular cheeseburger.\u2019<\/p>\n

    But for the actual veggies and vegans among us, it\u2019s not proved such a hit.<\/p>\n

    Martina Andretta, Metro\u2019s head of growth, felt McDonald\u2019s veggie offerings were \u2018super weak\u2019 and admitted she\u2019d prefer a Vegan Chicken Royale from Burger King over either of the options from Maccies as she felt they were both \u2018too dry\u2019.<\/p>\n

    But when pressed to pick the better of the two, it was the McPlant that fared slightly better in her favour.<\/p>\n

    9. Vegetable Deluxe <\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n\t\t\"MCDONALDS\t<\/div>
    The Veggie Deluxe also failed to wow (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The second of McDonald\u2019s vegan offerings features red pesto veggie goujons, sandwich sauce, and shredded lettuce in a sesame topped bun.<\/p>\n

    It even sounds pretty dry. It\u2019s not very hard to see why this one didn\u2019t manage to garner Martina\u2019s favour. <\/p>\n

    All that said, it’s still a step up from our least favourite burger…<\/p>\n

    \n
    Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">What is your favourite McDonald’s burger and why?<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. <strong>Hamburger<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"355\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-21587272 lazyload\" alt=\"MCDONALDS HAMBURGER\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SEI_221123797-ddae.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>The hamburger didn’t get any votes… (Picture: McDonald’s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Coming in last is the plain old hamburger, which has no cheese, no mayo, no salad\u2026 and is no fun, really.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a beef patty, onions, mustard and ketchup in a soft bun. <\/p>\n<p>No one from Metro picked it as their go-to option, hence why it\u2019s at the bottom of the list. <\/p>\n<p>The verdict was unanimous: Anyone who is ordering one of these from McDonald\u2019s really needs to live a little.<\/p>\n<div class=\"factbox\" data-ico=\"factbox_article\" data-track-module=\"factbox_article\">\n<h2 class=\"factbox-title\">\n\t\t\t\tAnd worth an honourable mention…\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<div class=\"factbox-content\">\n<p>It’s not been available long enough to be deemed a true classic, but McDonald’s recently added the <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/06\/18\/mcdonalds-just-launched-most-mcdonalds-burger-ever-uk-23446154\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Big Arch burger<\/a> to its menu and we felt it deserved a mention.<\/p>\n<p>The star of the show with this burger is the Big Arch sauce, which features McDonald\u2019s ketchup, mustard and pickle juice. There\u2019s also some pepper in there and a few other ingredients, though the others are being kept top secret.<\/p>\n<p>The signature sauce is squeezed over the top and bottom halves of a new toasted sesame and poppy seed bun, which is then loaded with crispy onions on one side and slivered raw onions on the other, before shredded lettuce and pickles are added too.<\/p>\n<p>A slice of white cheddar and a Quarter Pounder patty is placed on each half, with one side being topped with a third and final slice of cheese. This sandwiches nicely between the two beef patties as the box is closed and the two sides of the burger come together to create the Big Arch.<\/p>\n<p>The massive burger, bigger than a Big Mac, is meant to be the chain’s ‘most McDonald’s burger yet’.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media metro-instagram\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version=\"12\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DKmkD4Po6Ze\/?img_index=1\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DKmkD4Po6Ze\/?img_index=1\">https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DKmkD4Po6Ze\/?img_index=1<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Courtney Pochin gave it a try, here’s what she thought: ‘Dare I say it, I actually think it\u2019s better than a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/09\/06\/former-mcdonalds-chef-reveals-secret-big-mac-sauce-21560723\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Big Mac<\/a>. For me, the flavours are more interesting.<\/p>\n<p>‘The sauce is so quintessentially McDonald\u2019s in flavour. The combination of the slightly sweet ketchup, tangy pickle juice and punchy mustard is comfortingly familiar and yet somehow manages to taste new at the same time. I\u2019m going to need them to bottle and sell this immediately, or at the very least let me order a pot of it to dunk my fries into.<\/p>\n<p>‘The Quarter Pounder patties give the whole thing a very meaty flavour, which is stronger than what you\u2019d get with standard McDonald\u2019s burgers, and there\u2019s a very satisfying crunch from the crispy onions that elevates the overall eating experience.’<\/p>\n<p>She added: ‘If I had to give it a rating out of 10, I\u2019d give it a nine. I\u2019m a big fan of it as far as McDonald\u2019s burgers go, but it doesn\u2019t get full marks as there\u2019s one big issue with it\u2026 it\u2019s incredibly messy.’<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong><em>A version of this article was first published on October 12, 2024.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Get in touch by emailing <a href=\"mailto:MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk\">MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom-start\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom centered\"><\/section>\n<section id=\"share-buttons-bottom-end\" class=\"share-buttons share-buttons-bottom centered\"><a class=\"comment-now metro-button metro-comments-cta\" data-vars-position=\"bottom_cta_question\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span><\/p>\n<p><title>Comment now<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"comment-now__label\">What is your favourite McDonald’s burger and why?<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Metro team has picked their favourites (Picture: McDonald’s) Whether you\u2019re a Big Mac enthusiast, or a lover of McNuggets, everyone will undoubtedly have a hot take about your McDonald\u2019s order. The fast food chain is beloved across the globe, and while the UK menu might change every six weeks, a number of items remain […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1028,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1026"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1041,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026\/revisions\/1041"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1028"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.answerla.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}