The 12 Most Unhealthy Fast Food Burgers in America (Some with 2,000 Calories)

Ask a crowd of people what their favorite food type is, and many will say it’s a good burger. There’s just something about having that beef patty loaded with toppings and special sauces that can really brighten your mood. However, while burgers might taste good, most aren’t very good for you. In fact, many have more calories in a single meal than you should have in an entire day. Today, we’ll tell you about the most unhealthy fast food burgers in America. Think about avoiding these options the next time you walk into your favorite restaurant and consider choosing something else from the menu.

1. Triple Meat Whataburger – Whataburger

When you hear the words “triple meat burger,” you’re probably already imagining something unhealthy, and this burger doesn’t disappoint. Though not the most unhealthy item on this list, it packs a punch with 1,070 calories. The burger is loaded with sodium to give it extra flavor, and the burger alone has 1,720 milligrams of sodium. When you add the fries and drink to the equation, then you’re asking for trouble. Of course, you can enjoy this and the other burgers on this list from time to time, but don’t eat them often, or you’ll likely face health issues in the future.

2. Triple Pretzel Bacon Pub Burger – Wendy’s

Though not quite 2,000 calories, this is one of the most dangerous burgers on this list. With its pretzel buns and the included fried onions and hot beer cheese, this Wendy’s option looks cool, and most people will even say it tastes great. However, this burger has 1,530 calories, which is more than anyone should have for one meal. It also has 1,890 milligrams of sodium and 5 grams of trans fat! Eat this burger sparingly, if at all. The trans fat alone is enough to cause major health issues down the road.

3. Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese – McDonalds

When most people think of fast food, the first restaurant that comes to mind for many is McDonald's. However, while it tastes good, the food is far from healthy. One of the most unhealthy fast food burgers is the double quarter pounder. While not the worst thing on this list at 740 calories, it’s still bad. It also has 42 grams of fat and 1,360 milligrams of sodium, which is about half of the recommended maximum amount for a full day. The biggest issue is the double meat patties. The more meat on a burger, the worse it is, especially when they load it with salt. The meal is only made worse with the side of fries.

4. Spicy Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger – Carl's Jr.

Coming in at 1,060 calories, we have the Spicy Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger. This burger has two beef patties, bacon, cheese, and plenty of sauce. It also features onion rings, which makes the burger very unhealthy. In addition to the calories, the burger has 2,080 milligrams of sodium and 57 grams of fat. If you head to Carl’s Jr. and want to watch your weight, consider ordering the standard hamburger since it only has 480 calories.

5. Bacon King – Burger King

At first glance, the Bacon King may appear to be a healthier option compared to other burgers on this list, but it’s actually much worse. The burger is loaded with two patties, two slices of cheese, lots of bacon, special sauce, and those big buns. In order to make it taste so good, many of the parts are loaded with sodium. In fact, this burger has more than a whopping 6,000 milligrams of sodium, in addition to over 2,000 calories and 81 grams of fat. The burger may taste good at first, but the 1.2 grams of trans fat will make you feel sluggish, and it certainly won’t help your diet. 

6. 4×4 Burger – In-N-Out Burger

While In-N-Out Burger is still fast food and the food is more unhealthy than the salad that you make at home, it is still better than some of the competition. The company owners pride themselves on only using the freshest ingredients, so there’s less unnatural stuff added in. However, there’s one item that bucks that trend and is certainly one of the most unhealthy fast food burgers in the world. It’s the 4×4 burger. This big boy has four meat patties, tons of cheese, and all the toppings. It comes in at 1,050 calories, 70 grams of fat, and 2,320 milligrams of sodium. This is a meal that should be eaten only on rare occasions. 

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7. Double Smoked Bacon Brisket Burger – Smashburger

This is a burger with too much meat for its own good. It has two beef patties, several pieces of brisket, and numerous strips of bacon. That’s in addition to all of the cheese and the sauce. Altogether, it has 1,290 calories, a whopping 2,800 milligrams of sodium, 56 grams of fat, and 4 grams of trans fat. It’s one of the most unhealthy fast food burgers you can eat, so avoid it or try it once and never again.

8. Triple Smoky BBQ Bacon Buford – Checkers/Rally's

This burger is massive, and it’s loaded with all of the bad stuff that escalates its calorie count. There are several slices of Swiss cheese, three huge beef patties, tons of bacon, and a pile of mayonnaise. Add that all up, and you get 1,360 calories, 2,740 milligrams of sodium, and 41 grams of carbs. There’s also 2 grams of trans fat, which is the real killer. This burger would be a lot for anyone, so eat it sparingly, if at all.

9. Triple Whopper – Burger King

Burger King makes another appearance on the list of the most unhealthy fast food burgers with their Triple Whopper. The more patties, the worse it is for you. This is a case where just because there’s lettuce on it, that doesn’t make it healthy. The three patties and the buns account for much of the 1,181 calories, 1,297 milligrams of sodium, and 79 grams of fat. 

Once again, trans fat rears its ugly head. It’s important to do everything possible to avoid trans fats since it’s one of the causes of heart disease, in addition to making you feel sluggish. Scientists also believe that trans fats can be a factor in cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and even issues during pregnancy.

10. Monster Double Thickburger – Hardee's

This is one of the most unhealthy fast food burgers on this list at 1,400 calories. As the name suggests, the burger has two massive patties, and each one is smothered in cheese. There’s also sauce, bacon, and those unhealthy buns. Part of the reason why it tastes decent is because it’s covered in salt. It has 2,780 milligrams of salt, which is more than you should have in a day.

11. Big Bacon Classic Triple – Wendy’s

This is another burger that’s loaded with three patties, three thick pieces of cheese, bacon, and heavy buns. To start, this burger has 1,220 calories, 86 grams of fat, and 1,770 milligrams of sodium. To top it off, the burger has 4.5 grams of trans fat, which makes it one of the worst on this list in that regard. Try to avoid any burger or meal that incorporates trans fats. 

12. Texas Double Whopper – Burger King

Finally, we have the Texas Double Whopper from BK. It has all of the classic signs of an unhealthy burger, including multiple beef patties, several pieces of bacon, and those heavy buns. The bacon means extra sodium. This one has 2,589 grams of sodium, which is huge. There are also 1,062 calories, 70 grams of fat, and 55 grams of carbs. This is a burger you might try once just to say you’ve had it, but avoid it whenever possible for your own health.

Bonus Entry: Double Donut Burger – Hungry Horse Pub

Say hello to the Double Donut Burger. We're cheating on this one since it's not available in America. However, we just had to bring it up. This massive burger comes courtesy of the United Kingdom from a chain called Hungry Horse Pub. The burger is just shy of 2,000 calories. It technically has 1,966 calories, but that’s for the burger alone. Have some fries, and you’ll shoot right over 2,000. In addition to the two beef patties, it has many slices of cheese and bacon. To top it all off, instead of bread, it has a donut on either side. There isn’t even any lettuce; it’s just pure calories. This burger is the equivalent of about 40 McNuggets, and that’s just too much.

Conclusion

At this time, these are the most unhealthy fast-food burgers that you can get. Each year typically brings the new worst burger, but for now, these are the ones to avoid. It’s best to eat fast food in moderation, so be careful out there. Avoid these meals, and you’ll be better off for it.

Recipe Card

Instead of going out to grab a burger if you have a craving, try making one at home. You'll not only save some bucks, but you'll also spare yourself some calories too.

Bison Blue Cheese Burger

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• Author: MomsWhoThink.com
• Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lb of bison ground meat
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 1/2 cup of blue cheese crumbles
• 4 of hamburger buns
• 1 cup of arugula
• 1/2 cup of caramelized onions

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Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Form the ground bison into 4 patties and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill the patties for about 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
4. Top each patty with blue cheese crumbles in the last 2 minutes of grilling to melt slightly.
5. Assemble the burgers with buns, arugula, caramelized onions, and the bison patty.

• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 10
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Grilling
• Cuisine: American

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Elen_Kray/Shutterstock.com.