Cheeseburgers are a classic American staple that has become a popular fast-food option or order. Each bite packs in the perfect combination of juicy, sizzling meat and melted cheese. However, not all cheeseburgers are created the same. Many popular fast-food chains offer burgers packed with an unhealthy amount of calories, fats, and sodium.
To help you make informed choices, we've compiled a list of 25 of the unhealthiest cheeseburgers available at major fast-food chains. This information will allow you to avoid these nutrition landmines and opt for healthier alternatives.
How We Chose the Unhealthiest Fast-Food Cheeseburgers
To identify the most unhealthy fast-food cheeseburgers, we focused on the following criteria:
- High in total calories: Cheeseburgers exceeding 700 calories were considered high-calorie, as this exceeds the recommended daily intake for a single meal on a 2,000 calorie a day diet. Shooting for 400 to 600 calories per meal is a more appropriate range.
- High in total fat: Cheeseburgers often contain high amounts of fat from the meat, cheese, and sauces(ie. mayo, butter). For anyone following a standard 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, the goal is to eat less than 65 grams of fat per day. Any burger that hit close to or above this limit we added to our list of unhealthy options.
- High in saturated fat: Cheeseburgers may also be high in saturated fat, a unhealthy fat. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting saturated fat to no more than 13 grams per day. If a burger hit close to above this number, it was considered unhealthy.
- High in sodium: Cheeseburgers and other fast-food meals can be loaded with salt. Any burger that was close to or exceeded the daily recommended limit of2,300 milligrams was added to our list.
Read on to see which unhealthy fast-food cheeseburgers made our list. Then, check out 86 Unhealthiest Fast Foods On the Planet.
McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 740
- Fat: 42 g (Saturated fat: 20 g)
- Sodium: 1,360 mg
- Carbs: 43g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 10 g)
- Protein: 48 g
McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese is the most calorically dense cheeseburger on their menu. This hefty sandwich packs nearly 60% of your daily recommended sodium intake and surpasses the American Heart Association's guidelines for saturated fat, making it a less-than-ideal choice for heart health.
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Burger King Triple Whopper with Bacon and Cheese
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,350
- Fat: 94 g (Saturated fat: 33.1 g)
- Sodium: 1,990.3 mg
- Carbs: 59.5 g (Fiber: 4.3 g, Sugar: 15.1 g)
- Protein: 82.5 g
Burger King's Triple Whopper features three beef patties, cheese, and bacon, which is a nutritional nightmare. This burger contains over half your daily recommended calories, exceeds guidelines for total fat and saturated fat, and even includes 2.5 grams of trans fat. Trans fats are considered the worst type of fat, doing a double whammy to your cholesterol, as they lower the good HDL and raise the bad LDL cholesterol.
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Wendy's Dave's Triple
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,160
- Fat: 82 g (Saturated fat: 34 g)
- Sodium: 1,640 mg
- Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 8 g)
- Protein: 70 g
Wendy's offers a range of cheeseburgers, including Dave's Triple, a towering burger with three-quarter-pound beef patties and American cheese. This burger goes beyond half your daily calorie intake in a single serving, packing 1,160 calories. It also surpasses your goals for total fat and saturated fat. Skip this order!
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Sonic SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,130
- Fat: 75 g (Saturated fat: 22 g)
- Sodium: 2,000 mg
- Carbs: 54 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 12 g)
- Protein: 57 g
The SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger is a dietary disaster. It contains 2,000 mg of sodium, which is nearly hits the daily recommended limit. This burger also contains over half your daily calories and more than double the amount of saturated fat recommended by theAmerican Heart Association to have in one day.
Jack in the Box Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 930
- Fat: 65 g (Saturated fat: 25 g)
- Sodium: 1,960 mg
- Carbs: 32 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 6 g)
- Protein: 55 g
Jack in the Box's Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger is a sodium-laden option containing 1,960 milligrams, which is close to the daily limit. This salty burger leaves little room for sodium in the rest of your day. It's best to avoid this burger next time you swing by Jack in the Box.
Carl's Jr. Big Angus Western Bacon Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 780
- Fat: 36 g (Saturated fat: 14 g)
- Sodium: 1,720 mg
- Carbs: 77 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 16 g)
- Protein: 38 g
TheWestern Bacon Cheeseburger at Carl's Jr. is a beef patty topped with bacon, American cheese, crispy onion rings, and BBQ sauce, making it one hefty meal. It's high in sodium, saturated fat, and sugars.
Five Guys Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 980
- Fat: 55 g
- Sodium: 1,050 mg
- Carbs: 40 g
Consuming a Five Guys Cheeseburger can contribute to a temporary uptick in blood pressure due to its high sodium content. With 1050 mg of sodium per burger, you may find yourself reaching for water throughout the day to help balance and mitigate this salty meal.
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Whataburger Bacon & Cheese Whataburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 750
- Fat: 37 g (Saturated fat: 13 g)
- Sodium: 1,910 mg
- Carbs: 62 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 12 g)
- Protein: 39 g
Chomping down on Whataburger's Bacon & Cheese will blow past your daily recommended sodium intake in just a sandwich. Plus, it hits right on your daily limit for saturated fat, containing 13 grams, the American Heart Association's limit.
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Culver's Butterburger Cheese, Triple
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 940
- Fat: 61 g (Saturated fat: 28 g)
- Sodium: 1,060 mg
- Carbs: 41 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 9 g)
- Protein: 57 g
Culver's Butterburger Cheese comes in single, double, or triple available sizes. If you are feeling especially hungry upon arrival and opt for their triple, you'll be hit with an unhealthy meal. It's high in just about everything, including total calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
In-N-Out Cheeseburger with Onion
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 430
- Fat: 21 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
- Sodium: 1,070 mg
- Carbs: 39 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 8 g)
- Protein: 20 g
Fans of In-N-Out know the popular chain just has 3 burgers listed, one of which is a cheeseburger. Although their cheeseburger is relatively low in calories, the amount of sodium should be noted, as one burger contains about 46% of your daily limit.
Smashburger Double Colorado Burger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,040
- Fat: 66 g (Saturated fat: 29 g)
- Sodium: 2,150 mg
- Carbs: 54 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 9 g)
- Protein: 63 g
Smashburger's Double Colorado Burger will appeal to any cheese lover, as they are loaded with both pepper jack and cheddar cheese. However, the nutrition breakdown is alarming. One burger contains more than 100% of your daily recommended total fat intake and nearly three times your daily recommended saturated fat intake. Additionally, it nearly hits your sodium goals for the day.
Shake Shack Double Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 700
- Fat: 42 g (Saturated fat: 20 g)
- Sodium: 2,220 mg
- Carbs: 25 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 5 g)
- Protein: 51 g
Along with their creamy shakes, a double cheeseburger at Shake Shack contains 2,220 milligrams of sodium, just 80 milligrams short of the recommended limit of 2,300. This burger also goes over saturated fat goals.
Steak n' Shake Triple Steakburger (3 x cheese)
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 750
- Fat: 50 g (Saturated fat: 23 g)
- Sodium: 1,600 mg
- Carbs: 32 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 6 g)
- Protein: 40 g
At Steak n' Shake, ordering their triple steakburger with '3 x cheese' is guaranteed to curb your cheeseburger craving but can significantly increase your risk of high cholesterol too. This burger order contains almost twice the recommended daily saturated fat, which can raise your bad LDL cholesterol.
Burger King Bacon Double Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 440
- Fat: 24 g (Saturated fat: 11 g)
- Sodium: 1,940.3 mg
- Carbs: 59.3 g (Fiber: 4.3 g, Sugar: 15 g)
- Protein: 77.5 g
Bacon and burger lovers may opt for BK's Bacon Double Cheeseburger, and while it doesn't exceed total calorie goals, it does overdo it in the salt department. A single order packs 1,940 milligrams, which is 84% of your daily needs for sodium.
Jack in the Box Ultimate Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 820
- Fat: 49 g (Saturated fat: 21 g)
- Sodium: 1,780 mg
- Carbs: 44 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 7 g)
- Protein: 50 g
Jack in the Box's Ultimate Cheeseburger is loaded with two beef patties, two types of cheese, American and Swiss, all on a buttery bun. It's a high-calorie, high-saturated fat, and high-sodium option that checks many boxes on our list of unhealthy criteria.
Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,060
- Fat: 62 g
- Sodium: 1,310 mg
- Carbs: 40 g
The Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger contains 1,060 calories, which is basically equivalent to the amount of calories you should be eating in two meals. It also nearly hits daily goals for total fat. Skip this one next time you swing by Five Guys.
Sonic SuperSONIC Double Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,070
- Fat: 70 g (Saturated fat: 21 g)
- Sodium: 2,000 mg
- Carbs: 54 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 12 g)
- Protein: 53 g
The SuperSONIC Double Cheeseburger, even without the bacon, surpasses sodium and calorie targets. Packing 1,070 calories per cheeseburger equates to basically two meals' worth of calories.
Carl's Jr Jalapeño Double Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 980
- Fat: 64 g (Saturated fat: 24 g)
- Sodium: 1,480 mg
- Carbs: 56 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 11 g)
- Protein: 47 g
Spicy lovers will adore Carl's Jr.'s Jalapeno Double Cheeseburger, fully stacked with pepper jack cheese, jalapeno coins, and Santa Fe sauce. But this burger well is high in calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium, so skip it!
Carl's Jr. Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,040
- Fat: 56 g (Saturated fat: 24 g)
- Sodium: 2,050 mg
- Carbs: 78 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 16 g)
- Protein: 58 g
Carl's Jr.'s Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger is one of the highest-calorie burgers on the menu, stacked with 1,040 calories. Additionally, it's high in sodium, with 2,050 milligrams per burger, which may contribute to high blood pressure if consumed regularly.
Smashburger Double BBQ Bacon Cheddar
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,040
- Fat: 66 g (Saturated fat: 29 g)
- Sodium: 2,150 mg
- Carbs: 54 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 9 g)
- Protein: 63 g
Smashburger's Double BBQ Bacon Cheddar burger contains two patties, cheddar cheese, bacon, and onion rings, which explains why its saturated fat content is 143% of your daily limits. The combination of fatty cuts of beef, cheese, bacon, and fried onion rings is high in saturated fat.
Fatburger XXXL "Triple King" Fatburger with American Cheese
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger with American cheese add-on):
- Calories: 1,836
- Fat: 107.5 g (Saturated fat: 40.5 g)
- Sodium: 2,619 mg
- Carbs: 70 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 12 g)
- Protein: 138.5 g
You can request any of Fatburger's burgers to be made into a cheeseburger by adding a slice of cheese. However, doing so makes this burger a calorie-bomb, packing a shocking 1,836 total calories. Fatburger's XXXL Triple King Fatburger with Cheese also surpasses total fat, saturated fat, and sodium healthy limits.
Checker's Cheese Champ
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 430
- Fat: 21 g (Saturated fat: 18 g)
- Sodium: 1,430 mg
- Carbs: 39 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 9 g)
- Protein: 22 g
The Checkers Cheese Champ will appeal to cheese lovers. It has a healthy amount of calories per burger, containing just 430 calories. But cheese lovers should be warned this one does surpass saturated fat goals and hits 62% of your sodium goals for the day.
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Culver's Mushroom & Swiss Butterburger, Triple
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 1,030
- Fat: 66 g (Saturated fat: 29 g)
- Sodium: 930 mg
- Carbs: 43g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 6 g)
- Protein: 67 g
Don't be fooled by seeing mushrooms in the title of Culver's cheeseburger. If ordered triple-stacked, this burger contains half your daily allotment of calories. It also well surpasses total fat goals, and saturated fat limits by 223%!
Shake Shack Bacon Cheeseburger, Double
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 760
- Fat: 47 g (Saturated fat: 21 g)
- Sodium: 2,510 mg
- Carbs: 25 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 6 g)
- Protein: 58 g
The Bacon Cheeseburger is a popular chain menu item, but at Shake Shack, their double option contains an alarming amount of sodium. It contains 2510 mg of sodium in just one bun, well over the salt goals for the day.
Whataburger Jalapeño and Cheese
- Nutrition (Per cheeseburger):
- Calories: 680
- Fat: 32 g (Saturated fat: 12 g)
- Sodium: 1,800 mg
- Carbs: 63 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 12 g)
- Protein: 34 g
Whataburger's Jalapeno and Cheese is for the fiery lover, packed with jalapenos and American cheese. However, it's unhealthy due to its sodium content (packing 1,800 milligrams per burger) and saturated fat content.
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