Habit Burger’s Double Char: America’s Top Fast-Food Burger

The Double Char burger from Habit Burger & Grill has once again been recognized as the best fast-food burger in America. This marks the third consecutive year the Double Char has topped USA TODAY’s 2026 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Additionally, Habit Burger has been named the best fast-casual restaurant for the second year in a row.

Habit Burger & Grill, which began in 1969 in Santa Barbara, California, now operates over 350 locations. Each burger is charred over an open flame, offering a unique flavor profile. The Double Char, featuring two chargrilled beef patties with caramelized onions, fresh lettuce and tomato, pickles, and mayo on a toasted bun, is a standout on their California-inspired menu. Cheese is available as an optional addition.

While Habit Burger offers a range of items like chicken clubs, Caesar salads, and ahi tuna filets, their specialty lies in their red meat offerings. The chain’s Charburgers, cooked individually over an open flame, are a particular appeal to many customers.

The annual readers’ choice contest, which covers multiple travel and lifestyle categories, is composed of nominations by expert panels and votes from USA TODAY readers. In-N-Out’s Double-Double burger claimed the second spot, known for its slow-rising sponge dough bun, two slices of American cheese, two 100% American beef patties, onions, tomato, lettuce, and a proprietary spread unchanged since 1948.

Freddy’s Original Double, with its two steakburger patties, cheese, onion, pickles, and mustard, ranked third. The Papa Burger from A&W, featuring two beef patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and A&W Papa Sauce, secured fourth place. Culver’s double ButterBurger Cheese, made with fresh beef and Wisconsin cheese, completed the top five.

Other contenders making it to the top 10 included Shake Shack’s SmokeShack cheeseburger, the cheeseburger from Five Guys, Burger King’s Whopper, Wendy’s Son of Baconator, and Whataburger’s Double Meat Whataburger.

Habit Burger is under the ownership of Yum! Brands, which also owns Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut. Currently, more than 380 Habit locations exist across 14 states and internationally, including in Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.