Burger Showdown: Shake Shack Vs. Culver's, Which Chain Reigns Supreme?

There is nothing more American than a hamburger, especially one wrapped in paper and served through the window of a drive-thru. Fast food chains have long specialized in fast, greasy, carb-loaded burgers, usually no more expensive than a pack of bubblegum. In the past decade or so, though, hamburger chains have become increasingly more refined, sometimes blurring the line between fast food and sit-down restaurants. It could be the shift in burger trends: Though the smashburger was invented decades ago, the thin, crispy patty recently rose in popularity, almost completely replacing the thick, juicy quarter-pounder we once enjoyed at every brewpub. Now, the smashed patty reigns supreme, and some fast food chains have completely mastered it. Two such chains? Shake Shack and Culver's.

I have a soft spot for both restaurants: Having lived in Wisconsin for many years, nothing feels more like home than the classic, buttery buns of Culver's butterburgers. However, I also consider myself a superfan of Shake Shack and even own the cookbook, which answers coveted questions about the chain's famously soft buns and what Shack Sauce really is. When it comes down to it, though, which burger is better? Andrew Zimmern might have his favorite fast food burger (Culver's) figured out, but I wasn't so sure. I decided to find out by testing each of their menu staples against each other, comparing the quality, presentation, and value — and of course, taste. Which one reigns supreme? Let's find out.

There's no better place to start than with each restaurants' namesake burger. Each burger can be customized to include up to three patties, cheese, and several choices of fresh toppings and sauces. To make the comparison fair, I ordered each as a single patty with lettuce, tomato, and either mayo or signature sauce. This way, I could fairly compare the buns, patty, presentation, and value.

Shake Shack's Shackburger is a solid classic, a crispy patty with a meaty flavor that complements the soft and doughy potato bun. What I've always liked about Shake Shack's classic offering is its consistency: It's exactly what you want from a smashburger, nothing more, nothing less, every time. It's a delicious diner-style burger that tastes fresh and travels well. At almost double the price of the Butterburger though, it does beg the question: Is it the best option?

The Culver's Butterburger is another classic, but in a slightly different way. Instead of the picture-perfect patty and round bun, Culver's is a longer, flatter burger that looks best with less toppings — a burger that easily follows Bourdain's one-hand rule without lacking flavor. The flavor is, in fact, the reason the burger is so good: Nestled between buttered buns is a thicker-than-average smash patty also topped with a pat of butter. The result is an intensely rich burger with just the right amount of moistness and garlicky flavor. For this, the Butterburger edges out the Shackburger in the classics category.

For every person who loves a classic lettuce and tomato-topped burger, there is someone else who prefers the meaty overload of bacon and cheese. No burger restaurant is complete without the crispy topping option on its menu, and these two smashburger chains are no exception. The offerings at Shake Shack and Culver's aren't too dissimilar: Both come recommended with two patties, American cheese, and crispy bacon. This time, I left the topping choices alone, comparing instead the assembly as recommended by the menu. This meant that Culver's version included lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mayonnaise, too; but did that give it a competitive edge?

I'm more of a tomato-and-lettuce kind of person myself, so I knew the toppings had the ability to sway the results. It's true, the freshness of veggie toppings cut through the richness of fatty bacon and burger meat in a really pleasant way. The pickles give a little more tang to an otherwise salty burger. But those factors aren't what make bacon burgers good — a bacon burger should stand out because of the bacon, not in spite of it. For that reason, the Shake Shack bacon cheeseburger is the standout: The bacon is applewood-smoked, a noticeable flavor difference between the two meat-stacked burgers. The smoky bacon is crunchy, the applewood flavor contrasting with the gooey cheese and savory meat. Compared with Culver's somewhat limp bacon, Shake Shack epitomizes a good bacon burger, needing no extra toppings to hide behind.

On the other end of the burger-topping spectrum is the mighty mushroom, a topping that is as classic as it is unusual. The two restaurants have completely different ideas of how to best use the edible fungi on top of their burgers, one a bit more traditional than the other. Culver's opts for the popular mushroom and Swiss combination, a melty burger with a slight, sharp tanginess and earthy undertone. Shake Shack, on the other hand, creates a totally new experience out of the mushroom, filling portabella caps with muenster cheese before deep frying into a crispy disc. It doesn't stop there — the deep fried, stuffed mushroom is then added to a burger patty and closed between potato buns for a laughably massive burger and a far cry from Culver's mushroom and Swiss.

After reading the description of the mushroom monster-burger, you might think the ranking is sure to favor the buttery classic that is offered by Culver's. Before trying them, I might have thought the same. The truth is, that fried mushroom concoction is a thing of beauty, a flavorful and crunchy addition to an already near-perfect burger. When feeling bold I'm likely to order this again, and truthfully, I don't even like mushrooms. Easy winner here: Shake Shack.

Culver's, in line with the rest of its menu, takes a classic approach to its specialty burger with a sourdough patty melt. It's a perfect melt, with just the right amount of meat, bread, cheese, and onions. When eaten right away, the bread is crispy but incredibly buttery, the onions just barely cooked so that they're still crunchy and sharp. It's an excellent use of the buttery burger patty in a different format.

On the other hand, Shake Shack is kind of the king of specialty burgers: Most locations have a burger that highlights the regional cuisine, and the brand runs national specials seasonally. For that reason alone Shake Shack could take the crown, but to run a true comparison I chose the most unique burger from its standard menu to compete against Culver's patty melt. The Smokeshack, its trademarked burger, is topped with Shack Sauce, applewood smoked bacon, and chopped cherry peppers, a pairing unlike any you'd find in other fast food joints. Like the chain's seasonal creations, the Smokeshack is inventive and bold, pungent from the cherry peppers and an adventure to eat. This, combined with its ever-evolving list of seasonal favorites, gives Shake Shack the edge in the specialty category — though the patty melt is not far behind.

The menus at each restaurant are both vast, with plenty of offerings that make each chain unique. Culver's specializes in dairy, a byproduct of its birthplace Wisconsin, the U.S. state that produces the most cheese. Thus, the restaurant is known for gooey fried cheese curds, buttered burgers, and creamy milkshakes. Shake Shack has similarly midwest origins, even though the first Shack opened in Madison Square Park. As told by stories in his cookbook, the hotdog cart-turned-hamburger restaurant became a mashup of owner Danny Meyer's hometown favorites like Steak'n Shake, Fitz's, and Ted Drewes, becoming renowned for its own frozen custard, burgers, and root beer. So while each chain has extensive, perfectly-designed menus full of unique products, you can also find interesting options on their burger menus alone.

What Meyers is clear to emphasize with his culinary partners is perfect attention to detail, and it's clear the chain strives for that in every way. While Culver's has the ideal handheld coated with buttery richness, Shake Shack delivers an experience beyond the average fast food (or fast casual) restaurant, going so far as to call itself "fine casual" cuisine. The burgers reflect that in cost, but the quality matches, especially if you're seeking unique flavors and top-notch sides and drinks.