Commenters in the Reddit world are never shy about sharing their opinions. Time and again, users have weighed in heavily to definitively rank the best and worst fast food burgers being served up by restaurant chains. Food Republic dove into the threads to see which hamburger Redditors consider to be the very worst beef for your buck. The reigning loser was clear: McDonald’s was cited the most often when discussing poor burger experience.
For serving up what consumers largely consider to be the worst burgers, the irony is that McDonald’s is the highest-valued quick service restaurant brand on Earth. The chain took in $25.92 billion in revenue in 2024, per Statista, and is numbered among the world’s top 100 largest companies. How a brand can be both the most popular and the worst is a bit of a puzzle. After all, one Reddit commenter made the bold claim, “The only thing I’ve had worse is school cafeteria food.” Interestingly, another had a theory that people love to diss the top dog: “Hating on [McDonald’s] is super popular,” the user quipped.
Per criticism from Redditors, everything from the double cheeseburger to the Big Mac has led to major disappointment amongst customers. A frustrated customer shared in a thread, “If the meat [on a Big Mac] was pressed any flatter, it would be in the second dimension.” There seems to be a consensus, though, that no matter how much people say they don’t like the franchise, they keep coming back. One user may have said it best: “Because what’re you gonna do about it? Not go to McDonald’s?”
McDonald’s strives to be consistently average
When it comes to McDonald’s hamburgers, complaints range from the small, flat size of the meat patties, to the subpar taste, small portions, and low quality. The Reddit universe seems to pretty unanimously agree, however, that convenience, habit, and cheap prices are major factors that keep people coming back for more. In these regards, the fast food chain benefits from it’s consistency. “McDonald’s aims to provide a relatively standard experience across all franchises,” one Redditor said.
The franchise unapologetically continues to be what it’s been for a long time: quick, convenient, and of a quality that is on par for the cost. “The big value of McDonald’s is it is (at least was) inexpensive fast food that was extremely consistent regardless of when or where you went,” one commenter pointed out. “If you have 30 minutes between two meetings, only had $10, and a McDonald’s is nearby, you could get a meal you know you enjoyed.” While McDonald’s may not be the best burger you’ve ever had, you usually know exactly what you’re getting into, which is ideal for many.
If high-quality ingredients and mind-blowing flavors are what you are after in a burger, McDonald’s may not be the choice for you. One can go elsewhere and pay a bit more to get a higher-quality burger made with fresh, not frozen, beef. If you’re among the many who don’t like McD’s burgers, Redditors do seem to agree that the Golden Arches’ french fries — the bestselling item at McDonald’s — are still worth a swing through the drive-thru.
