The Fast Food Chains That Use Fresh Never Frozen Burgers

The burger is one of the most popular, beloved, and quintessentially American foods. Portable, customizable, and totally delicious, burgers have been dressed up for dinner, dressed down for lunch, and piled with a fried egg and bacon strips to transform into a breakfast dish. While you could take the time to grill up the perfect burger, you might be more inclined to hit up your favorite drive-thru or order at the counter of a burger joint instead.

And if you're going to spend money on a burger made by someone else, it had better be good. While the golden arches have as much of a place in the fast food landscape (the fries, obviously), there's no denying that, when it comes to burgers, fresh is best. Fresh, juicy beef that's seasoned properly and cooked to order, before being piled high with whatever toppings your appetite desires? Few things make our mouth water as much as that. Flat, flavorless burgers have no place in fast food if these 13 chains have anything to say about it. From hand-cut fries to smash burgers, these restaurants are only using the fresh stuff when they grill up their burgs.

Since 1969 when Wendy's opened its first location in Columbus, Ohio, the burger chain has been dedicated to offering customers only fresh beef. One of the most recognizable names in fast food, Wendy's stands apart from many of its competitors by the fact that it has been steadfast in its commitment to offering fresh, never frozen beef. That, and the signature square patties, of course. According to founder Dave Thomas, part of the reason for those square patties comes from the wise words of his Grandma Minnie, who told him to never cut corners –– a value that Wendy's tries to instill by bringing only fresh ingredients to its customers. (Plus, with those tasty beef edges hanging off the round bun, it's like you get more burger in every bite.)

A quick visit to the Wendy's website shows the company uses only fresh beef in its burgers throughout all locations in the contiguous United States, Canada, and Alaska. Is it fancy, five-star dining? No, but we'll still never turn it down.

In-N-Out Burger has achieved an iconic status among West Coast fast food lovers. The beloved drive-thru is even a favorite of gourmet chefs like Ina Garten and Gordon Ramsay, as well as being a staple of other celebs. The secret to the special sauce (in addition to their cult classic Animal sauce)? Freshness.

Since 1948 when In-N-Out burger visionary Harry Snyder was on the scene, he made it his mission to hit up the markets before dawn in order to source the freshest ingredients for his customers. While the franchise likely has its own suppliers making the deliveries these days, that value still holds true. Since the beginning, In-N-Out has made their patties from fresh, 100% USDA ground chuck without any additives or fillers that could pollute the flavor. According to the chain's website, in fact, everything in every one of its restaurants is fresh, with zero microwaves or freezers on the premises. Looking to get a meaty taste of those fresh beef burgers? Order a Double-Double done Animal-Style.

The famous custard may be frozen but the burgers aren't. While In-N-Out didn't win over celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, who finds the chain to be overrated, Culver's has won the man's heart with its fine selection of quality ingredients.

Since 1984, the Wisconsin-based chain has been dishing out fresh, never frozen burgers. According to founder Craig Culver, "We never compromise on quality." That quality means fresh beef and, of course, fresh dairy to make their famous custard. (Wisconsin is the Dairy State, after all.) In fact, the chain's famous Butterburgers were once so fresh that the raw meat would be scooped using an ice cream scoop before being pressed on the grill in order to get that perfect, delicious sear. We can't say that the same method still applies when it comes to portion control, but the burgers are as fresh as they were from the beginning.

The Southwest burger chain is so committed to providing customers with fresh hamburgers that it even has "Commitment to Freshness" on its website. The statement assures customers that, despite their growth (over 1,100 locations as of January 2025), the company remains stalwart in its belief that wholesome ingredients –– including fresh beef –– are what it needs to provide customers with the best experience.

In Whataburger's "Commitment to Freshness," the company says their burgers have one of the quickest production-to-grill times in the entire fast food industry. That means you won't be served a stale, less-than-juicy patty if you happen to visit any of the chain's numerous locations scattered throughout Texas, which has the most Whataburger spots of any state. In addition to the fresh beef burgers that are grilled to order, Whataburger also chops, slices, and dices all the veggies for its food in-house. No bagged lettuce or mealy tomatoes here. Customers can rest easy knowing they're getting a quality burger that'll make them say, "Wow, what a burger!"

With its clean, simple design and drool-worthy marketing, you probably already guessed that Shake Shack prefers to offer burgers of the fresh variety, rather than the frozen hockey pucks of other fast food giants.

Originally operating as a hot dog cart in 2001 in New York City, Shake Shack now has more than 400 locations around the world. If you're looking for a fresh burger made with quality produce that you can feel good about eating, Shake Shack would like to help. Stated clearly on the menu, the burger chain uses a "custom 100% Angus beef blend, never frozen, no hormones or antibiotics ever, humanely raised and grazed in the USA."

And the burgers aren't the only thing getting the fresh treatment. In addition to the seriously craveable burgs from Shake Shack, their chicken sandwiches are made with fresh, whole chicken meat (again, raised without hormones or antibiotics), their Crinkle Cut Fries are cut from real potatoes, and the ice cream used in their shakes is made in-house daily from cane sugar and cage-free eggs.

Five Guys began in 1986 in Arlington County, Virginia with the goal of selling only quality, fresh burgers cooked to perfection and hand-cut fries fried in peanut oil. The family business has expanded to more than 1,700 locations with 1,500 more currently in development. That's a lot of restaurants built on the back of burgers and fries.

The burgers in question are hand-formed with fresh ground beef, never frozen. In fact, not a single Five Guys location has a freezer in it –– only coolers. If you're looking to dress up your burger, you can choose from 15 different fresh toppings which, according to Five Guys, can yield up to 250,000 combinations. That means you could have a quarter of a million burgers from Five Guys without ever having the same burger twice. The toppings available at the burger joint are of the standard variety –– mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, relish, and so on –– but it's the quality of the fresh never frozen burgers they accompany that set this chain apart.

Claiming to be the biggest, juiciest burger anyone will ever taste is a pretty lofty goal, so how does Fatburger try to achieve such a feat? By using only 100% lean beef that's fresh-ground and grilled to order. And these patties are, well, fat. On the Fatburger menu, an Original hamburger clocks in at ⅓ a pound of fresh beef, while those with gargantuan appetites might be more satisfied with the Triple Kingburger, which has three ½ pound patties for a staggering 1.5 pounds of lean ground beef.

The so-called "Last Great American Hamburger Stand" has been in operation since 1952, and we think a good portion of that success is due to the fact that Fatburger has remained committed to offering fresh (and supersized) burgers. While its contemporaries McDonald's and Burger King have been around about as long (McDonald's in 1940, Burger King in 1954), Fatburger has managed to punch above its weight and stay successful (we think) because its use of fresh patties has helped set it apart from the other two.

If a burger joint has been in operation since 1934, you'd probably think that some standards are bound to slip. After all, it's been more than 85 years –– can a single burger chain really remain committed to their initial values? If that burger chain in question is Steak n' Shake, the answer is a resounding yes.

Back when the chain first opened in Illinois, founder Gus Belt really wanted to let customers know that the meat they were getting was of the fresh variety. So fresh, in fact, that he made a point of wheeling in a barrel full of steaks to feed to the meat grinder, grinding up T-bones and sirloins in front of his customers.This has allowed Steak n' Shake to dub its burgers "steakburgers," rather than the standard "hamburger," giving customers a little taste of the quality they'll be receiving when they bite into one of their patties. (Have more of a craving for steaks than burgers after reading this? Learn about budget cuts of beef that are seriously delicious.)

If you've never had a smash burger (from this particular chain or otherwise), you need to. The method of cooking involves flattening a beef patty so that it caramelizes and chars for a crispy exterior and juicy interior. This style of burger has become extremely popular lately, with more locations selling smash burgers across the country. 

At Smashburger, the Colorado-based burger chain, there's also no frozen beef. To get that signature smash, fresh beef has to be used and, for Smashburger, it's fresh, Certified Angus Beef that gets the honor. The chain prides itself on having no microwaves or freezers stocked with frozen meat. Instead, their burgers are made and cooked to order. Drool-worthy options include burgers like the Truffle Mushroom Smash, BBQ Bacon Smash, Spicy Jalapeño Smash, and, of course, the Classic Smash, which sees traditional toppings like lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and cheese top the fresh beef burger.

Formerly known as The Habit Burger Grill, the recently renamed Habit Burger & Grill is a California-based burger chain that has certainly made a habit out of something: using fresh beef in its burgs. Their burgers –– called Charburgers –– use 100% fresh ground beef that's chargrilled over an open flame, a practice they've been doing since they first opened in 1969. Likewise, its chicken and tuna are also fresh and chargrilled in order to get those iconic grill marks that make us think of summertime BBQs.

Now, the chain has plenty of locations on both coasts, as well as internationally, and they've still managed to stay true to their roots, offering customers only fresh burgers, alongside chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, fresh salads, and, most uniquely, an ahi tuna filet. The tagline of the restaurant is "Make it a habit," and with burgers as delicious as these, made with fresh ingredients and highly rated, we think we just might.

MOOYAH wants you to say "Booyah!" after you've tasted one of its fresh beef burgers. A baby when it comes to burger joints, MOOYAH has been around since 2007 when it first opened its doors in Plano, Texas. Unlike other fast-food restaurants that really try and stretch the limits on what they can achieve, MOOYAH sticks to the three items in which it excels: fries, shakes, and burgers.

According to MOOYAH, all of their burgers are made with fresh, never frozen Certified Angus Beef. In addition to the burgers — which are available in a variety of formats to suit different diets, like vegan, paleo, and keto –– MOOYAH also takes its commitment to freshness in other aspects. The fries (both regular and sweet potato) are hand-cut, while their buns are baked fresh in-house. Plus, it's real ice cream in their shakes, not that legally-can't-be-called-ice-cream that other fast food chains are using.

Another relative newbie, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was founded in 2002, although their vintage-style branding may have you thinking otherwise. From the beginning, the chain was committed to creating fresh, made-to-order foods. That includes their Steakburger, which is made from 100% fresh lean ground beef pressed thin to get those deliciously crispy edges. If you're unfamiliar with the chain, one Reddit user described it as "Kinda like Culver's and Steak 'N' Shake had a baby."

Like others we've mentioned, Freddy's deals in smash burgers (although they call theirs Steakburgers). Those thin, crispy patties can pack a whole lot of flavor, but may not be your thing if you like your burgers thick and piled high. There's no shortage of toppings at Freddy's, though, with the classics like bacon, cheese, onions, and pickles joining the standard condiment list. Another differentiating factor when it comes to Freddy's is the frozen custard, hand-churned daily in store and available in delicious flavor creations like Peanut Butter Bananza and Strawberry Dreamcake. 

Claiming right on your logo that you have the world's greatest hamburgers? That's a pretty big swing, even from a chain like Fuddruckers, which has been around since 1980. Fuddruckers probably believes it has a pretty decent shot at the title, however, since the burgers are fresh, never frozen, and made from 100% USDA All-American premium-cut beef. Plus, the patties are piled on buns that are made fresh in-house, too. Every burger is always cooked to order, never sweating away on some steam tray waiting to be picked up by hungry hands.

According to Fuddruckers, every element of the burger is fresh –– including the toppings. On their website, the fast-casual chain states that their produce is market fresh, with items like sun-ripened tomatoes and hand-leafed lettuce among the choice options. After all, if you're making the World's Greatest Burger, you need to be delicious from top to bottom, right?