The Worst Shake Shack Burger Isn't For Topping Lovers

Generally, Shake Shack offers a dependable experience, matching a tasty selection of foods with pleasant service and efficient operation. It's all too easy to forget that the burger giant started as a hot dog cart, especially when you glance at all the bun-based sandwiches on the menu. Unlike the minimalist offerings of some chains, Shake Shack doesn't fear experimentation, with a range that includes Korean-inspired flavors, varying chicken options, and a plant-based mushroom offering. Even exclusively among beef-based patties, there are nearly a dozen items to choose from — so our own Food Republic took to tasting and ranking every Shake Shack burger.

The worst-reviewed option? The basic hamburger. You wouldn't expect Shake Shack to disappoint with such a no-frills staple, but our taster found the sandwich dry and one-dimensional. To the chain's defense, the menu item only entails two ingredient: beef and bread. You can pick between one to three ¼-pound patties, all served on the chain's signature potato bun. Yet order it as it comes, and you're not even getting a condiment (although you can add the ShackSauce free of charge).

Our reviewer did find the beef itself flavorful and well-cooked — however, the dish simply comes off too chewy, and desperately misses some balance. It's a sentiment shared by others: "The burger was average ... and salty," wrote a Reddit user; another commenter described them as "mediocre at best." So leave the simple stuff to the other chains, and go for a more topping-heavy Shake Shack offering.

Opposed to other burger chains, Shake Shack draws extra critical assessment. For one, there's the price. Even an order of the basic burger with two patties costs $9.29 (per a Texas location) — not winning points for cost-effectiveness compared to other chains. Furthermore, the abundance of interest has led to lines and inflated expectations. "Is Shake Shack really worth the hype?" one Reddit thread reads.

Yet Shake Shack customers are quick to defend the chain's niche, noting it occupies a specific position in the burger market. "Compare it to McDonalds [and it's] incredible, compare it to the best burgers in town [and it's] average at best," one Redditor wrote. Essentially, Shake Shack focuses on a standardized, good sandwich that's a little pricier, with a gourmet twist — all reasons why a basic burger isn't the best showcase of the chain.

Pay the Shake Shack premium, and you might as well add toppings like pickles, lettuce, onions, tomato, and ShackSauce — all available free of charge. The couple of dollars spent on avocado is worth it, too; our reviewer thought it considerably improved the sandwich. Better yet, go for the more complex Shack Stack or SmokeShack (our top-ranked burgers) for a medley of ingredients that comes together delectably. It's certainly not the cheapest fast food burger in the U.S., but a spiffier Shake Shack order has a charm all its own.