Five Guys Vs Fatburger: Which Burger Chain Has More Toppings?

Famed chef, author, TV personality, and all-around food icon Anthony Bourdain believed the rule for a perfect burger was one-handed eatability — in other words, no stacks of slippery, complicated toppings that create a messy feast, produce an imbalanced bite, and necessitate the use of two hands. It's possible, therefore, that Bourdain might not have appreciated the wonderland of choices you encounter when ordering at popular quick-bite chains Five Guys and Fatburger. For those of us who love to pile burgers high and heavy, though, these joints are beautiful meccas of topping-laden joy. But which beefy spot has the most add-on options?

That would be Fatburger, though it only outdoes Five Guys by one topping. Fatburger offers 18 burger additions when you count the cheeses and sauces, while Five Guys has 17. Whichever chain's beefy sandwiches you opt for, packing on that many edible accessories will certainly leave your burger dripping with delightful gooeyness and sauciness.

The meaty offerings from these brands, incidentally, are among fast food hamburgers that are always fresh and never frozen. So, you can savor the superior texture and flavor of fresh beef alongside the bountiful adornments on offer. Note that the toppings mentioned are based on the Five Guys and Fatburger websites; individual restaurant locations may differ in the add-ons they offer.

Fatburger is aptly named when it comes to its toppings array, as it is hefty indeed. You can choose from four different kinds of cheese to adorn your burger: cheddar, American, Swiss, and Daiya brand dairy-free cheese. Vegetable add-ons include lettuce, tomato, raw and grilled onions, and pickles. You can dress up your order with mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish, and Thousand Island dressing. Other tasty toppers, available for an upcharge, include bacon, chili, onion rings, and egg. If that seems like an overwhelming array to deliberate over, an easy shortcut is an option called "The Works," which signals the kitchen to load up your burger with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and relish.

There are also options to ruminate over in the bread department. You can have your beef patty and all those toppings crammed between the halves of a white bun, a whole-wheat bun, or a Udi's gluten-free bun. You can also go breadless with a bed of lettuce instead of a bun.

When you're making a Five Guys run, lots of choices are on offer for topping your burger. In the realm of veggies, you can opt for lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, raw or grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, jalapeño peppers, and green peppers. Condiments include mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish, Cattlemen's BBQ Sauce, Frank's Original Hot Sauce, and A.1. Original Steak Sauce. If you want bacon or cheese — Five Guys uses American-style cheese and applewood-smoked bacon — you'll need to choose a foundational sandwich that includes those elements, as they aren't listed as part of the free toppings menu. Not to worry, though — there's a bacon, cheese, and bacon-with-cheese version of each burger in the lineup. And, as an exciting bonus, if you're getting a bacon sandwich and want an extra pork portion, the workers will add more for free, according to the Five Guys website.

It's probably a good thing Five Guys has so many toppings, since the chain controversially doesn't use any seasoning on its burger patties — no salt, no nothing. If you want salt and pepper, you have to DIY it with packets from the kitchen or condiment stations. The chain also offers Cajun fries, so you could ask for Cajun seasoning to be added to your burger for some extra kick.

There are two other little bits of customization you can get for your burger at Five Guys. If you want to go bunless, the kitchen crew will serve up a deconstructed version of your sando in a bowl, with all your chosen toppings piled inside. You can also get a lettuce-wrapped burger in lieu of bread.