Options abound in the wide world of hamburgers. Whether you like them beefy or vegan, restaurant-style or backyard barbecue-approved, we’ve got plenty of burger recipes for you to try. We’ve even stretched the boundaries of what qualifies as a burger, taking inspiration from beef Wellington, chicken Parmesan, and even Thanksgiving leftovers.

But when it comes to one category of burger—fast food cheeseburgers—many of us are usually looking for the same thing.

Qualities of a Good Fast Food Cheeseburger

Priority number one? The meat. According to Jim Perillo, executive chef at The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, New York, the beef should always be fresh, not frozen, since “frozen patties tend to be dryer. They lose moisture through the thawing process. Pre-cooked frozen patties that have been sitting also leave much to be desired. Nothing beats a fresh burger,” he says.

The best burgers are well-seasoned and rocking a satisfying “crust,” adds Dominic Iannarelli, chef-owner of Prime & Providence in West Des Moines, Iowa. This usually comes from being grilled, smashed, or seared.

Caroline Chambers, the Carmel Valley, California-based author of the Substack and the cookbook “What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking” chimes in with a vote for a thin patty, which allows for “a perfect balance. I basically want equal parts cheese to patty to bun.”

As for that bun, it better not distract from the real star of the show, says Dan Pelosi (aka @grossypelosi), a New York-based recipe writer and New York Times bestselling author of “Let’s Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home.” It should be soft so it’s able to “hug the burger,” Pelosi says, but toasted to stand up to any sauces.

When it comes to the toppings, less is more. Every topping should have a reason for being invited to the party, Iannarelli says.

Overall, a good clue that a burger is high-quality is the fact that it’s one of few sandwiches on the menu, Pelosi continues. “The sign of a confident burger is when she is not afraid to be one of the very few options available.”

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