NetCredit released its 2026 ultimate value ranking earlier this year, sizing up fast food chains to see which was home to the most money-conscious burgers and fries deals. The study calculated the national average price per ounce of single-patty cheeseburgers as well as medium fries, applying that metric across 14 of the biggest burger chains in America.
The result? Whataburger reigned supreme as the chain with the best overall value for a burger, as well as the biggest burger patty offerings among all 14 restaurant brands. While the Texas-founded staple has higher burger prices than most of its competitors, it also comes with a hefty portion of meat per sandwich.
Whataburger’s signature sandwich charges $5.92, which, at a weight of 3.56 ounces, breaks down to $1.66 per ounce of meat. That bested McDonald’s cheeseburger offering, which came in second with a price-per-ounce of $1.91. Rounding out the Top 5 were Smash Burger at No. 3 ($1.96 per ounce), Burger King at No. 4 ($1.99 per ounce) and Wendy’s single cheeseburger at No. 5 ($2.21 per ounce).
On the flip side, when looking toward the fries, Whataburger ranked No. 12 of the 14 chains for its price per ounce of fries, clocking in at $0.99. The winner? Shake Shack’s fries, which registered at $0.40 per ounce. California rival In-N-Out also fared better than its Texas counterpart in the sides category, with its fries landing at No. 4 courtesy of its $0.64 per ounce costs.