The 25 Unhealthiest Restaurant Cheeseburgers of All Time

While cheeseburgers are a beloved menu item at chain restaurants, ordering one often means consuming more calories, fat, and sodium than if you were to make one at home. Restaurant cheeseburgers can be loaded with fatty extras like double or triple-stacked patties, extra cheese, bacon, and deep-fried onion rings, turning this comfort food into a high-calorie indulgence.

With each bite of a juicy, meaty cheeseburger piled high with toppings, it's easy to indulge without realizing the nutritional impact. Below, we've identified 25 of the unhealthiest chain restaurant cheeseburgers so you can make better choices next time you swing by your favorite spot.

How We Chose the Unhealthiest Restaurant Cheeseburgers

To identify the most unhealthiest restaurant cheeseburgers, we narrowed them down based on the following key criteria:

• High in calories: When you stack multiple beef patties, fatty cuts of meat, full-fat cheese, and rich toppings together, the calories can skyrocket. Any burger surpassing 700 calories was considered a high-calorie meal and made our list. A healthier range to reach for when following a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet is to keep meals between 500 and 600 calories. 
• High in total fat: The core ingredients of a cheeseburger—the meat, cheese, and add-ins like bacon, mayo, or sauces—can drive up the fat content fast. If a burger contained half or more of the recommended daily limit of 65 grams of fat, it earned a spot on our list. For those following a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, the goal is to stick to 65 grams of fat or less. 
• High in saturated fat: Cheeseburgers may pack a high amount of saturated fat, the unhealthy fat we want to keep to a minimum. It's found in fatty cuts of meat, full-fat cheeses, butter, and sauces like mayo or aioli. Any burger that hit close to or exceeded the American Heart Association's daily recommended limit of 13 grams or less per day made our list.
• High in sodium: Cheese, sauces, and even buns can pack a high amount of sodium. Any burger exceeding 1,000 milligrams of sodium or more earned a place on our list. The goal is to consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.

Read on to uncover 25 unhealthy fast-food cheeseburgers. And for more, check out I Tried the Most Popular Burgers at 5 Dine-In Chains & Only One Stood Out.

Applebee's Classic Bacon Cheeseburger

Applebee's Classic Bacon Cheeseburger is sandwiched between a buttery brioche bun, which is high in calories and fat due to its butter and egg content. With a beef patty, cheese, and bacon, this burger totals 1,360 calories, equivalent to about two meals worth of calories. This order also exceeds your limits for total and saturated fat, which should be kept to no more than 13 grams per day, as advised by the American Heart Association.

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Applebee's Bourbon Street Mushroom Swiss Burger

The Bourbon Street Mushroom Swiss Burger found at Applebee's is one of the highest-calorie burgers on the menu. Although the beef patty is stacked with sauteed onions and mushrooms (two wins in this dietitian's book), it also has garlic mayo and Swiss cheese, pushing the calorie count to a whopping 1,620 calories. That's nearly a full day's worth of calories on one plate. Plus, it exceeds daily goals for sodium, total fat, and saturated fat.

Chili's Double Oldtimer With Cheese

Chili's Double Oldtimer with Cheese consists of two beef patties and cheese nestled in a bun. This burger made our list for several reasons: It's too high in calories, excessive in total fat and saturated fat, and loaded with sodium. It packs three times the daily limit for saturated fat and is 150% over the daily limit for total fat.

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Red Robin Gourmet Cheeseburger

The Gourmet Cheeseburger at Red Robin packs 82% of your daily sodium limit in one bun. Consuming foods high in sodium can put added pressure on your heart and potentially lead to high blood pressure. To keep your heart happy and healthy, skip this burger.

Buffalo Wild Wings Triple Bacon Cheeseburger

Although Buffalo Wild Wings is known for its wings, its burger menu is fully stacked, too. The chain's Triple Bacon Cheeseburger surpasses the daily sodium limit by 136% and exceeds daily goals for total fat and saturated fat. Protect your heart and skip this burger.

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Buffalo Wild Wings All-American Cheeseburger

Buffalo Wild Wings All-American Cheeseburger features a double-stacked patty, a challah bun, mayo, and American cheese. While it may be delicious, it lands on our list due to its high sodium content, with 2,040 milligrams per burger, almost hitting the daily sodium limit.  Think twice before ordering this burger.

The Cheesecake Factory Americana Cheeseburger

The Americana Cheeseburger at Cheesecake Factory is filled with cheese, crunchy potato crisps, and secret sauce, which make it one dense caloric bomb. At 1,390 calories, one burger contains nearly two meals worth of calories. It also contains a sky-high amount of sodium, 3,440 milligrams of sodium, which is well above the safe daily limit.

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The Cheesecake Factory Bacon-Bacon Cheeseburger

The Bacon-Bacon Cheeseburger at Cheesecake Factory is layered with cheese and two forms of bacon, all stacked on a burger patty. While it may be a bacon lover's dream, it's a nutritional nightmare, hitting every unhealthy mark with 1,610 calories, 110 grams of fat, and 3,550 milligrams of sodium.

The Cheesecake Factory French Dip Cheeseburger

Foodies may be dazzled by Cheesecake Factory's unique concoction, its French Dip Cheeseburger. This cheeseburger with onions and sriracha mayo is served on a brioche bun and with au jus for dipping. Yet it's the highest-calorie burger on the menu, and it overdoes it in each department—from calories and fat to saturated fat and sodium. Skip this mega-burger, which has a staggering 1,620 calories and 3,470 milligrams of sodium.

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Red Robin Gourmet Cheeseburger

Order Red Robin's Gourmet Cheeseburger for an overwhelming punch of salt. Just one burger is packed with 2,040 milligrams of sodium. Regularly consuming sodium-rich foods can increase your risk of high blood pressure.

TGI Fridays Bacon Cheeseburger

TGI Fridays Bacon Cheeseburger is packed with smoked bacon, cheddar, cheddar spread, and Fridays sauce, which adds up to a fat-heavy burger. It nearly hits the daily limit for total fat and almost doubles the recommended amount of saturated fat. In addition, it contains an alarming amount of sodium, coming close to your daily limits. Ignore this one!

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Outback Steakhouse The Bloomin' Burger

The Bloomin' Burger at Outback Steakhouse is filled with a thick, deep-fried breaded onion, American cheese, and signature sauce. This burger lands on our list due to its rich sodium content, providing a hefty 62% of your daily sodium needs in one meal. Order with caution!

Ruby Tuesday Smokehouse Cheeseburger

The Ruby Tuesday Smokehouse Cheeseburger is stacked with cheddar cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce, and crispy onion rings. However, it also comes with an alarming amount of saturated fat—19 grams, which is 146% of your daily limit—and is loaded with sodium, providing 80% of your daily sodium needs in just one burger.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Ruby Tuesday Jalapeño Bacon Queso Burger

If you're a fan of spicy and cheesy, Ruby Tuesday Jalapeño Bacon Queso Burger might be tempting with its combination of a juicy patty, bacon, cheddar queso, and jalapeños. However, this burger packs 1,970 milligrams of sodium, a hefty portion that's close to your daily limit.

Cracker Barrel The Barrel Cheeseburger

Cracker Barrel's Barrel Cheeseburger is heavy on salt, packing close to half of your daily sodium budget, with 1,070 milligrams per burger. Additionally, it's just shy of hitting your daily fat limit, delivering 60 grams of total fat per burger, a near-max amount for one meal. Skip this meal to keep your heart health in check.

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BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse Bacon Cheeseburger

The Bacon Cheeseburger at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse is a calorie and sodium bomb. With 1,300 calories, it blows past a healthy calorie amount. Plus, it packs an astonishing 3,972 milligrams of sodium, which should come with a warning label for its excessive salt content. To top it off, it also surpasses daily limits for both total fat and saturated fat. Steer clear of this burger.

Yard House Truffle Cheeseburger

Yard House serves a half-pound Truffle Cheeseburger that lands on our list for several reasons. This burger is topped with truffle and two types of cheese, contributing to its sky-high calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium. It exceeds healthy limits for all these nutrients and surpasses daily goals. It's best to avoid eating this one, especially in one sitting.

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Yard House BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger

The BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger at Yard House contains a half-pound burger topped with bacon, cheddar, barbecue sauce, and garlic aioli. This burger stacks up to the most calorie-dense burger on the menu, packing 1,370 calories, like consuming two meals in one. It also nearly maxes out your daily sodium budget and significantly exceeds both total fat and saturated fat goals. Opt out of this calorie bomb!

O'Charley's Bacon Cheddar Burger

Ordering the Bacon Cheddar Burger at O'Charley's delivers double patties, bacon, and cheese—along with a significant sodium boost. At 2,490 milligrams of sodium, this burger blows past your daily limit, potentially raising your blood pressure. High sodium intake over time can contribute to elevated blood pressure and other health issues.

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California Pizza Kitchen West Coast Burger the 'WCB'

West Coast Burger "The WCB" from California Pizza Kitchen is a calorie bomb and sodium minefield. The burger contains a staggering 1,520 calories—the equivalent of about three meals worth of calories in one burger. It also packs 4,110 milligrams of sodium, nearly doubling your daily sodium limit and 178% over the daily goals. This burger is a serious sodium overload—it's best to avoid this meal.

Fuddruckers Swiss Melt Burger (Large)

Fuddruckers prides itself on crafting some of the world's great hamburgers, but its large Swiss Melt Burger is a massive indulgence. This burger is packed with 1,130 calories, 71 grams of fat, and a staggering 3,455 mg of sodium—pushing well beyond your daily limits. We don't recommend this order.

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Fuddruckers Bacon Double Cheddar (Large)

The Fuddruckers Bacon Double Cheddar Burger is double the calories you should consume in a single meal, coming in at a whopping 1,120 calories. It also goes well overboard on fat, with 70 grams of total fat and an eye-popping 3,292 milligrams of sodium—far exceeding safe daily limits. This one is definitely worth skipping!

LongHorn Steakhouse Half-Pound Steakhouse Cheeseburger

The Half-Pound Cheeseburger from LongHorn Steakhouse packs a punch with 1,150 milligrams of sodium, pushing you close to half your daily limit. On top of that, it's loaded with 51 grams of fat, nearing close to your total fat goals. This is one hefty burger that is best left untouched.

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Perkins Restaurant & Bakery Classic Cheeseburger

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery Classic Cheeseburger nearly maxes out your total fat goals and surpasses your daily limit for saturated fat in one go. Plus, with 1,180 milligrams of sodium, it exceeds the safe sodium intake for a single meal. It should be a no-go for those watching their fat and salt intake.

Hard Rock Cafe BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger

This BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger from Hard Rock Cafe might be big on flavor, but it's sky-high in sodium. With a jaw-dropping 6,300 milligrams of sodium, that's 273% of your daily sodium goals in one meal. That's like consuming three days worth of sodium in one sitting. Skip this one to avoid going overboard on salt.