The “Best Hamburger” was awarded for both quality and cost! The “Best Burger” was decided after a heated debate amongst enthusiasts!

The king of fast food is the hamburger. The four major chains, McDonald’s, Mos Burger, Lotteria, and Burger King, which have led the industry since the 1970s and have been rapidly expanding their number of stores in recent years, offer a wide range of products, from standard items to new and seasonal items, that have captured the stomachs of consumers.

The four companies offer more than 100 different hamburger dishes, but which is the “best hamburger” that is both inexpensive and delicious? Food analyst Takao Shigemori, food journalist Junnosuke Nagahama, and B-class gourmet explorer Kyubei Yagyu, the “Three Wise Men of Restaurant Chains,” engaged in a heated debate.

The “three wise men” had a heated debate. The Ultimate Hamburger: Cheap McDonald’s vs. 100% Japanese Beef Mos Burger!

Birkin’s rapid growth

–How about Lotteria, which seems to be slightly overshadowed by the two companies?

Nagahama: Speaking in the vein of the “original,” Lotteria is the ” shrimp burger ” (440 yen). It was released in 1977 and became an explosive hit. The shrimp patty wrapped in a crispy batter popped when you bit into it, and the tartar sauce, cabbage, and bun were a wonderful combination. The runner-up is the ” Zesshin Cheeseburger ” (440 yen), which was a hit in 2008.

Shigemori: I prefer the ” Zesshin Bacon Cheeseburger ” (540 yen). I think that the strong cheese character is balanced by the addition of the aromatic bacon, which gives the burger a more complex flavor.

Yagyu: I guess the company is pushing for “exquisite products. In 2011, Zensho, the largest restaurant company in Japan, acquired the company. They launched a new business model called “Zetteria” featuring the “Zaepin” series and are replacing Lotteria.

Shigemori: I think it’s a bit of a waste. The ” Tomato & Lettuce Beef Burger ” (440 yen) and other gems that are only available at Lotteria have been conspicuously absent. In fact, it is my favorite item on the menu at Lotteria, with its tomato, lettuce, 100% beef patty, chopped pickles, honey mustard sauce, and a wide variety of flavors. You can enjoy various flavors here and there on your tongue as you chew.

Yagyu: I understand. Actually, I also recommend the ” Rib Sandwich Pork ” (540 yen), which is not sold in Zetteria. It features a thick pork patty sandwiched between soft French bread in a rectangular shape, with plenty of chopped onions and lettuce. The volume is wonderful, and it is a hidden masterpiece. I would like to say that Lotteria has other attractive products besides the excellent series properly. Please, please, please put them in Zetteria!

–How about Burger King, which we are seeing more and more of these days?

Yagyu: It is one rank higher in price than the other three companies, but its products are large and hearty, so it is not inferior in terms of cost performance.

Nagahama Since it is grilled over an open flame using a proprietary broiler, excess fat is removed while juices pool, allowing you to fully enjoy the flavor of the meat.

Shigemori: American-style hamburgers that say, “Eat the meat. My recommendation is the ” Whopper Cheese” (690 yen). The harmony of tomato, onion, and cheese with the chewiness of the meaty patty will grab your stomach.

Yagyu: I also recommend the one with cheese. It is worth the extra 100 yen for the regular Whopper (590 yen).

Nagahama: I would add another 100 yen to the ” Quattro Cheese Whopper ” (790 yen) to enjoy the thicker cheese sauce. Another good choice is the ” Smoky BBQ Whopper ” (670 yen). Barkin’ is grilled over an open flame and has a smoky flavor, and this one has a smoky sauce as well, giving you the satisfaction of having “eaten an American hamburger.

Yagyu: We have a clear concept and are able to differentiate ourselves from our competitors. To commemorate this milestone, we are holding the “Wapper Festival” from October 20 to 24, offering a 300-yen discount.

Nagahama: With successive price hikes, the price gap between companies has narrowed, and at the same time, upscale hamburgers have become acceptable. That is probably why the concept has come to attract so much attention.

Yagyu: Birkin fell perfectly into this trend, and although it ended on October 9, they offered a limited-time beef patty-only menu. This was delicious and I hope they do it again. With such unique product development, I am looking forward to seeing more from this chain in the future.

Score the guess burger!

–Let’s come to the conclusion.

Nagahama: I guess “New Extra Cheese – Hokkaido Cheese” from Mos Burger.

Shigemori: I would have to say “Mos Burger”. I’d like to recommend “Mos Burger” not only for the taste, but also for the “entertainment factor” of finishing the burger, wondering what to do with the leftover sauce.

Yagyu: I would have to say “Moscheese Burger”. I think the cheese is the key to maximizing the potential of the sauce.

Shigemori When cheese is added, I have the impression that the sweetness comes out stronger, and I still can’t bend the regular “Mos Burger”.

Nagahama I think both are delicious.

–After scoring your guesses for burgers, “Tobikiri Cheese” and Lotteria’s “Tomato & Lettuce Beef Burger” are on top of the list. I thought you had to choose between the two.

Nagahama: I’m still going with “Tobikiri Cheese”.

Shigemori I would have to go with the “Tomato & Lettuce”.

Yagyu: If I had to choose, I would say “Tomato & Lettuce”, but “Tobikiri Cheese” is also hard to throw away. I can’t choose one or the other.

–By the way, if the “Mos Burger” party and the “Mos Cheeseburger” party formed a coalition, we would be the sole leader. …… Can’t we unite either of them?

Shigemori & Yagyu: We can’t change our mission statement!

The three wise men’s controversial debate traced a parallel line, and the “strongest hamburger” was awarded to the quality-oriented “Shin Tobikiri Cheese – Hokkaido Cheese” (Mos Burger) and the cosmopolitan “Tomato & Lettuce Beef Burger” (Lotteria). Why not enjoy a variety of hamburgers with this discussion as a guide?

From the November 7, 2025 issue of FRIDAY