Originally Posted by
MaxBuck
I've not had the chance to sample Shake Shack (line has been too long every time I've been in NYC), but neither In-n-Out nor Whataburger has really appealed to me, and Five Guys I refer to as Greaseburger. What a heart-attack-on-a-bun those people turn out. In-n-Out has to rank as one of the truly spectacular disappointments of my culinary life, given all the hype I heard before I actually experienced their product.
My personal favorite fast hamburgers are served up by Wendy's and Steak 'n Shake, but they're nowhere near as good as the burgers I can get at any number of local bars and pubs in and around Columbus.
As for fries, I've yet to find a burger place that does what I call a great job with them. My favorites by far are the ones City Barbecue turns out, with skin on and a nice brown color from being cooked in superhot grease. Yum. (I have to admit Five Guys fries are not bad.)
I spent some time living in German Village and working in downtown Columbus in the 1990s. Thurman's, the Old Mohawk and even the original Max and Erma's couldn't be beat for a killer burger.
The original Wendy's on Broad St. would crank out some fantastic burgers on a level In-n-Out could only hope for. I suspect some things have changed since then
