America Just Picked One of Culver’s Burgers as a Top Favorite
Culver’s has been a Minnesota favorite for more than 40 years, but now the Wisconsin-born chain is getting national recognition once again. This familiar favorite burger lovers in the Land of 10,000 Lakes has landed among the very best fast-food burgers in America, according to a major annual ranking.
Burgers Continue To Be Hugely Popular Here in Minnesota
To say hamburgers are one of our favorite foods here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes and across the country might be a bit of an understatement. A good burger might be our FAVORITE food overall. Because here in the U.S., we eat a LOT of them!
Yahoo News reports that Americans consume over 50 billion hamburgers every year. (Yes, that's a billion, with a 'b'!) If you do the math on that number, it means, on average, Americans will eat 2.4 burgers every day. And we've loved burgers for a fairly long time, too. Yahoo says the first burger was sold back in 1904 at the St. Louis Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
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Culver’s ButterBurger Named One of America’s Best Fast Food Burgers
There are, of course, a lot of places that will sell you a burger these days. But only one regional chain just nabbed a spot on the USA Today 10 Best Fast Food Burgers List. And that's what Culver's just did-- again. I wrote a story back in 2024 about how Culver's was named to the Eat This, Not That! list of America's Favorite Burgers, and now the chain based in Sauk City, Wisconsin, has done it again.
USA Today's 2026 10 Best Fast Food Burgers ranked Culver's at #5 on its list this year, noting:
You may know Culver's for its chicken, pot roast, or fish sandwiches, but it's hard to resist the double ButterBurger Cheese. This burger made Wisconsin a serious contender in the burger wars. It's made with fresh, never-frozen beef seared to order and topped with real American cheese made in Wisconsin.
How Culver’s Became a Midwest Burger Favorite for 40 Years
As we mentioned, Culver's was founded in America's Dairyland and celebrated its 40th anniversary two years ago. The very first Culver's opened back in 1984 and has expanded to 143 stores in its home state. Across the Midwest, you can also find Culver's locations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota.
Here in our neck of the woods in Minnesota, Culver's currently operates restaurants located in 60 different cities, including its latest location in Faribault, which I wrote about when it opened earlier this summer. It's also in the process of opening a new location in Inver Grove Heights, which I previewed earlier this year as well.
Every Minnesota City Where You Can Find a Culver’s Restaurant
- Albertville
- Alexandria
- Anoka
- Apple Valley
- Austin
- Baxter
- Bemidji
- Blaine (2 locations)
- Bloomington
- Brooklyn Center
- Buffalo
- Cambridge
- Champlin
- Chanhassen
- Chaska
- Coon Rapids
- Cottage Grove
- Delano
- Duluth
- Eagan
- Eden Prairie
- Elk River
- Faribault (New location)
- Forest Lake
- Golden Valley
- Grand Rapids
- Hastings
- Hutchinson
- Lakeville
- Lino Lakes
- Little Canada
- Mankato
- Maple Grove
- Marshall
- Minnetonka
- Monticello
- Navarre
- North Mankato
- Northfield
- Owatonna
- Plymouth (2 locations)
- Princeton
- Prior Lake
- Red Wing
- Rochester (2 locations)
- Rogers
- Rosemount
- Savage
- Shakopee
- St. Anthony
- St. Cloud
- St. Paul (2 locations)
- Stillwater
- Two Harbors
- Vadnais Heights
- WaconiaWaite Park
- West St. Paul
- White Bear Lake
- Willmar
- Winona
- Woodbury
While Culver's is a well-known name in Minnesota, ranking near it on the USA Today 10 Best list were names like Shake Shack, Freddy's, and Whataburger. And while some of those chains might be a bit unfamiliar, keep scrolling to check out the most popular and well-known brands in the U.S.
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