The Little Cheese

Sonic Drive-In, Oklahoma City. Is it for kids, carb counters or snackers looking for a low-price version of white-tablecloth restaurants’ mini-burger fad? Sonic’s limited-time burger proved successful with multiple audiences. The Little Cheese combined two junior beef patties, two slices of smoky Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, bacon and Honey Pepper Sauce.

Bunless Burgers Benedict

Damon’s Grill, Columbus, Ohio. Any chain can toss the bun to appease low-carb dieters looking for a burger fix; Damon’s doesn’t stop there. This creation piles two burger patties stacked on sliced tomatoes and topped with Gorgonzola cheese crumbles, applewood-smoked bacon and hollandaise sauce. Still hungry? A Caesar side salad is served with it.

DQ Flame Thrower

Dairy Queen/DQ Grill & Chill, Minneapolis. Everything else on chain menus has gotten the spice treatment, so why not a burger? The FlameThrower brings together two beef patties, lettuce, tomato, spicy jalapeño-flavored bacon, pepper Jack cheese and chipotle mayonnaise spiked with cayenne pepper sauce, creating a memorable and distinctive sandwich.

Fatz Onyum Burger

Fatz Cafe, Taylors, S.C. For those who can’t decide whether to have french fries or onion rings, Fatz Cafe has the answer. The Onyum Burger tops an 8-ounce ground-chuck patty with spicy sauce, lettuce, tomato and a stack of its signature Onyums. A pile of fries and a pickle keep the burger company on the plate. The sandwich is one of the chain’s top sellers.