Tart pickles, crunchy fried onions, and a rich layer of smoky barbecue sauce define the top barbecue burgers.

Barbecue sauce remains a summer favorite for many, appearing at cookouts and restaurants alike. Fast-food chains also feature barbecue burgers seasonally, though quality varies widely.

I sampled barbecue burgers from Burger King, Shake Shack, and Smashburger to rank them by flavor, ingredients, and overall value.

Here is the ranking of the three fast-food barbecue burgers, listed from least to most preferred.

My least favorite of the three came from Smashburger.

Smashburger offers a barbecue bacon smash burger for 10.86 dollars before tax at its Brooklyn location. This was the lowest-priced option among the three.

The burger arrived topped with crispy onion pieces.

It featured cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon, fried onions, and barbecue sauce. The sauce was visible beneath the onions, yet the overall burger appeared somewhat dry upon handling.

The bacon stood out, but an overcooked patty and onions detracted from the experience.

The crispy onions absorbed moisture from the patty and sauce, resulting in a dry mouthfeel with each bite.

The patty itself was dry and cooked well-done.

While cooking preference is personal, I prefer burgers no more than medium. The cheese also failed to melt fully and add needed moisture. That said, the bacon was excellent: smoky and cooked to perfection.

The barbecue burger from Burger King placed in the middle of the ranking.

I ordered the BBQ bacon Whopper Jr. with added cheese for 5.92 dollars before tax.

It included classic toppings such as lettuce, tomato, and onion.

The sesame seed bun held barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, pickles, and crispy bacon strips.

Condiments, cheese, and a juicy tomato supplied ample moisture without sogginess.

Generous portions of each topping created a well-balanced bite.

I would order this burger again, though it did not impress me fully.

The bacon was crisp but less flavorful than the other two. The fresh onions, lettuce, and tomato paired well with the juicy, chargrilled beef. Still, it resembled a standard Whopper more than a distinct barbecue burger, and the sauce flavor was subtle. At under six dollars, it offered solid value.

My favorite came from Shake Shack.

Shake Shack serves the Smoky Classic barbecue burger. I chose the classic version with fried onions and bacon for 13.29 dollars before tax, the highest price of the group.

The burger was loaded with toppings and a generous coating of tangy barbecue sauce.

The sauce covered the soft bun and appeared throughout. Thick pickle slices, plenty of crispy onions, and bacon stood out.

The cheese melted evenly, and the onions were crisp and flavorful.

Cheese coated the thin, crispy patty completely, while the bun stayed soft yet held the contents together.

This Shake Shack burger impressed me with its restaurant-quality taste.

The patty was cooked to a perfect medium. The onions were crisp without being overly hard or dry, resembling onion rings that evoked summer fairs. Tart pickles added crunch, and the barbecue sauce shone through with smoky and light vinegar notes that balanced the cheese, beef, and bacon. Although the most expensive, it justified the cost.