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Every so often, like clockwork, a Whataburger vs. In-N-Out debate will rage violently online. I never really know what these people are debating exactly, but the discussions are always stoked by a wide range of indignant claims. The chaotic mudslinging usually features such eloquent arguments as “Whataburger > In-N-Out” and “Whataburger is straight up doggy doo-doo. Go In-N-Out.” Occasionally, though, somebody will pierce through the unfounded claims and get to the heart of the question—what exactly are we debating here? The two chains as a whole? Or just the burger?

Having lived in Austin for 5 years, I love Whataburger’s menu. Once I moved past the burger itself, I grew to enjoy the sticky honey butter chicken biscuit, the filling breakfast taquitos, their severely underrated patty melt, and the seasonal Dr. Pepper shake. Shoot, for a while, in order to soothe my Western Pennsylvania heart, I even put their French fries on top of a side salad. The fact is that there’s such a wide catalog of fun foods to enjoy at Whataburger that it’s easy to forget about their burger entirely.

Compare that to In-N-Out, which is all natural, baby. This place is simply burgers & fries. No limited time offers, no kooky food mash-ups. And hell, it’s great for any chain to simply focus on one or two items. More people should do it, though it wouldn’t hurt In-N-out to put a little more attention into the French fries. One could argue that because this chain only focuses on burgers, theirs is more iconic. It’s the only reason to go to In-N-Out, whereas Whataburger gives you a good 3-6 at any given time.

But is that iconic In-N-Out burger actually better than Whataburger? Or are people sleeping on the big orange church in the heart of Texas? I put both to the test to find out:

For this taste test, I ordered a double meat Whataburger with everything and a double double animal-style. I feel like both orders represent each establishment well. In-N-Out’s classic, California-style smashburger vs. the burly, meaty double Whataburger. As a refresher:

The double double animal-style features two fresh beef patties cooked with mustard, two slices of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, diced grilled onions, and a thousand island-ish spread on a toasted bun.

The double meat Whataburger with everything features two 5 inch fresh beef patties, tomato, lettuce, diced onion, pickles, and mustard on a toasted bun. Adding cheese costs 60 cents.

A note about the burgers: While I enjoy criticism, occasionally a commenter will get under my skin over at The Takeout. That happened a while ago when somebody disputed my claim that In-N-Out’s burgers are indeed smashburgers. Make no mistake, these burgers are flattened. Sure, there are certainly more smashed smash burgers out there—with those perfect, crispy laced edges—but after trying In-N-Out’s double double again, I’m inclined to say that anybody who thinks this isn’t a smashburger is completely full of shit.

The caramelization on this particular burger was awesome. It carried those crispy, crunchy, deeply savory brown flavors you get from a pressed burger patty. Each patty also weighs 2 ounces. Whataburger’s patties, meanwhile, are not smashed. Theirs is a hefty burger, and I’ve seen varying data suggesting that each burger patty weighs between 3 and 4 ounces. A double meat Whataburger with cheese runs close to 900 calories. In-N-Out’s double double comes in at about 610 calories. There’s a significant size difference, but more food doesn’t simply equal a better product.

In-N-Out’s double double is so cohesive, so in sync that it’s practically glued together. It’s the perfect alchemy of ingredients. Each bite is equally tangy, meaty, savory, cheesy, and rich. And though it appears formidable as it bursts through the wrapper, there’s very little spillage. Oh, and that old-school, sheathed wrapper presentation also just makes the burger look all the more appetizing. Hiding the appearance of an In-N-Out burger would be a crime.

The tomato and grilled onions at In-N-Out were standard and delicious, but the lettuce was especially crisp. You can really tell In-N-Out takes care with their vegetables. And the buns, made by Puritan Bakery, are lovely, soft and squishy. In contrast, Whataburger’s bun feels a little too wheat-y and dry. Also, the flavor of Whataburger’s chunky lettuce paled in comparison to In-N-Out. Tomatoes aren’t always in season, but fresh Iceberg lettuce goes a long a way.

However, Whataburger’s double meat whataburger wallops you with savory beef, and I think is even a little more cheesy than In-N-Out, too. The sheer richness of the beef and cheese is really stark, and I can see it wooing customers, but there’s not really a big flavor here. It’s a basic burger, and a good one, but In-N-Out’s preparation and quality ingredients just unlocks a more interesting and versatile flavor.

The biggest problem with Whataburger’s burger, though, is that it’s a floppy mess. It comes in a standard, unattractive yellow wrapper housed by a brown bag. The burger itself is just far too loose. The top bun protrudes and topples while the chunks of onion and lettuce spill about. That onion and lettuce are diced a little too large, by the way. These are practically stew size. If you’re going to use diced onions, I think small diced ones like In-N-Out are best. Also, In-N-Out’s burger is just more properly layered. As you can see in the photo above, the tomato, onion, and lettuce at Whataburger all sit on top of the burger patties, and practically slide off. In-N-Out, by comparison, methodically overlays their ingredients, with the lettuce, tomato, and pickles on the bottom. Grilled onions are marbled throughout. It’s all one delicious thing.

Stylistically, yes these are two very different burgers. The people that want a hefty, filling, big boy burger will ultimately prefer Whataburger. But In-N-Out has the flavor and ratios of a good burger down to a science. Each bite is engineered to taste good. It’s just a perfect, reasonable burger size. 2 ounce patties ensure that each ingredient melds into the next. Nobody steals the show. Because of that, you get to appreciate everything about it—the spongey, Puritan bun, the crisp lettuce, grilled onions, gooey cheese, thousand island, and the flattened (aw hell, smashed) fresh beef patties.

There are many, many different styles of burgers and a billion different preferences, but it’s hard to argue with the virtues of a perfectly designed California-style burger. For that reason, In-N-Out will always win out.

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