A burger joint you've probably never heard of was named best in America

Habit Burger is on fire.

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The regional burger chain beat out In-N-Out, Shake Shack, Five Guys, and McDonalds to take the title of best burger in America, according to a survey by Consumer Reports released earlier this year.

Now, The West Coast based chain is expanding from fewer than 100 restaurants to more than 2,000 nationwide.

I visited one of Habit Burger's restaurants in Alameda, California, to see if the "Charburger" meets the hype.

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I stopped by Habit Burger's Alameda, California, location to see how the sausage — er, burger — is made and why it's America's favorite.

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The restaurant had a sleek, earthy feel with lots of stainless steel and potted succulents. The design takes inspiration from fine dining and beachy Santa Barbara, California, the chain's place of origin.

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Tony Serritella, Habit Burger's COO, and Pete Whitwell, chief quality officer, greeted me at the door. They've been with the brand 18 and 11 years, respectively.

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Tony Serritella and Pete Whitwell. Melia Robinson/Tech Insider

I asked how the brand has changed over the years. Their answer: It hasn't much.

habit burger original location, goleta, santa barbara, california
Habit Burger opened in Goleta, California, outside Santa Barbara in 1969. Habit Burger
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"The number one thing we do is burgers," Serritella said. "And the way that we do them — with the care, quality, and preparation — hasn't changed."

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I stepped into the kitchen to see how the signature Double Charburger comes together.

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Immediately, the texture, color, and freshness of the ingredients blew me away.

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The Habit Burger uses fresh, never frozen, 100% ground beef in its patties.

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A kitchen manager tossed two patties over an open flame grill, which is hard to come by in the fast-food industry.

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Source: Inquisitr

Cooking to order takes time, forcing some chains (including McDonalds at one time) to nuke their patties in the microwave before grilling. Not at Habit Burger.

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Source: Inquisitr

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Even the buns are toasted on a griddle, rather than steamed.

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Down the counter, I watched a kitchen manager cut into a glistening albacore tuna steak. I would have to try that later.

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Meanwhile, my Double Charburger started to take shape. Mayonnaise was placed under shredded lettuce and tomato.

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Slices of cheese folded at the corners as they melted on top of the patties. Serritella called this the "dog-ear approach," and said not many chains melt cheese before assembly.

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Meanwhile, another cook scrambled the caramelized onions sizzling on the griddle. Their aroma made my mouth water.

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The ingredients were stacked and tucked into a paper envelope, meant to keep the burger's form as you eat it.

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I bit in and the meat burst with juiciness. The ripe tomato and caramelized onions added tons of flavor, and the melted cheese sealed each bite in my mouth.

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While the Charburger is the item that earned Habit Burger the best-tasting title, the chain has added several other hot sandwiches to the menu over the years.

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The Tri-Tip Steak uses hand-cut strips of tri-tip steak marinated in a house blend.

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Sandwiched between thick slices of toasted sourdough and complimented with caramelized onions, mayo, and your choice of BBQ or teriyaki sauce, it looks like a carnivore's dream.

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The Veggie Burger is a little boring. It's topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, drizzled with honey Dijon dressing, and served on a toasted wheat bun.

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But unlike some places — cough cough, Chipotle — Habit Burger doesn't skimp on avocado. You do have to pay for it though.

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The Chicken Club contains juicy chicken breasts that have been marinated for 24 hours. The sandwich gets an extra crunch with crispy strips of bacon.

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Habit Burger added salads to the menu to appeal to health-conscious diners, but the Santa Barbara Cobb has more calories than a Double Charburger.

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If you're counting calories, you might be better off with the the crispy lettuce wrap version of the Charburger.

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Still, I had my eye on the Albacore Tuna Filet sandwich, which I had seen a cook prep earlier. It's seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic salt.

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It's seared just long enough to get those perfect grill marks.

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Tuna doesn't ordinarily pack the biggest flavor punch, but it gets an assist here from a teriyaki glaze and a house-made tartar sauce, which contains nine different ingredients.

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I've had some tuna burgers that taste more like a Frisbee than fish. But the Albacore Tuna Filet was moist and the slightest bit pink on the inside, just the way I like it.

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"Fast-food cooking is not what we do," Serritella said. "What we ask people to do back here is too meticulous."

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Customers will have to cough up a little extra for this kind of value, however.

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The No. 1 special includes an Original Charburger, fries, and regular drink for $6.90 — a dollar-plus more than a comparable meal at In-N-Out or McDonalds.

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The fries, by the way, are worth it. They're cut thick and dropped in the fryer to order.

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Serritella said there's one simple rule: The fries should be "so hot they almost burn your mouth." He doesn't believe in using heat lamps.

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If you're feeling adventurous, the Tempura Green Beans make for a surprisingly decadent substitute for traditional fries.

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The green beans are fresh enough to crunch when you bite into them, and they're not drowning in batter.

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While it's true you can't really go wrong with any item on the Habit Burger menu, one thing became crystal clear after my visit: It's all about the burger.

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My favorite indulgence was a new seasonal menu item, the Tempura Jalapeño Charburger. It cost $4.95.

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The single patty was thin, but I didn't mind given the mountain of tempura jalapeño peppers, chopped lettuce, tomato, pickles, and melted American cheese. A house-made spicy ranch mustard turned the heat up to 11.

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"This is a culture of foodies. It's not exotic, fancy, trendy food. We don't take ourselves too seriously," Whitwell said, adding, "We take what we do very seriously."

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This year, Habit Burger will continue to creep in on East Coast territory. Locations are popping up in Florida, New Jersey, and Idaho.

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McDonalds better watch its back.

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