In-N-Out Burger vs Wendy's:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Wendy's had more branded searches than In-N-Out Burger among burger chains in the United States. Wendy's had about 9.1 million branded searches, while In-N-Out Burger had 1.2 million. Wendy's made up 13.7% of all burger chain searches we track, and In-N-Out Burger accounted for 1.8%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about burger chains, In-N-Out Burger appeared in all four answers and Wendy's in two. In-N-Out Burger was mentioned before Wendy's in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Wendy's, about 7 searches for every 1 for In-N-Out Burger
Who does AI mention more?
In-N-Out Burger, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
In-N-Out Burger, named ahead of Wendy's in every answer
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Top burger chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, In-N-Out Burger appeared in all four answers. Wendy's was mentioned in two out of four: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in the Google AI Overview. In-N-Out Burger was listed before Wendy's in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- In-N-Out Burger1st
Five Guys2nd- Culver's3rd
Shake Shack4th
Whataburger5th- Wendy's6th
The Habit Burger Grill7th
McDonald's8th
Burger King9th
Smashburger10th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- In-N-Out Burger4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Culver's3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Five Guys3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Shake Shack3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- The Habit Burger Grill3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- McDonald's2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Burger King2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Wendy's2 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Whataburger2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Smashburger1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about burger chains
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which burger chain has the best burgers in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best fast food burger chains in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Where can I get the best fast food burger and fries in the US?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“fast food burgers”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“burger places”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 22, 2026.
Is In-N-Out Burger or Wendy's more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for In-N-Out Burger and Wendy's by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten burger chains we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Wendy's, In-N-Out Burger. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | McDonald's | Burger King | Wendy's | Culver's | Five Guys | Whataburger | Shake Shack | In-N-Out Burger | Smashburger | The Habit Burger Grill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 51.7% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 7% | 4.7% | 5.7% | 2.5% | 1.7% | 0.94% | 0.34% |
| Nov 2025 | 47.2% | 14.2% | 14.2% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 6.3% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1% | 0.38% |
| Dec 2025 | 50% | 14.9% | 12.3% | 6.7% | 4.5% | 5.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 0.9% | 0.33% |
| Jan 2026 | 49.7% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 6.7% | 5.5% | 6.7% | 3% | 2.5% | 1.1% | 0.4% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.6% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 6.8% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 3% | 2% | 1.1% | 0.41% |
| Mar 2026 | 44.5% | 16.3% | 13.4% | 7.3% | 6% | 6% | 2.7% | 2.2% | 1.2% | 0.44% |
| Apr 2026 | 46.9% | 14.1% | 14.1% | 7.7% | 5.2% | 6.3% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1% | 0.38% |
| May 2026 | 45.9% | 13.8% | 13.8% | 9.2% | 5.1% | 6.2% | 2.8% | 1.8% | 1% | 0.45% |
| Jun 2026 | 47% | 14.1% | 14.1% | 7.7% | 5.2% | 6.3% | 2.3% | 1.9% | 0.85% | 0.47% |
| Jul 2026 | 51.2% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 8.4% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 0.76% | 0.41% |
| Aug 2026 | 50.8% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 8.4% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 2% | 0.75% | 0.41% |
| Sep 2026 | 45.6% | 16.7% | 13.7% | 7.5% | 6.1% | 5% | 2.3% | 1.8% | 0.83% | 0.37% |
How has the In-N-Out Burger and Wendy's comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Wendy's was ahead of In-N-Out Burger in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, In-N-Out Burger’s share of searches among burger chains in the United States moved from 1.7% to 1.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.2M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wendy's’ share of searches among burger chains in the United States moved from 12.7% to 13.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 9.1M.
How did search popularity change for United States burger chains in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, Wendy's gained share of searches among burger chains in the United States, from 12.5% to 13.7%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using In-N-Out Burger’s and Wendy's’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
In-N-Out Burger
2 branded search terms
- in n out
- in-n-out
Wendy's
1 branded search term
- wendy's
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