I ranked the signature burgers from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King. My favorite surprised me.

As a food reporter, I've tried and tested many burgers over the years. But for my latest taste test, I decided to go back to basics.

I tried the McDonald's Big Mac, the Wendy's Dave's Single, and the Burger King Whopper to determine which is best in terms of taste and value.

Even though they're menu mainstays, not all the burgers have remained unchanged: Burger King recently updated its signature Whopper, and it's already helping boost the brand.

In August, the chain reported that US same-store sales jumped 8.5% in the second quarter, a surge that company president Tom Curtis attributed to the updated burger and new family-focused promotions, such as Burger King's Mandalorian meal collab, showing the power a signature burger can have.

My least favorite of the signature burgers I tried was McDonald's Big Mac.

Arguably the most iconic fast-food burger, the Big Mac is a staple on McDonald's menu. Created by owner-operator Jim Delligatti of Pittsburgh in 1967, the first "Big Mac" featured a triple-decker burger and sold for 45 cents, according to McDonald's.

Today, an estimated 900 million Big Macs are sold each year around the world.

A Big Mac comes with two 1.6-ounce beef patties, pickles, shredded lettuce, chopped onions, a slice of American cheese, and layers of Big Mac sauce on a sesame-seed bun.

The Big Mac cost me $8.39, excluding tax, at my local McDonald's in Brooklyn, New York.

Right away, I wasn't obsessed with the flavors or texture of this burger.

The burger I received was mostly lettuce, which covered up the flavors of the cheese, meat, and sauce. I wanted more of a tangy flavor from ketchup, mustard, or simply more Big Mac sauce.

I thought it could have used an extra layer of sauce or cheese on top of the burger.