These 4 Popular Illinois Fast Food Cheeseburgers Do Not Use Real Cheese

When you order a cheeseburger, you'd expect to be eating cheese. But some fast food places in Illinois don't use real cheese. So what are you putting in your body, and should these restaurants have to change how they promote their "cheese" burgers?

If You Want Real Cheese Avoid These 6 Illinois Fast Food Restaurants

It's not like these are places you haven't heard of.  These are massive chains across the country and in some cases the world.

McDonald's

McDonald's has been called one of the "healthiest fast food chains" but they are not putting real cheese on their burgers.

According to Delish, "The company's website states that it's processed pasteurized American cheese, which is made from milk, cream, water, sodium citrate, salt, cheese cultures, citric acid, enzymes, soy lecithin, and added color."

It sounds like cheese...but it isn't.

Burger King

They are called "Burger King"...not "Cheese King".  However, they do use real cheese when it comes to their Swiss and mozzarella.

Sonic

You can get it fast, but like the others, it's not real cheese.

Dairy Queen

Enjoy some ice cream that's technically not real ice cream, and cheese that's technically not real cheese.

Bojangles' Mac & Cheese

Cheese bonus for you...while Bojangles' doesn't serve cheeseburgers they do serve mac & cheese.  But it's actually mac and not real cheese.

How Are These Restaurants Not Using Real Cheese?

They use American cheese...but according to the FDA that isn't real cheese.  American cheese is actually a "pasteurized process cheese" and only needs to have a minimum of 51% real cheese.  This allows for more (and cheaper) filler products.  So half of what you are eating is real cheese.

Or maybe more since McDonald's UK site says their cheese slices are made from 60% real cheddar and other cheese.

There are a lot of different rules when it comes to the FDA and what is real and fake cheese.  Just know the next time you order an American Cheese Cheeseburger it's more like a "Kind of cheese but also random filler that you won't know the difference in taste but your insides will, burger".  Bon Appetite!