I ordered the same meal at Freddy's and Culver's. Both offered value, but only one Midwest favorite dominated every category.

I started at Freddy's, which had a unique vintage vibe.

Walking into Freddy's felt like stepping into a 1950s diner. The bright, retro theme, checkered floor, and bright-red and chrome accents made it feel instantly fun and inviting.

I expected 6 p.m. to be prime time, but the restaurant wasn't too busy — only three or four tables in use. The drive-thru had a few more takers.

Culver's didn't feel as alluring.

I made it to Culver's at 6:30 p.m. Unlike Freddy's, the inside felt more like a cafeteria in a healthcare setting.

It had bright fluorescent lights, gray printed carpet, and dull grayish walls, with orange-toned wood as the only vibrant accent throughout the space. The few paintings hanging around the restaurant seemed generic and plain.

Only one other table was occupied, and even the drive-thru looked like a ghost town. To be fair, the staffer I spoke to described it as "exceptionally slow" for a Saturday.

Freddy's had an expansive menu and fast service.

In addition to its signature steakburgers and custard, the chain offered chicken tenders, hot dogs, and an impressive lineup of deep-fried sides.

It also had special-priced meals for those 55 and older, a fairly recent addition intended to attract Gen X and baby boomer customers. Based on the clientele I observed, the initiative seemed to be working.

My order came out in two minutes flat.

Culver's menu seemed to have even more variety.

Culver's is famous for its ButterBurgers and Concrete Mixers — both registered trademarks of the brand.

The menu also features salads, sandwiches, and niche selections like a North Atlantic cod dinner (it didn't sound appealing to me, but I appreciated the variety).

The meal I ordered arrived at my table in just a few minutes.

The burger from Freddy's disappointed me in almost every way.

My Freddy's Original Double Combo burger arrived looking tossed together as an afterthought: messy, disproportionate, and downright unappetizing. It looked much different from the menu photo.

The two beef patties were relatively thin, but not thin enough to be crispy. It made me wonder if they were supposed to be thinner, because as served, they fell into a strange middle ground. Some areas were much thicker than others, which made it even more odd.

Though topped with mustard, onions, and two slices of American cheese, I didn't taste the cheese. The meat overpowered all of the toppings and the bun.

I was excited to experience the Freddy's Famous Steakburger and Fry Seasoning on the patties, but unfortunately, the whole thing tasted like regular 'ol McDonald's to me.

To its credit, the burger was massive and brimming with meat, so it was pretty solid from a value standpoint. However, it struck me as two sagging beef patties with a side of bun and not nearly enough cheese.

I discovered the quintessential all-American burger at Culver's.

After my disappointment at Freddy's, receiving a nice, neat burger at Culver's pleasantly surprised me.

The ButterBurger Cheese consisted of two thin, greasy-in-a-good-way patties layered with mustard, onions, and two thick slices of American cheese.

I appreciated the amount of cheese, which felt generous. The thin yet juicy patties had beautifully crisp edges. The bun, perfectly toasted, seemed commensurate with the toppings.

My only grumble: I didn't taste the butter in the ButterBurger.

Freddy's shoestring fries were a great value, but not super memorable.

The "regular" order of shoestring fries wasn't memorable, per se, but the basket was hot and overflowing. It felt like a great deal.

In true shoestring fashion, the fries were thin and crunchy. Like the burger, they were supposedly seasoned with Freddy's Famous Steakburger and Fry Seasoning, but I only tasted salt.

I appreciated that I could get fun sauces for no extra charge, but I still prefer ketchup.

I looked forward to trying Freddy's signature sauces: Famous Fry Sauce, Smoky Fry Sauce, and Jalepeño Fry Sauce. They didn't cost me extra, and each had a mayo-like base.

The Famous tasted like a mishmash of condiments like ketchup and mayo with a touch of sweetness. The Smoky had more direction, reminding me of a charcoal-grilled barbecue brisket. People who enjoy a jalepeño mayonnaise would probably enjoy the third sauce, but I wasn't a fan.

In my opinion, none beat plain ketchup.

My order of medium fries at Culver's seemed incredibly small.

The medium portion of crinkle-cut fries seemed meager. It made me wonder what the small size would look like.

Although they weren't as copious as Freddy's fries, they felt more substantial. Thick-cut, firm on the outside and soft, not soggy, on the inside, they were equally delicious and satisfying.

Culver's didn't serve the fries with anything other than ketchup, my first choice anyway. But had I wanted something special, Culver's offered sauces like Culver's Signature, Wisconsin cheddar cheese, jalepeño, and more for an extra $0.35 to $0.79 each.

Freddy's custard concrete was the highlight of the meal.

Since I ordered a combo, my meal included a drink — either a medium soft drink or a custard, though the latter cost an extra $3.

I paid extra to see what the Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers namesake was all about, ordering a medium (or "regular") chocolate concrete complete with hot fudge and brownie bits.

Turns out, the $3 upcharge included only one topping. Each additional mix-in was $0.99, so the custard added $3.99 to my order.

The custard struck me as an extra-thick chocolate shake, which made sense, given that "concrete" meant frozen and blended with toppings.

I really enjoyed the smooth, rich, creamy texture. However, I didn't notice any actual brownie pieces, just flecks.

Culver's Concrete Mixer was even bigger, and it had legitimate brownie bits.

At Culver's, I customized the same chocolate concrete as part of my combo meal. It cost a flat $3.30 and included two toppings.

The medium cup was 16 ounces versus the 12-ounce version at Freddy's — a little bigger and less expensive for two add-ins. The two custards looked similar at first, but the difference became apparent when my spoon hit.

Culver's Concrete Mixer was even smoother and thicker than the one at Freddy's, and it contained the brownie pieces promised in the description. Real chunks.

I'd go to Culver's just for this decadent treat.

Overall, my meals came to about the same price.

Before tax, my Freddy's and Culver's meals came to $14.78 and $14.89, respectively. Had I stuck to a soft drink instead of custard, they would have been $10.79 and $11.59.

Both felt like an outstanding value for the amount of food I got.

I wouldn't go back to Freddy's, but I get why people like it.

With its vintage vibe, special sauces, and affordable prices, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers certainly had an appeal. The portions were notable in their own right, and the dine-in experience was arguably better than Culver's.

The only issue? I didn't like anything enough to order it again. Even the custard, which I originally enjoyed, was better at Culver's.

Taste-wise, Culver's dominated every category for me.

The Culver's restaurant experience wasn't as authentic as Freddy's, but the food made up for it.

The burger was juicier and the fries, although fewer of them, felt heartier. I liked the larger custard, and that it included two mix-ins. Brownie bits sealed the deal.

Both chains had merits, but in my opinion, only Culver's lived up to its Midwest hype.