a double for 50 cents or a combination with wine for $35 (!)?

Make your pick for National Cheeseburger Day:

▪ 50 cents for a double-double,

▪ Or $35 for a cheeseburger, fries and red wine.

These are the extremes on September 18, when Americans flock to the noble cheeseburger, preferably cheap or even free with the help of a smartphone app.

There is no doubt who is making the best offer.

The 40 million Americans who place their orders through McDonald's rewards app can order a Double Meat-Double Cheeseburger for 50 cents.

This is the standard burger with pickle and onion. For about $1.50 you can top one with lettuce and tomato. Or for about $4.50 you can top it with four meats and cheese or add bacon.

Secret: If you order fries without salt via the app, they will be fresh.

More drive-through offers

If you regularly buy burgers at the drive-thru, then admit it: Jack in the Box offers you the best deal overall.

Every $1 app reward order comes with a free large Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger with all the trimmings. This order can include fries or the seasonal junk food treat, Monster Tacos.

Burger King, Carl's Jr., Dairy Queen and Wendy's all have an offer. Check your rewards app of choice.

Taco Casa doesn't offer a special, but the taco meat cheeseburgers are a throwback to the days of Taco Bell's taco burgers.

Whataburger is offering its customers the chance to win free cheeseburgers for a year – more specifically, one of 100 gift books with 52 coupons for free burgers.

You must use the website or app and purchase a Large Cheese Whataburger, Sweet and Spicy Bacon Cheeseburger, or Patty Melt Wednesday. No discount.

Yes, this really is a $35 burger menu

At the higher end of the scale, Capital Grille locations offer a combo plate for $35.

It includes their premium burgers with mushrooms and Swiss cheese or with blue cheese and black truffles, served with fries and a glass of Cabernet, Merlot or Pinot Noir.

The burger and fries alone are usually $23 for lunch. That used to seem expensive, but these days many lunches are sold for $23.

Capital Grille, a premium steakhouse owned by Florida-based Olive Garden, has locations at 800 Main St. in Fort Worth and 1201 Texas 114 East in Southlake.

Cheeseburger without a guilty conscience

Hopdoddy also offers the chance to win free cheeseburgers for a year.

But that's not the biggest news.

Hopdoddy is now the best-known large chain with a completely vegan offering.

The vegan El Bandito Veggie Burger comes with a black bean and corn patty, vegan Gouda, vegan mayo and toppings of your choice. Or order any burger with the veggie patty.

Hopdoddy has locations at 2300 W. Seventh St. or 3101 Heritage Trace Parkway in Fort Worth and at 1200 Chisholm Trail in Euless.

Other local favorites like Fuego Burger, Tommy's Hamburgers and Old Neighborhood Grill offer good garden or vegan burgers. Or try the burgers at vegan-Mexican Belenty's Love near TCU.

Then rest for October 26th.

This is Texas Chicken Fried Steak Day.