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Case file · South Wilmington · burger joint

Burger review · ranked 51 of 59 in the Greater Wilmington field office

Merritt's Burger House

2338 Carolina Beach Rd, Wilmington, NC

Details verified in the field · Sep 2026

Cash-only carhop drive-in unchanged since 1958, beloved for cheap double cheeseburgers 'all the way' with chili and slaw.

The Burger

Appearance
6/10
Bun
7/10
Meat
6/10
Cheese
6/10
Toppings
6/10
Sauce
7/10
Value
9/10

The Spot

Service
9/10
Atmosphere
9/10
The Experience
7/10

Inspection Log

Inspection reports are the personal opinions of the individual inspector who filed them — not statements of fact, and nothing to do with any health department.

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    Agent 1020 · Cheeseburger w mayo · ordered Smashed (no choice)

    2026-09-08 · 70.4 / 100

    Cheeseburger w mayo evidence photo
    Bun 7Meat 6Value 9Cheese 6Sauce 7Service 9Toppings 6Appearance 6Atmosphere 9Experience 7

    “This old spot operates like a cash-only Sonic where you pull into a spot and someone comes out to get your order and you stay in your car the whole time until they bring it back out. The burger took a while despite there not being many cars parked but the staff was friendly and it was almost worth the wait. The bun felt hard and old when I pulled the burger out of the bag but it was actually toasted from being pressed on the griddle after the burger was made and the bun was still soft on the inside. The lettuce was old bag lettuce and the onions and pickles had no flavor but the tomato slice was juicy and a standout topping. The cheese didn’t bind to the patty and it could have used more sauce. I was annoyed until I remembered I only paid $4 for it.”

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