When it comes to burgers and fries, it's hard to beat Colorado. In fact, according to The Thrillist, we are #8 in the country. Here are the super-sized facts behind what makes us milkshake kings.

Check out the criteria behind the numbers and how they determined we rocked this ranking.

1) The big chains (Burger King, KFC, etc.) that began there
2) The regional ones (Whataburger, Culver’s) that also originated there
3) The cool, little chains just in that state
4) The variety of choices and presence of enviable franchises
5) The deliciousness and uniqueness of their options in general

What in particular gave Colorado such big kudos in this survey? Here's what The Thrillist said.

The billion-dollar burrito makers at Chipotle started with one restaurant that caught on and became a phenomenon. But CO also can claim Quiznos, Qdoba, Noodles & Company, and Smashburger as homegrown success stories -- as well as local up-and-comer Good Times, known for tasty custard, but sadly not based on a TV show from the '70s.

It's a good thing we have so many fun things to do outside to help us burn off all those ketchup calories.

More From 99.9 KEKB - Grand Junction's Favorite Country