Better Burgers are Here to Stay

Whew! Burgers are here to stay, according to a new report by Technomic. The evidence tells of “a growing number of ‘better burger’ concepts,” citing a winning formula of raising the quality of the protein, bun, toppings and sides.

It turns out 74 percent of consumers rank quality/taste of the meat as the most important part of the burger, so skimping on the quality here is not the way to go. Quality ingredients have helped sales jump at chains like Smashburger and Five Guys over the past couple of years.

Better burgers are also a great opportunity to put a signature item on the menu. What to put on a burger? Before getting all crazy, cheese is still the best place to start. Cheeseburgers are the very top type of hamburger, according to the report. I could never understand someone wanting a hamburger but not a cheeseburger.

At my favorite old fashioned 50s-style burger place here in Northeast Ohio, Bearden’s, the secret ingredient on the “Bearden’s Burger” is good old Jif peanut butter!

The peanut butter, “when spread on the warm patty, melts into the burger. Like the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, the two flavors blend together to create a new taste altogether. It’s sweet, nutty and meaty — all at the same time,” enthuses Lake Erie Living writer Colleen Smitek in an article about the venerable burger joint.

How are you making your burgers better?