The Coming Burger Bubble?

A report in Forbes magazine explores the possibility that we may have too many burger joints for the category to be sustainable (in the financial, not the ecological, sense). The piece, by Kay Hymowitz, notes that while the established QSRs of the burger world have held their own in this down economy, it is the upscale joints that are sizzling past the well-done stage.

She cites chains like Smashburger, Shake Shack, and old standbys In ‘n Out Burger and the ubiquitous Five Guys as examples of perhaps too much of a good thing.

Her theory: the foodie trendinistas who are feeding the craze will soon move on, as they always do.

On the bright side, this bubble should be something we can handle. The tech bubble brought down the 90s boom, the real estate bubble brought down the post-9/11 recovery economy, but this one will only burn a few fancy-pants carnivores who'll have to go back to eating Whoppers and Big Macs.