Hamburgers: Not just for drive-thrus anymore

The burger is a staple in American cuisine. Something about a well-grilled patty of ground beef, piled high with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes and some preferred condiments between a pair of toasted buns is, well, almost patriotic.

 

An American tradition, the hamburger rose from obscurity in 1921 with the opening of the first White Castle.

 

By the 1930s, fast-food restaurants, which dotted every major city by this time, sold millions of hamburgers

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a day. Today, 15 billion burgers are sold a year — but not all of these are the same boring bun-and-burger. The American icon is evolving.

 

In Boca Raton, Fla., The Old Homestead Steakhouse added a hamburger to its menu in June and priced it at $100. The restaurant's 20-ounce beef centerpiece, promoted as a blend of beef from America, Japan and Argentina, made national news.

 

But the price of Old Homestead's burger seems downright cheap next to the FleurBerger 5000. Las Vegas' The Fleur de Lys' masterpiece is a mound of ground Kobe containing foie gras for $5,000. The burger, truly fit for The King, is served with a bottle of Chateau Petrus 1990 poured in Ichendorf Brunello stemware imported from Italy.

 

Those pricy creations are extreme examples, but the fact remains: Consumers love hamburgers.

 

"The trend is better burgers," said Darren Tristano, vice president for Technomic. "People want burgers made fresh and prepared for you."

 

Despite the trend, fast-casual burger chains haven't really taken off. That may be because consumers relate burgers and drive-thru with QSR, and there is not a clear definition of what is a fast-casual hamburger store. Tristano said the hamburger segment is filled with hybrids like Culver's and Back Yard Burgers, which serve made-to-order food but have QSR components like drive-thru. But, consumers probably recognize that Back Yard Burgers' Black Angus Beef burger is of a different ilk than McDonald's Quarter Pounder, he said.

 

"We like our position — great-tasting food equal to or better than casual diners, at a better price point, and served fast and friendly," said Lattie Michael, chairman and chief executive officer of Back Yard Burgers. "We feel like we are in a prime position to weather any economic changes and to adapt to serving food relative to what our guest wants."

 

For Taxi Hamburgers International, a five-store fast-casual chain based in San Francisco, premium burgers and variety are the heart of attracting customers. Taxi's high-end burgers, ranging from $4.29 to $6.99, include the Avocado Jack Burger, Santa Cruz Special (Daikon sprouts, avocado, tomatoes, Pepper Jack cheese and chipotle lime dressing), Blue Cheese Burger and Pastrami Burger. Customers are given the choice of breads: sesame seed, whole wheat, sourdough roll, sliced sourdough, white or nine-grain wheat.

 

They can even add avocado for $1.39 or other toppings like provolone cheese for 89 cents. With cashiers upselling and good in-store marketing for shakes and sundaes, the hamburger chain's average check is $13.

Taxi's founder Jeff Neustadt said the burger is the core draw, but "you have to have a healthy menu to attract more casual burger people." Taxi's more healthful menu includes the tuna melt (white albacore tuna with American cheese on sourdough), grilled chicken breast and six fresh-tossed salads.

 

Back Yard serves the No Carb Burger (meat, lettuce and tomato but no bun) and also was one of the first chains to offer salad as a side option over french fries.

 

In addition, the company prominently displays nutritional data near the registers. One may argue, however, that if a customer knows Back Yard's bacon cheddar burger contains 65 grams of fat, they will not purchase it. But Back Yard officials believe maximum disclosure is best.

 

"We encourage our franchisees and company managers to post the nutritional information in the restaurant, and we continually update the information as the menu evolves," Michael said. "We believe the consumer wants to know and has the right to know the nutritional data, and we try to accommodate our guest."

 

Some burger-savvy consumers associate healthful with less taste. That's why Fuddruckers offers healthful items that are similar to its staple. Fuddruckers sells an ostrich burger that is 97-percent fat free and a bun-less chicken sandwich. Vice president of marketing Jill Beerman said Fuddruckers is working hard to provide its guests a lighter menu.

 

She said the chain is testing a display platter of more healthful items like salmon and fresh-tossed salads at the ordering counter. "There's been almost a 10-percent increase at stores with these menu items," Beerman said. "We're hoping to add them on the menu board soon."

 

 

While the burger is the reason consumers patronize Fuddruckers, the restaurant's décor is an emotional tie to the restaurant. At some Fuddruckers, pictures of Elvis adorn the walls and 1950s-style chandeliers hang from the ceiling. At other stores, thick chains hold a Harley-Davidson motorcycle above the condiment dispensers. Varying from store to store, each Fuddruckers has a retro look, which is part of the company's strategic branding, said Beerman.

 

"Fuddruckers is a very emotional brand for some people," Beerman said, adding that the store takes people back to their youth.

 

Farmer Boys, a 52-store fast-casual chain, has a similar approach. Black and white pictures and farm equipment models hang on the light-beige walls. Countertops bear plants to give the restaurant a warm organic feel; some stores sport oak counter tops.

 

"The original idea was to evoke some nostalgia, like grandma's dining room," said Don Tucker, director of franchise development for Farmer Boys. Operators will customize stores to give it the community feel. "We get with the local historical society and get pictures from 50 years ago."

 

At the 5,200-square-foot Fuddruckers, modern video games are placed in sight of the menu boards. While these "teenager" attractions are viable in some markets, other markets just cannot justify them. With energy costs at all-time highs, "we have had to get a little bit smarter and be more efficient. We have replaced games with smaller prototypes," Beerman said. "We narrowed our bakery as much as we could and it's much more important to us to display breads and cookies."

 

 

Neustadt believes a key-ingredient to the fast-casual burger restaurant is service. Although no Taxi employee has the title of waiter, Neustadt said runners often receive tips.

 

"We will go to the table after delivering the food and refill drinks," he said. "If we can get them to stay in our store just a little bit longer, we believe the chances are better that they will buy a dessert."

At Back Yard burgers, the manager on duty works the dining room.

 

"Southern Hospitality is part of our culture and we encourage our team members to greet our guest when they make contact with them," Michael said.

 

It's the same at Fuddruckers. When a customer's seating pager goes off, kitchen employees start yelling the customer's name. The customer is theoretically greeted several times before picking up the food. Beerman said, "It's to make it a memorable dining experience."