Ready to Not Know What You're Having For Dinner?

Cook and Eat services are all the rage, but are they really worth it?

Read More

Burgers x4

Shake Shack Burger NYC
Photo: Tim Elwin

Burgers continue to drive consumer engagement across the globe but most notably in The States and Australia.

There's nothing quite as satisfying as a really good burger but a really good burger is few and far between with so many different offerings across the market.

In each of these markets there are 4 levels of burger offerings.

Australia:

  • Major QSR ( Quick Service Restaurants such as McDonald's and Hungry Jacks etc)
  • Gourmet Burger Chains (such as Grill'd, Moo Burgers & Fuel Burgers)
  • Independants Burger Joints or small chains (such as The Burger Project, Chur Burger, Five Points, Huxtaburger or Mary's)
  • The Rest (in your local bar, pub, club or corner milk bar if there are any left!)

The United States:

  • Major QSR ( Quick Service Restaurants such as McDonald's, Burger King and Jack-in-the-box etc)
  • Gourmet Burger Chains (such as Umami Burger, Habit Burger Grill or The Counter)
  • Independants Burger Joints or small chains (such as Five Guys or Shake Shack, P.Terry's or In'n'Out)
  • The Rest (such as hotels and bars)

For both markets, i would say that the "Gourmet Burger" chains deliver a level of burger that engages a lot of consumers delivering multiple choices of flavours and styles of burgers from different proteins to different cheeses to different choices of bread rolls and there definitely is a market for this offering.

In The States, the major QSR chains are failing to engage the customers due to offering the same low cost, low service, low quality offering for the past decade (or more) where the likes of the McDonald's in Australia has been the most successfully innovative in keeping with the burger trends. Their "Create Your Taste" Menu is so successful they have bucked the QSR Burger downtrend to have a success year.

The Independent Burger Joints and Chains is where it is at in both countries. Steamed buns, good quality meat, burgers cooked fresh once ordered with minimal ingredients and small offerings (often no more than 5 burgers on the menu).

I can't say that i have eaten at every single burger joint in both markets but i have done a pretty good effort and from my experience, the ones to try in Australia are Five Points Burgers in North Sydney, P.Terry's, Five Guys and Shake Shack in the States...