CHICAGO -- Burgers are proof that there's nothing really new; it's all old ideas refreshed for a new era. Just a few years ago one would say we'd done everything there is to do with a hamburger. Now it's one of the hottest categories in the industry, propelling new brands from Five Guys to Smashburger.
A new study released by research consultancy Technomic finds burger consumption up considerably since 2009, with nearly half of today's consumers saying they eat a burger at least once a week compared with 38% two years ago.
[image-nocss] And while the prominence of burger-driven value menus certainly helps support the growth, "there are other factors at work, however, as the specialty burger craze has driven growth in a way that is almost defiantly separate from pricing," says Sara Monnette, director of consumer research for Technomic, Chicago.
"The better burger restaurants in the fast-casual segment have put the burger top-of-mind for consumers, and even the quick-service chains have begun to respond and focus portions of their menus specifically on quality perceptions," she continues.
Technomic recently developed the Burger Consumer Trend Report for operators to stay on top of the burger business. Findings include:
- Veggie-Burger Growth. Younger consumers are highly interested in vegetarian-burger options, with 23% of consumers ages 18 to 34 saying it is important for vegetarian burgers to be available on restaurant menus.
- Ingredients Matter. The importance of health-halo attributes such as all-natural, hormone-free, steroid-free and antibiotic-free has grown since 2009. Half of consumers currently say it is very important to them that the meat used to make their burger is steroid-free.
- Cheese Preferences. The most commonly offered cheese on burgers at limited-service restaurants is American, but Cheddar is by far the most popular in the full-service segment.
For more information on the report, visit www.technomic.com.
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