Customize Your Beef Patty: Create a Signature Restaurant Burger
Is there anything more exciting to a consumer, than ordering the kind of epic hamburger that they just cannot create at home? When a real burger fan opens a menu and sees the thickness of the patty, uncommon gourmet toppings drizzled with a house made sauce, they are willing to pay a premium price for an extraordinary burger and dining experience.
As a meat processing expert, our team at Miami Beef definitely has a special relationship to the great American hamburger. Some of the best fast-food, theme-park and food truck burgers you have tried may have been sourced from us!
We know that hamburgers, chicken patties and turkey burgers can be a fantastic revenue source for your business. And if you are looking to revitalize your menu with some fresh new gourmet burger offerings, or create your own house burger, we’ve got some expert advice for you.
The Psychology of the Selling the ‘House Burger’
Restaurants have a small percentage of customers that visit once to dine, and then maybe never come back again. But for the most part, restaurants that provide quality food, exceptional service, a comfortable or interesting dining environment and good value? They enjoy repeat customers who explore the menu and arrive at 3-5 favorites that they will continue to order on an ongoing basis.
There is a difference between being a customer or walk-in and being a patron of a restaurant. And that difference is a relationship that your business builds with your customers. When you have that positive sentiment with your customers, then any menu option that you create and designate as a ‘house’ item is going to be a success. Assuming you put that extra work in to make your house entrees an unforgettable flavor experience.
The hamburger is the easiest place to start building your house menu items. Start with a competitive review of what other restaurants in the area are serving, because you don’t want to offer what is readily available everywhere else; you want to stand out!
Next, we recommend doing a little online research with regards to very creative and new trending burger topping combinations. Look at 5-star restaurants in global luxury destinations like Dubai for inspiration. We guarantee you’ll get some interesting new ideas to create some exciting new house burger entrees for your menu.
Start with an Uncommon Selection, Shape or Size to Design Your House Burger
Consumers are unimpressed by a hamburger that looks like something they can make at home. If you really want to sell your brand and some burgers that differentiate you from your competition, start from the ground up with an uncommon burger patty.
At Miami Beef®, we supply commercial food service providers with a variety of options. From economical blends for production (entertainment venues, theme parks and fast-food restaurants), to ultra-gourmet blends featuring authentic American Style Kobe beef or tender savory Wagyu.
Our commercial customers are able to specify and customize a variety of options with their beef, chicken or turkey patty orders. Size, shape, volume (thickness) and even custom seasonings. Our sales team provides accurate information on each size, preparation methods and cooking times, for each consistent precision portioned beef, pork, chicken or turkey patty.
When designing the ideal burger menu, you want to create a number of price points and options, from economical to gourmet. This provides flexibility of choice for each diner, but also supports a graduation to the top-level burger offerings as well. Some consumers want to order the ‘best on the menu’ and by providing comparisons to other meals, you can inspire them to choose the premium burgers and sides.
Unless your restaurant specializes in the burger and side dish entrée, you want to leave enough room for a good burger assortment on your menu. For many restaurants, that means between 6-8 different types of burgers, which can also include a healthy white-meat alternative, like a turkey and / or chicken burger.
Get Creative with Your Burger Toppings to Create Some Gourmet Options
Some people like the standard condiments, a little slice of tomato, fresh onion and cheese. That is the classic American hamburger. But thanks to the Food Network, and culinary creatives around the world, the gourmet burger is front and center. Everyone wants to try different types of burgers when they visit a restaurant or get takeout; and many people have a ‘burger bucket list’ that your establishment can help them fulfill.
What could be better than a goal to try every single gourmet burger on the planet? Nothing. But then again, our family has been creating delicious burgers for over 100 years and we’re a little biased.
We all know what the standard toppings for a burger look like, but what are some ideas for truly uncommon toppings that work with a thick, juicy and freshly grilled beef patty?
Here are some mouth-watering suggestions you can try on your food service menu:
- Fried quail egg
- Canadian bacon
- Grilled sweet potato
- Mexican street corn (Elote) with crema
- Hummus
- Grilled mango or pineapple
- Grilled poblano peppers (not too hot but packed with rich flavors!)
- Endives and pepper cream sauce
- Crab meat slaw or shrimp (surf and turf!)
The toppings are not your only opportunity to create a truly original and delicious flavor. Consider the condiments that are not average, and homemade burger sauces that you r kitchen can create that adds that extra pizzazz and originality for your house burger(s).
Check out these 33 different and tasty burger sauce recipes on Serious Eats for inspiration.
For more than 100 years, Miami Beef® has been a leading provider for national hospitality chains, commercial food service and restaurants in America and overseas. Learn more about our quality meat assortment, and how you can customize your seasonings, shape and other specifics to create a new house special unique to your food service establishment.
Email us at info@miamibeef.com to talk to one of our wholesale meat specialists.