62% of American consumers say they love a burger.
And this love has translated into a love for the simple, caramelized, crispy edges of a smash burger. The smash burger exploded in 2014 with Smashburger’s rising popularity and has since become a favorite among casual diners and foodies alike.
In this post, I take a look at the smash burger trend, exploring the history, consumer psychology, economics, menu strategies and great advertising behind it.
A smash burger is a beef burger that has been pressed flat on a hot griddle or skillet. Flatter than your average burger, the smash burger has a crispy, caramelized crust and rich, juicy middle — delivering distinctive, varied flavor and texture across the patty.
Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland says, "The key to its signature flavor comes from the Maillard reaction, a browning process that happens when the meat touches the hot surface. This reaction boosts the burger's rich, savory taste and gives it that irresistible texture. Unlike thicker patties, smash burgers cook quickly and have crispy edges that make each bite full of flavor."
The origins of the smash burger began with a bean can in a Dairy Cheer kitchen in Kentucky. In the 1960s, the restaurant’s chef used a heavy can of beans to press a ball of ground beef flat onto their griddle.
In 2007, Smashburger arrived in Denver, Colorado. The chain was founded by fast-food industry veterans Tom Ryan and Rick Schaden, who had worked for Pizza Hut and McDonald’s. The duo wanted to offer a “better” burger: perfecting the modern smash burger technique. The restaurant helped popularize the technique and set it apart from the mammoth bro-style burgers that had gained popularity with foodies across the U.S.
"A decade on from the last great wave of burger excitement, the smash burger marks a clear break with that era’s “dude food” excesses and towering, monster burgers."
— Tony Naylor, The Guardian
Thanks to their popularization of the technique, Smashburger scaled to over 370 locations and 9 countries in just ten years. Jollibee Foods acquired a 40% stake for $100 million in 2015, valuing the burger chain at $335 million.
Source: Sage
The inflection point arrived in 2024, with the smash burger featuring across menus of popular rival chains. Jack in the Box's Smashed Jack sold 70,000 units on day one, selling out in just two weeks — becoming Jack in the Box’s most successful burger launch sales week in six years. Chili’s launched its Big Smasher burger in Spring 2024, crediting their new menu item with double-digit same-store-sales growth.
Why are smash burgers so popular? With their, "Retro appeal with customizable, high-flavor twists," smash burgers were ranked number four in the National Restaurant Association's 2026 Culinary Forecast of current culinary trends.
"Comfort and nostalgia are tops. In 2026, restaurant menus will focus on taking guests out of their everyday experiences and transport them to somewhere or sometime else that pleases them. Comfort foods that evoke happiness and satisfaction, combined with global flavors and cultures, will be the center of the plate. Trending food items include smashed burgers, Caribbean curry bowls, and elevated instant noodle dishes."
— The National Restaurant Association
One of the biggest reasons for the rise in smash burgers popularity is due to consumers' demand for premium burgers. Writing on the anthropological roots of premium burgers’ popularity, sociologist Mark Cladwell writes, “Not all hamburgers are created equal, and given the changes in the U.S. dietary landscape in the past 10 years, hamburgers are only getting more unique. All across the country ”better burger” choices can now be found alongside Burger King and McDonald’s. Better burger chains aim to stand apart from typical fast food by providing focused menus, novel items, and customizable options. Chains such as In-N-Out Burger, Smashburger and Umami Burger aim to attract a growing number of consumers who want a gourmet burger experience.”
Cladwell emphasizes that the gourmet or premium burgers serve as a status symbol. He references Josée Johnston's and Shyon Baumann's book Foodies: Democracy and Distinction in the Gourmet Foodscape, who cite two key characteristics of a "legitimate" food item in the space:
With gourmet or high-end burgers often boasting unique origins, cooking techniques or ingredients, foodies often use their choice of burger to demonstrate their refined taste and culinary knowledge. With its historical roots, focus on high-quality ingredients and unique cooking technique, the smash burger firmly falls into this category for many consumers.
The huge rise in popularity also correlates with the consumer interest in food craftsmanship. Datassential reports that a third of consumers say they want to see premium beef patties like wagyu and brisket on their menus.
Burgers are also the ultimate convenience food. With the average American eating three burgers a month — the majority of which are served up at fast-food restaurants. Fast-casual dining serves a number of consumer needs including indulgence, affordability, flexibility and speed.
Just like the dirty soda, the visual appeal of smash burgers has helped give the dish its inherent virality. Hot meat, sizzling on the griddle — watching the sides crisp up and caramelize, seeing the layers of cheese melt down the patty. Smash burgers’ delicious aesthetic quickly racks up views across social media.
The smash burger also serves production needs on the operators’ side, as a faster, more efficient way to make a burger. Unlike the stacked-out 6oz gourmet burgers, smash burgers allow operators to optimize operational efficiency without sacrificing quality.
As one of the biggest burger industry trends of the past two years, here’s why consumers love a smash burger.
The smash burger’s distinctive flavor profile and crispy edges deliver a unique experience for burger lovers. Unlike a thick patty, smash burger offers a differentiation in flavor and texture across the patty.
David Lagonell, Temper Burger’s chef-director says, “The burger’s central section should be plumper, offering clear meatiness and juiciness, but its lacier, thinning edges will, ideally, develop lots of crusty, crunchy bits."
The majority of smash burgers also give many consumers what they want: a simple burger. While stacked-out gourmet burgers with five-plus elaborate toppings have grown in popularity over the last two decades, many consumers still love a pared-backed burger made with high-quality ingredients.
Datassentials shares, "Most consumers love a classic burger with standard toppings. Many consumers want what operators are offering – a “traditional” burger with simple ingredients, like lettuce, onion, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and bacon."
When inflation and economic pressures are on the rise, dining out at full-service restaurants is one of the first things consumers drop to stretch their budget. But consumers don’t want to give up the convenience and joy of eating out entirely, with 45% choosing to switch up to more affordable QSR restaurants during times of financial stress.
Smash burgers also give consumers access to affordable premium dining. Quality meat, bun and toppings and a more artisan-feel to the cooking technique, give smash burgers a treat feel on a fast-food budget.
Burger consumer insights show us that smash burgers serve several psychological wants and needs. First, many restaurants use open kitchens, seating diners around their grills. Seeing preparation creates trust. Market Design reports that consumers rate food as 22% higher quality when they can see a chef prepare their meals.
The unique texture and caramelized crispy edges give smash burgers an indulgent feel, fulfilling the foodie need for more satisfying, adventurous dining choices. Authenticity, craftsmanship and historic roots assign smash burgers their gourmet status — giving an affordable burger meal and air of premium dining.
Smash burgers also snap well, making them a great meal to share on Instagram and TikTok. Smash burgers currently account for 70% of all burger-based posts on Instagram, demonstrating just how shareable the patty is.
Here’s how the best in the business position their smashed patties to appeal to consumers.
Many restaurants are leaning into quality in their brand positioning and an elevated fast-food dining experience. Smashburger’s 2024 rebrand is a great example of this, Smashburger’s CEO Denise Nelsen says, “Our goal is to truly ‘own the smash’ by focusing on what we do best: creating craveable, high-quality smash burgers.”
Think simple, high-quality ingredients expertly executed. Here's LA burger chain Burger She Wrote’s About Us Page, "Burger She Wrote was founded in 2021 by professional skateboarder Don “Nuge” Nguyen and restaurateur Steven Arroyo. Built on a simple idea – quality ingredients such as 100% American Wagyu beef from Snake River Farms and Kings Hawaiian buns, creating the perfect balance of sweet and savory. The menu stays simple: burgers, fries, and the signature Oklahoma smash burger – a nod to Nuge’s hometown of Oklahoma City, where the style originated."
When it comes to the smash burger, the focus is on craft without complexity. Brands emphasize high-quality, classic and the best in modern and old-school cooking techniques — perfecting nostalgic Americana with a modern twist.
Brands frequently highlight how smash burgers take the burger back to its essential form: a perfected technique brings out the richness and juicyness of the meat. While basic ingredients like a brioche bun, ketchup and a slice of cheese accentuate the quality of the meat and the art of the technique.
U.S. burger culture historian, and owner of the critically-acclaimed Hamburger America in New York, George Motz captures the unpretentiousness of the patty, describing the smashburger as, “Primary-source burgers that go back to the dawn of the hamburger."
Many smash burger joints lean into retro, playful, bold brand visuals. This visual identity plays nicely into the Gen Z Throwback Effect with 68% of Gen Zers responding well to throwback marketing. Beyond the younger consumer, 70% of people say nostalgic ads feel more authentic. And seven in ten report they equate retro storytelling with genuine brand character.
Burgers wrapped in foil or paper mirror the pared-back ingredients and classic feel of the smash burger. Tactile, simple packaging helps operators create an authentic minimalist feel, often reinforced with straightforward, uncomplicated menus.
Source: Hamburger America
From huge chains like Smashburger to growing consumer faves like Skinny Louie, red also features prominently across American burger chains’ campaigns and brand assets. Primal, exciting, urgent and appetizing: color psychology directly communicates embodied values, emotion and meaning before consumers can read a menu or slogan.
Behavioral design consultant Karen Haller shares, "What is interesting to note is that the language of colour is communicated quicker to the brain than words or shapes as they work directly on our feelings and emotions. So we are already having an emotive response to the red and yellow before we read any words."
She says, "Red is a stimulating colour that can trigger feelings of excitement which can raise the pulse rate. Red is also attention grabbing."
Artistry is also celebrated across brands. Many brands feature close-up food photography emphasizing their burgers’ texture, while open kitchens show off the cooking process — building trust with customers.
Freshness is heavily emphasized across chains. Brands know consumers want fresh meat, highlighting never-frozen patties, freshly smashed to order. Culver’s states on its website, “We believe every Culver’s guest deserves to enjoy delicious, honest food made just for them. That’s why every ButterBurger starts with fresh, never frozen beef. There are no shortcuts at Culver’s, only cooked-to-order meals served with a smile."
Source: Hen and Heifer’s Instagram
Brands also frequently talk up the unique caramelized crispy edges of their burgers across their marketing campaigns. Chili’s describes their Big Smasher™ Burger as, "The key feature of the Big Smasher™ Burger is its cooking technique. The beef patty is pressed onto a hot grill, creating a crispy outer crust while keeping the inside juicy and tender. This method enhances the flavor by sealing in the juices and creating a slightly caramelized surface.The result is a burger that is both crispy on the outside and incredibly flavorful on the inside."
Many operators emphasize the unique and elevated dining experience that comes with ordering a smash burger. Co-founder of Easy Street Burgers Alfred Asatryan says, “I got the idea to start a cheeseburger stand with a smash burger because I felt we can elevate the common burger experience in L.A.. Our burger patty is almost smashed to smithereens, but it still holds up. The interesting part is that while it’s smashed razor-thin, it still holds lots of juiciness. A perfect package per bite, thin around the edges, seasoned with salt and pepper, and topped with cheese. Plus, we use a very specific dill pickle.”
Appealing to consumers’ desire for simple, premium ingredients, restaurants also frequently spotlight their premium beef, buns and produce alongside their more creative toppings like candied bacon and kimchi.
At Hamburger Nation, Motz uses premium high-fat beef with a 75/25 beef blend, ultra-thin sweet onions that perfectly caramelize on the patty, sweet potato rolls that hold their integrity against the heat and steam of the meat and American cheese for its signature gluey melt. Think simple ingredients chosen for their quality texture and flavor.
Keith Lee, TikTok’s Creator of the Year in 2025, boasts over 17 million followers online. Easy Street Burgers in Studio City, LA went viral after Lee rated its butter-seared, crispy-edged smashed patties a 10/10. Dubbed the “Keith Lee Effect,” the next morning, hundreds of consumers were lining up before restaurant opening hours to try one of their smash patties — with revenue rapidly doubling.
"As Asatryan unlocked the doors the day after Lee’s review dropped on TikTok, an ocean of burger fans entered his shop. People ordered and waited patiently on the premises. There was nowhere to sit. Cheeseburgers and Cajun fries were quickly consumed on tables, on the sidewalk, or on top of car hoods. Over the next three months, the entire block was perpetually surrounded from open to close."
— Mona Holmes, Eater
Online food review shows, like the Best Ever Food Review Show hosted by Sonny Side, also see an impressive number of followers online. Serving as word of mouth marketing in the digital age, Side’s show has racked up over 12 million YouTube subscribers and over three billion lifetime views.
"Once the domain of newspapers and magazines, restaurant criticism has spread to social media, where both reviewers and reviewees have the potential to become viral superstars." —Lisa Jennings, Restaurant Business.
Brands also build reach with user generated content (UGC) campaigns, incentivizing and featuring customer-generated reviews, rankings and content across social media. Smashburger's #SinCitySurvivalTips helped bring their smashed patties to new audiences by inviting fans to share their best Las Vegas survival tips based on the brand’s newest menu item: the Sin City Burger, resulting in over 8,400 submissions.
From smart smash burger pricing strategies to why consumers are happy to pay more for a just-smashed patty, let's explore the economics of the trend.
Despite their pared-back, simple ingredients, smash burgers often command premium pricing across menus. Businesses focus on high-quality meat over complicated toppings, aligning with consumers' prioritization of essential characteristics like freshness in their burger. 80% of consumers say the freshness of the meat is the most important factor in choosing a burger.
Despite burgers’ premium pricing, beef costs have surged by 32% since 2023 — meaning many smash burger businesses often need to strategically balance costs across their entire menu.
To combat rising beef costs, many operators increase their profits with combo meal upselling. McDonald's double smash patty Big Arch sells for $7.50–$10+ per burger, while their combo burger meal sells for $11–13+.
Premium add-ons and toppings are also a common way to drive up menu prices. Think specialty cheese, lashings of crispy bacon, and beef brisket. Many restaurants see success with interesting textures that play off of the unique textures across their patties, such as crispy onions or pan-seared halloumi.
UK-based chain Smart Buns shares: "A smash burger has a different rhythm from a thick patty burger. Because the patty is pressed hard onto the grill, you get more crust, more savoury flavour and less room for heavy toppings that overwhelm the bite. That means the best smash burger toppings usually do one of three jobs: they add moisture, they bring contrast, or they sharpen the flavour."
Limited-time specialty burgers are also popular with 85% of operators switching up the food and drink offered on their menu in the last year. Consumers want innovation and will pay more for it, especially when driven by FOMO and scarcity. Beyond beverages, burgers were the second most prolific food category after sandwiches for successful limited time offers (LTOs).
Simple ingredients mean faster burger assembly and less of a need for a large team of staff with specialized culinary training and simple tools. All of this equates to efficient kitchen operations and faster cooking times.
Many brands see strong margins through premium positioning, emphasizing quality ingredients and refined cooking techniques to appeal to foodies. This premium positioning often directly leads to high repeat purchases, with consumers returning to experience a “premium” dining experience on a fast-food budget.
Minimal equipment, simplified ingredients and the lack of a need for elaborate culinary training also make operations highly scalable across franchise systems.
There are several reasons why consumers are happy to pay more for a smash burger. The first is that smash burgers typically offer a premium experience in taste, texture, look and craft.
Open kitchens and made-to-order patties meet consumers' need for a freshly-made burger. As I note above, 80% of consumers say the freshness of the meat is the main deciding factor when buying a burger.
The Maillard reaction delivers a crispy caramelized crust with a juicy interior that makes a smash burger distinctively unique from other burgers. This gives consumers the experience of superior taste and texture compared to a standard fast-food patty, with foodies willing to spend more on a higher quality burger.
Smash burgers often also come with an inherent sense of craftsmanship. This perceived craftsmanship is further boosted by brand and chef reputations, with consumers seeking out established venues that typically command a higher price. Cult smash burger spots include Hamburger America, run by George Motz in New York, and Workingman’s Friend in Indiana.
“Smashed” restaurants, #asmrfood and the Keith Lee effect: here’s the advertising playbook for the smash burger.
Close-up prep and cooking videos, with detailed descriptions of the cooking process and the type of flavor and texture it yields, are a great way to show off the artistry of the smash burger.
Popular chefs often share details on how to perfect the cooking technique, ingredient choices and the historical origins of the smash burger:
Smash burgers are also a great fit for sensory-engaging content like slow-mo videos of the smash process or sizzling ASMR content. The hashtag #asmrfood has racked up over 23 billion views on TikTok, making it one of the most popular food-based hashtags on the platform.
Cross-section reveals, where a sandwich is slowly cut in half to show off the internal layers of a burger, are one of the most popular ways to show off the quality, texture or uniqueness of your patty and accompanying ingredients.
Customer reaction videos are a great way to build trust with your audience. Incentivize or encourage customers to share their own reactions and partner with popular local influencers to improve your reach across the socials.
Partnerships with online creators, from the owners of YouTube food review shows to TikTok restaurant critics, are one of the most effective ways to get your burger brand in front of audiences. As we've seen from the Keith Lee effect, a single rave review from a popular food critic can transform your brand overnight.
Partnerships with micro influencers (of under 100,000 followers) in your city or neighborhood can be a great way to grow your reach. Micro influencers often see significantly higher engagement rates of around 7% and 20% than macro influencers or celebrities with engagement rates that sit at around 5%.
Creating UGC campaigns, inviting consumers to share reviews or first-bite content in exchange for a free drink or side of fries, is another great way to get your burgers out there. You can extend the impact of these campaigns by inviting local food groups to try out your menu items and share their content online, bringing an expert community seal of approval to your burgers.
Cooking techniques are one of the most popular types of video formats when it comes to the smash burger. Videos on the science of the smash, from crisping techniques to picking the perfect ingredients to compliment the unique caramelized taste of a smash patty are a great way to show off your technique and the quality of your ingredients.
Several brands have boasted successful grand opening events. One of the most notable was Jack in the Box's Smashed Jack launch, mentioned above, which sold 70,000 units in a single day. Jack in the Box simultaneously launched its new burger across locations and digital channels, successfully driving demand from consumers through word of mouth.
In June this year, A&W Canada took the "smashed" metaphor to their restaurant to celebrate its first nationwide smashburger with its viral pop-up in Toronto. Famous Campaigns shares, "For one day only, the chain’s King Street West spot looked as though it had been caught in a giant burger press, with distorted signage, compressed furniture, bent trays and twisted decor. Even Rooty, A&W’s long-running root bear mascot, appeared flattened."
LTO and seasonal menu items often perform incredibly well. Smashburger regularly combines its legendary patties with culinary faves as featured in their LTO Mac ‘n Cheese Burger specialty burgers. The burger went on to become the chain’s best-selling limited-edition item in over two years.
Brands regularly partner with artists and creators to grow their reach and build brand trust. Across the broader QSR space, brands have tapped into the Keith Lee effect. Chipotle partnered with Keith Lee and fellow TikTok creator Alexis Frost to create a custom steak fajita — amounting to an impressive 34 million social impressions and leading to two of the chain’s biggest digital sales days of all time.
Many local burger joints have used community-focused marketing to build its smash burger business. LA’s Easy Street Burgers successfully built brand equity by bringing burgers to the residents of LA during the COVID lockdown — serving up socially-distanced burger dining with a tent in a parking lot.
Asatryan of Easy Street Burgers says, “Focus on creating a quality product you’re passionate about, engage with your community, and leverage social media to share your story. Authenticity and consistency are key to building a brand that people want to talk about and visit.”
To mirror their simple, quality ingredient choices, many chains focus on simplified menus offering single and double patties with classic ingredients like cheese, pickles, ketchup and onions — optimizing operational efficiency.
Source: Dataessential
While they desire simplicity, consumers still want customizability. 69% of consumers say they want customization options when ordering from a restaurant. To meet the need, many operators offer build-your-own options — typically focusing on creative topping add-ons and the ability to swap out standard toppings, sauces and buns.
Combo meal optimization is another way businesses increase average order values. Many brands also lean into their premium positioning by offering premium fries, shakes and sodas for consumers to pair with their burger — driving up profit margins.
Many operators effectively tap into the scarcity principle and consumer FOMO with LTOs like Smashburger’s best-selling LTO Mac ‘n Cheese Burger.
The majority of brands also offer digital ordering and loyalty integrations, rewarding loyal customers with coupons and discounts and making it easy for consumers to reorder their favorite dishes with automatic personalized orders.
Here are the biggest lessons for CPG brands, QSRs and marketers.
One of the biggest lessons for CPG brands is simplicity often communicates quality more effectively than complexity. With a scaled-back menu, focusing on quality beef and simple, popular ingredients – best-selling smash burger dishes show how effective simple ingredients, messaging and branding can be when it comes to communicating quality and value to consumers.
The success of the smash burger also shows us that innovation doesn’t always require inventing something new. Consumers’ often crave the comfort of simplicity. Based on a cooking technique that’s nearly a century old, the smash burger proves that tradition often beats aimless reinvention.
With their signature crispy caramelized edges, smash burgers also prove that texture can become a powerful point of differentiation. Many food and beverage brands typically focus on taste or ingredient choice as their biggest differentiator, but smash burgers show that texture can often be the defining characteristic in a successful product.
Designed to be a faster, more efficient way of making a hamburger from the earliest days of hamburger production, popular smash burger restaurants demonstrate that operational efficiency can become a core part of the customer experience.
Another thing smash burger heavy-hitters like Hamburger America show us is that watching food being prepared builds trust and excitement with consumers. Restaurants with open kitchen designs see a 23% increase in consumer confidence.
The smash burger's unique, history-steeped cooking technique also highlights how signature preparation methods can create memorable brand assets. Consumers are drawn to smash-burger dishes because of their unique preparation, delicious crispy edges and their foodie-approved status.
The QSR burger trend also demonstrates that a focused, simplified menu can improve consistency, reduce errors and strengthen brand identity.
Tom Cook, Principal at King-Casey, highlights that menu simplification is still a greatly underused strategy, noting: "For multi-unit operators or franchises, a simplified menu provides a consistent experience across locations, ensuring brand standards are maintained. A focused menu allows operators to emphasize their strengths and signature dishes, creating a more distinct brand identity."
The unique cooking technique that gives smash burgers their foodie edge shows how effective premium burger marketing campaigns can be when they're built around distinctive product experiences, not just ingredients.
From ASMR-style cooking videos to educational cooking content, the smash burger trend also highlights how behind-the-scenes science, ingredient decisions and insights into the preparation process can make for great marketing content.
Smash burgers show us that many consumers are willing to pay a premium price for quality ingredients and a unique cooking technique. But before you jump to premium pricing, it’s important to understand consumers’ price sensitivities and willingness to pay more.
Validate premium pricing through consumer research before you launch to find the perfect price point for your product. Use Zappi to test consumer price perceptions and measure bargain and maximum pricing as well as whether or not consumers are willing to pay a premium for your product in comparison to your competitors.
Run additional tests on your creative to identify which product attributes resonate most with consumers, whether it's the crispy caramelized edge or the premium ingredients. Use this data to fuel the focus of your future creative and campaigns.
As I cover in our recent post on the Ehrenberg-Bass methodology, Jenni Romaniuk, Associate Director at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, emphasizes that marketers often go wrong when they put directionless innovation over evidence-backed consistency.
Instead, this science-backed marketing approach advocates for consistency when it comes to distinctive brand assets — recommending brands focus on differentiating through execution rather than endless brand and product reinvention.
Smash burgers prove the popularity of the gourmet burger — foreshadowing more premium burger concepts entering the market throughout 2027.
With operational efficiency baked into the simple cooking technique, smash burger restaurants will increase their reliance on automation and AI-backed menu optimization and operational support, while still centering the handcrafted experience
Experts predict that we’ll see more regional and international flavor variations, with chefs drawing inspiration from local culinary culture and foodie hubs like New York, Milan, Bangkok and Lima.
Despite increased innovation and evolution across smash burger menus, operators won’t move too far away from the essential ingredients that contributed to the smash burger’s revival — with successful restaurants emphasizing texture, preparation and transparency as competitive advantages.