FSR November 2022

TRENDING ON THE MENU // Beef Burgers

79 percent of consumers eat burgers away from home at least once a month. Seven years ago, only 68 percent of con sumers did so. Iconic yet versatile, the burger allows for endless consumer customization. “Consumers love the flexibility to make the burger into something they love,”

on-ramp to consumer experimentation. Flavors like harissa, chimichurri, maple, and hatch chile are beginning to make waves in the world of burgers. Aiolis are gaining wider popularity. Consumers are interested in over-the-top flavors with a strong visual element or a nostalgic pull. And despite the buzz around alterna

form a burger into a brunch item and maximize its versatility. Burgers also offer a canvas for chefs to experiment with new flavors—they can be easily adapted as limited-time offer ings to create seasonal excitement and combat menu fatigue. By adding elevated toppings like specialty cheeses, opera tors can also create indulgent choices for price-conscious consumers. “Beef burg ers are often seen as a value-drivenmenu item, but elevated options can be seen as a premium option for consumers to trade down from entrees that have been affected by inflation,” George says. Of course, economic realities also affect the back of the house. Soar ing ingredient prices and supply chain issues mean that restaurants must be especially conscious of food waste and pricing stability. And due to the ongoing labor shortage, many operators are mak ing do with a smaller, less experienced kitchen staff. Frozen beef patties like TNT Burgers ™ can help offset all these challenges at the same time. High-performance, low-maintenance, and crowd-pleasing, TNT Burger patties are designed with foodservice operators in mind. “Our goal is to deliver the prep aration and storage convenience of an individually quick-frozen patty with a taste and sensory experience that can rival fresh,” Liang says. TNT Burgers can hold longer than other patties. “A major point of differ ence for TNT Burgers—as compared to traditional unseasoned or compet itive seasoned patties, either fresh or frozen—is our hold time,” George says. “TNT Burger patties retain their juiciness, texture, and flavor for three-plus hours.” ey can also help operators maintain product consistency, save on costs, and eliminate food waste. Beef burgers are a classic for a rea son. Widely adored, versatile, and easily customizable, they accommodate a wide variety of consumer preferences. With some back-of-house strategizing, beef burgers can serve as the reliable menu item that consistently performs well. TO LEARNMORE, VISIT TNTBURGERS.COM.

BEEF BURGER PATTIES, THE MOST COMMONLY MENUED BURGER PATTIES IN THE

U.S., HAVE A DISTINCT AND WIDELY APPEALING MOUTHFEEL.

CARGILL

says Jack Liang, associate marketing manager at Cargill. “At any burger place, they have the ability to make the burger their own.” e format embraces a wide range of flavors, and consumers can fine tune their burgers with a wide variety of condiments and toppings to perfectly match their own tastes. Consumers are also developing more discerning palates, and different types of international cuisines are enter ing the mainstream. “Using global fla vors in burger builds makes themmore approachable,” George says. “Consum ers are more willing to experiment with flavors and ingredients. Using a familiar carrier such as the beef burger is a great way to make that introduction.” Burger sauces represent the perfect

tive proteins, consumers still love a clas sic beef burger. Beef is by far the most commonly offered type of burger patty— making up 97 percent of burger patties available across all U.S. menus, accord ing to Datassential. Beef burgers have a distinct and familiar mouthfeel to most consum ers, which helps drive their widespread appeal across demographics. “In terms of the beef patty, consumers are looking for a juicy and flavorful patty with the right texture,” Liang says. From an operational perspective, beef burgers offer great flexibility across menu parts and dayparts. Breakfast and brunch burgers are seeing a surge in pop ularity, for example. By simply adding a fried egg, restaurant operators can trans

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