Burger Menus

Burgers are a menu staple. Whether it’s your speciality, or simply a small part of your broader menu, having a high-quality burger is essential. In this blog, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about the latest trends when it comes to fillings, sauces, and buns.

Step One: The Burger

The most important part – the star of the show. There’s lots of things to consider when it comes to choosing whether to go for a traditional patty or branch out to something more exciting.

Classic Beef Patty: Smash patties are becoming extremely popular thanks to their thin, crispy edges, but thick, juicy burgers are still a fan favourite.

Pulled Meats: For a more indulgent take on a burger, swap out the patty for some pulled meats. This works particularly well when leaning into the sloppy associations of BBQ. Funnybones’ new Rio Pacific pulled meats have all been authentically smoked with hickory wood chips in an open smoker for up to 14 hours, resulting in a deep natural smoke flavour, dark outer char, and moist, tender texture. Choose from pork, or halal-friendly beef or chicken.

Alternatives: With millions of Brits following a meat-free diet, it’s important to include a couple of veggie-friendly options on burger menus. We have four mouthwatering plant-based burgers to choose from: a spicy bean burger for that classic meat-free munch, a vibrant kale & hemp burger to add a point of differentiation, a crunchy chicken-free fillet, and a meat-alike beef-free burger.

Sure to delight meat lovers and vegans alike thanks to its’ juicy texture, the beef-free burger also benefits from 91% less saturated fat than its’ beef counterpart, whilst still being rich in iron, protein, and vitamin B12 – all essential to maintain in a plant-based diet.

Operators could also get creative and use a fried slab of halloumi in place of a patty, which pairs perfectly with sweet chilli sauce and is a popular choice for vegetarians that still want a cheese fix.

Step 2: Sauces

Sauces have the power to instantly transform an otherwise simple burger and are an extremely cost-effective method for keeping menus fresh and exciting.

For example, add a drizzle of our Rio Pacific Korean BBQ sauce to burgers to tap into demand for fusion flavours. Combining the sticky sweetness of a classic American BBQ, with the fiery twist of the Far East, this sauce contains notes of ginger, garlic, sesame, and Asian pear. Pair it with some chilli mayo and kimchi slaw to complete the theme.

Some other sauces to add umph to your burgers:

• Grace Jamaican Honey Jerk Seasoning paste

• Rio Pacific Chilli Jam
• Rio Pacific Mango Sweet Chilli
• Rio Pacific Jalapeño Jelly
• Rio Pacific Hickory BBQ

Step 3: Extras

Giving customers the option to ‘pimp’ their burger is a fantastic way to cater to increased demand for greater personalisation whilst upselling products to maximise profits. Cram them into the burger itself or spear on top of the bun for enhanced presentation.

Think mac ‘n’ cheese bites, cheese churros, onion rings, jalapeño peppers, mozzarella sticks, and premium cheese – such as our aged cheddar cheese sauce. This velvety smooth sauce is great drizzled over the burger patty, but chefs could also serve it in a jug on the side for customers to drench their burger before they tuck in. This option is a bit messy but looks incredible – quickly becoming viral-worthy on social media.

Find out more about which cheese to use in our blog here.

Step 4: The Bun

Once you’ve chosen your filling, sauce, and extras, the last thing you need is for the burger to be let down by the bun. Bread is easy to overlook, but it can make or break a good burger. Seeded, sourdough, pretzel, brioche… there are so many options! Don’t forget to include some free-from options to cater to guests with intolerances. Gluten-free burger buns are a must.

Step 5: Sides

We can’t have a burger without sides, and they are another great opportunity to upsell customers a more personalised dining experience. Instead of traditional fries, offer premium waffle fries, tater tots, cassava fries, or loaded potato skins.

With customers feeling the pinch of the ever-increasing cost-of-living crisis, people are trading up more – eating out less frequently but treating themselves when they do. To encourage this while creating a sense of good value, operators could create meal deals so burgers some with a side and drink of choice to wash it down. Check out our drinks blog to get inspired with food and drink pairings.

Need more burger menu inspiration? Get in touch with the friendly Funnybones customer service team!

Phone: 01707 321 234

Email: info@gkco.com