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Burgermania
May 28, 2008

For today's Stat of the Day, we turn to two Chicago-area foodservice research firms, The NPD Group and Datassential, which find that burgers made up 14% of all U.S. restaurant orders in 2007, spanning the spectrum from quick-service to fine-dining restaurants.

How does that apply to the hotel industry, you may wonder?

Here's how: Nearly every U.S. hotel restaurant I've ever been in has offered a burger of some type on its menu (It's pretty much a requirement, unless you're operating a cuisine-specific restaurant specializing in something like Italian food or sushi).

But few hotel burgers I've sampled have really stood out from the crowd. I think the most memorable may have been the basic cheeseburger I had at Burger Joint, the tucked away back-room spot inside the Le Parker Meridien in New York City.

So how can you differentiate your restaurant's burger? Customize it to reflect your style of cuisine or your restaurant concept, says Jack Li, relevance strategist for Datassential. That may include using a different type of meat for the burger (think turkey, chicken or salmon), a different type of cheese or vegetable topping, or even a different type of bread for the bun (brioche and ciabatta seem to keep popping up).

Need more direction/inspiration? Here are a few examples of burger innovation from hotel restaurants across the country, courtesy of our sister publication, Restaurants & Institutions magazine:

Bison Burger
Location: Proof on Main, 21c Museum Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky
Build: Ground bison, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, Jezebel sauce (a popular Southern condiment), challah bun

Retro Burger
Location: Viand, Courtyard by Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
Build: Ground beef, mashed potatoes, gravy
Chef: Steve Chiappetti

Surf & Turf Burger
Location: Burger Bar, Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
Build: Ground Angus beef, grilled half-lobster tail, grilled asparagus
Chef: Hubert Keller

Tavern "Frita" Burger
Location: Tavern N Town, Beachside Resort & Conference Center, Key West, Florida
Build: Ground Angus beef, mushrooms, caramelized onions, pickles, roasted jalapenos, fried arepa (a corn-based South American bread), BBQ sauce
Chef: Norman Van Aken

Vine Burger
Location: Madison & Vine, The Library Hotel, New York City
Build: Ground sirloin, Gruyere cheese, beefsteak tomato, butter lettuce, red onions, mayonnaise, toasted brioche

Posted by Derek Gale on May 28, 2008 | Comments (0)