Omnivore - Guest blogger: Burger economy

Haute vs. Budget

By Lindsey Zuckerman

In years past, burgers weren’t served at fancy restaurants and toppings didn’t get much more exciting than cheese, bacon or chili. But today, you can find burgers at all price points with a huge array of possible ingredients and toppings. Of course these haute cuisine burgers come at a price, so you better save up for a $16 wagyu beef burger at Shaun’s or a $150 double truffle burger at DB Bistro Moderne in NY.

So, is there cause for burgers to cost more than $8? The Wall Street Journal doesn’t think so. It called the Ghetto Burger at Ann’s Snack Bar the best burger in America, and there is nothing fancy about it. Ann’s is an old school hole-in-the- wall that serves up big, sloppy burgers. For less than half the price of a fancy-pants Kobe beef burger, Ann will serve up two-giant patties topped with bacon, American cheese, and chili. It’s a delicious mess.