Avoid A Burger Place Altogether If You Notice This Red Flag

Have you ever gone to a fancy burger restaurant and been astounded by the selection of toppings? Burgers can be adorned with a bit of everything these days, including guacamole, grilled jalapeños, spiced mustard, and even sushi (aka California roll burgers), leaving the classic additions of lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles to appear downright old-fashioned. While menu variety is welcomed by most restaurant patrons, too much can be a bad thing. According to our sister site Food Republic, which spoke exclusively to Marissa Stevens, a food writer and founder of the recipe site Pinch and Swirl, a seemingly endless list of burger toppings could preclude a bad dining experience. 

In general, large restaurant menus are a red flag because establishments often struggle with maintaining ingredient quality for so many distinct dishes. Stevens emphasizes this point, explaining, "The more sprawling the menu, the harder it is to keep every component truly fresh." Less-common toppings may sit around the kitchen, while more popular ingredients will be used up quickly. "That could mean wilted lettuce, dry buns, or patties that were cooked in advance and reheated," says Stevens. That doesn't mean that every burger establishment should only stock the basics where toppings are concerned. Instead, a solid restaurant will offer a few unique options alongside foundational fixings like cheese, vegetables, and condiments. 

There are universal signs of a bad restaurant, like unkempt restrooms, dirty cutlery, and cold food. When it comes to signs of a bad burger restaurant, menu size is just one red flag to watch for. For instance, a restaurant that slathers its burgers in sauce or packs a mountain of lettuce between the buns could be concealing a less-than-satisfactory patty underneath. Soggy buns are another major concern, as they can result in a messy experience or necessitate the use of a fork and knife to eat the burger (quelle horreur!). That brings us to another crucial consideration: burger size. 

Some burgers are so big that not even Godzilla herself could handle them, which has led to the great burgers should be wide, not tall debate. A massive burger may be impressive as a spectacle, but looks don't matter much when you have cheese and bacon all over your new sweater. Regardless of size, quality restaurants typically provide details about each burger's ingredients within the menu. That can mean stating a point of origin for the beef you're about to consume, as well as listing where other ingredients were sourced or what style of bun it's on.

Static Media owns and operates Mashed and Food Republic.