Build A Better Burger, Serve It With A Shake

Burgers have always been popular. Creating a high-quality signature version and pairing it with a delicious milkshake is a recipe for even better sales.

OVERVIEW

Build a Better Burger, Serve It with a Shake

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Meat of the Matter
Shake Basics
Plant-Based Burgers
Now About the Bun
Top This!
Sauces and Condiments
Conclusion

SALES ARE GUARANTEED WITH THIS SIMPLE MENUING STRATEGY

Is there anything more popular than the classic combination of a burger and a milkshake? From ‘50s-style diners and drive-ins to the latest chef-driven fast casuals, and from campus pubs to employee cafés, nothing satisfies customers like a burger and a shake.

It should be no surprise, then, that burgers appear on 51.6% of U.S. menus, according to Datassential,¹ putting burgers in the top 10 most-loved foods in the country,² and that milkshakes have a recognition rate of 97%.³ As ubiquitous as these menu mainstays are, the category has also become much more creative, as operators double down on setting their offerings apart with innovation and variety.

Three out of four Americans eat a burger once a week.¹

Today’s signature burgers run the gamut from super-premium beef mixtures to patties made from poultry, lamb, pork, seafood, and—increasingly—vegetarian and vegan options made of plants. And since a burger is the sum of its parts, operators are also going all out with distinctive carriers, sauces, toppings, and condiments. This trend toward creative burger variations has also made it increasingly common for upscale and chef-driven restaurants to offer top-shelf burger specialties whose price point mirrors those of other entrées on the menu.

80% of consumers love or like milkshakes, and they’re equally popular with all consumer types.³

And there’s never been a better time to be a shake lover. Between dedicated selections of creative shakes and attention-getting seasonal and limited-time offers (LTOs), the category has evolved far beyond the ever-popular chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

Read on for more burger and shake inspiration.

_{^{Sources: 1. Datassential Keynote Report, Burgers (2015). 2. Datassential FLAVOR (2019). 3. Datassential SNAP! Milkshakes (2020).}}