12 Red Flags To Watch Out For At Burger Joints

Over the decades, hamburgers have become a symbol of the United States. Americans consume a huge number of burgers every year, around 50 billion. While many of these are cooked and eaten at home, burgers also play a large role in America's restaurant scene. There are many burger joints across the country – Ibis World estimates that the total stands at more than 90,000. California alone is home to over 30,000. You can find wagyu burgers that cost $5,000 and are served with bottles of expensive wine, and at the other end of the economic spectrum are the cheap and cheerful fast food burgers. 

With such a diverse range of burgers available across America, eating a subpar one is a bitter disappointment. Yet, this is the reality for many Americans every day. So you don't have to join this disappointed lot, we've collated 12 red flags that indicate you might be about to eat at a bad burger restaurant. If, upon entering the burger joint, you spy a few of these, leave. After all, there are plenty of choices out there.

In 2020, Americans spent 7.1% of their household budgets on food, significantly less than the populations of several other countries. This is nothing new. Thanks to subsidies and an overabundance of crops, Americans have experienced relatively low food costs for decades. This is especially true for meats like beef. EatFirst's meat price index demonstrates this: In the United States, ground beef is a bit over $3 a pound. On the other hand, the same amount in Switzerland costs around $9.

Though Americans are used to cheap meat, they should still question restaurants that sell burgers at outrageously low prices. More likely than not, these establishments will not be buying good-quality beef. Instead, they are probably sourcing from corn-fed, antibiotic-pumped bovines. The meat of these animals is of a lower quality and lacks a distinct taste. By contrast, more expensive options, like burgers made from grass-fed beef, will be much more flavorful. As butcher Ben Turley tells GQ, "The flavor difference between commodity beef and beef that's been grass-fed and grass-finished is truly night and day. Grass-fed beef makes beef taste more like itself — it's more savory and more meaty, and that artificial sweetness from grain feed is totally gone." So, if you want a good burger, avoid joints that sell their wares at super-low prices.

Choice is an integral part of American society. Yet too much choice can often lead to customers feeling overwhelmed — like if a restaurant's menu is overly long. This can negatively impact the experience, with diners feeling lost, panic-ordering, or ordering less as a result.

Stress is not the only reason to avoid restaurants with excessively long menus. Menus of this kind also suggest that food quality is not at its highest. When chefs were asked on Reddit to sound off about restaurant red flags, an ex-chef replied, "A long menu is a red flag. If they have 40 different entrees, it means that they are preparing a bunch of frozen ingredients or they have the exact same entree rebranded as a different dish based on the sauce. Short menus tend to mean fresher ingredients."

White Manna, a New Jersey burger joint that has consistently been ranked as one of the best in the U.S., is testament to how small menus work. Here, there are only four burgers on the menu, but each is of such quality that business has been booming for over 70 years.

The previous points have generally been matters of preference or taste. The degree to which burgers are cooked, however, is an entirely different matter, as it pertains to food safety. Unlike some beef products, including steak, burgers should not be eaten rare. This is because the undercooked meat can contain harmful bacteria. 

While the U.K.'s Food Standards Agency states that some restaurants have better controls than others, pink burgers always pose some threat to human health. Ted Siegel, an instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, explains why to Reader's Digest: "Grinding the meat extends the fabrication (or cutting) process one more level. Usually pathogens are found on the surface of the muscle tissue, so once you start grinding up the meat, you're dispersing the pathogens throughout more of the meat beyond the surface." With this in mind, restaurants that serve their burgers pink, and cannot readily demonstrate any special steps taken to negate risk, should be avoided. Failure to do so will increase your chances of food poisoning.

French fries are a huge part of most burger joints; they have been the go-to side for hamburgers since the mid-20th century. Today, the question of which burger joint sells the best fries is a hotly contested topic. However, consumers tend to take for granted that a good burger joint has to serve excellent fries. The importance of fries is well understood by business owners, as well. Even huge chains like Burger King occasionally update their fries to keep customers happy.

What makes a good-quality french fry is somewhat subjective. Most people desire a crisp exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. Consistency is also seen as a very important characteristic. Aside from this, consumers seem to like a range of fries, from Cajun spiced wedges to the classic skinny fries. If you hear of a burger joint failing to hit the basic markers of good fries, it is probably best to steer clear. After all, if they can't get the fries right, what chance does the rest of the meal have?

Fusion cuisine has managed to stick around since it burst onto the scene in the 1980s. Today, burgers frequently appear in fusion cuisine, with many chefs creating their own mash-ups. The ramen burger is a popular example. Based on street food from Japan, the creation that took over America was invented by Keizo Shimamoto. In the ramen burger, the bun is replaced by pressed ramen noodles, creating an alternative to your regular combination of bread and meat.

The ramen burger does not stand alone. Other fusion mash-ups include the Luther burger, which replaces the bun with donuts, and Applebee's quesadilla burger. But while these recipes provide some variety, they can never fully replace traditional, well-made burgers. With that in mind, burger joints that almost exclusively sell novelty burgers should probably be avoided. They are likely relying on unconventionality to sell burgers, as opposed to quality.

There's no such thing as a restaurant that doesn't serve tourists, but there is a difference between a touristy restaurant and a tourist trap. The former can be any restaurant — burger joint included — that gains acclaim for some reason. Maybe it got a write-up in a notable publication or just received a Michelin star. On the other hand, the latter has been designed solely with tourists in mind. These establishments often favor the speed with which they can flip tables above the quality of the food and are best avoided.

Michelle Stansbury explains, "If you only see other tourists at a restaurant, perhaps because it's the only place near a popular attraction, I would hesitate to eat there. Restaurants where the locals are eating indicate that at least some diners are there because of its reputation" (via Reader's Digest). You needn't search high and low for some completely unknown gem, but checking out a spot before you go, or asking any people who live locally, will go some way in limiting the possibility of disappointment.