A new study released by Technomic finds burger consumption up considerably since 2009, with nearly half of today's consumers saying they eat a burger at least once a week compared with 38 percent two years ago. One reason for the increase is the continued prominence of burgers on quick-service value menus.
"The value menu is certainly a big part of this increase in burger consumption," says Sara Monnette, director of consumer research at Technomic. "There are other factors at work, however, as the specialty burger craze has driven growth in a way that is almost defiantly separate from pricing. The better burger restaurants in the fast casual segment have put the burger top-of-mind for consumers, and even the quick-service chains have begun to respond and focus portions of their menus specifically on quality perceptions."