Hamburgers vs Cheeseburgers

[momof2kids]

We have this discussion when we take the kids out to eat. Maybe once a week and it's become the running joke at the table now.

When my son orders a hamburger one of the following 2 things happens:

1) the server asks "would you like cheese on that?" - the son always politely says no, but would like to say - "if I wanted cheese then I would have ordered a cheeseburger"

2) the server doesn't ask about cheese and inevitably the hamburger comes as a cheeseburger. When we say - "this was suppose to be a hamburger"
server replies "oh, you didn't want cheese?"
mom says "well then he would have ordered a cheeseburger instead of a hamburger"
(mom tries to say this with a smile & asks the server to bring a hamburger back & still leaves a decent tip)

Why is it that places do this? It seems the burger automatically comes with cheese unless otherwise specified, but on the menu it's clearly a hamburger and if you add cheese then it costs extra...

When we go to a fast food place (which is not often) and we order a hamburger we get a hamburger. Why can't sit down restaurants do the same?

 

[Zebraspots]

My complaint is that they put other stuff on it too. I hate mayo, onion, tomato, ketchup, on my burger.

 

[Abby Prentiss]

I think people just like saying "cheese".

 

[Iris]

Momof2kids,
I loved your post and want to try you and your kids comments on my next burger expedition. We too do not go to most fast food hamburger places.

We are on the search for that perfect burger and our expectations are listed below...not necesarrily in order:

- Fresh ground, grain fed, 80/20 ground chuck
- The hamburder meat not pounded to death to make so dense, the less one messes with it the better, and it is ok if it falls apart a little. This kind must be cooked on a griddle or iron skillet, it would fall through the bbq grill! Cooked done but not dry.
- The only seasonings are salt and pepper, no garlic or worcstershire sauce, or any other mystery ingredient.
- Choice of 3, 6, or 8 ounces (ok go a step ahead for the big eaters and make it 3, 6, or 9 ounces) and could be done one patty, two paties or three. Remeber loosly packed so they look bigger and are much tenderer.
- No fancy bun, white or wheat Sara Lee will do. Not a thick, heavy, dense bun. Warmed on the griddle or iron skillet.
- A choice of hamburder or cheeseburger(with a choice of cheddar, American or Swiss).
- A choice of mustard, mayo, catsup, pickles, onions, tomatos and lettuce(my way versus your way).

And trust me this is very hard to find. Most places pack them as dense as they can get them, put those mystery seasonings in them, and want to serve some fancy grass fed beef(which in my opinion is really beefy). One can get hormone free beef at high end grocery stores that makes the perfect burger, so I am sure food vendors can do the same. And then they want to use bread that overwhelms the burger.

Come on guys use the KISS formula....Keep It Simple Stupid!

 

[Dawn]

Great thread I love a good burger! I agree KISS!

 

[Akarin]

So any opinions on the best burger on 30A? How about the most creative burger?

 

[beachmouse]

Not 30A, but Brian Cartenuto has opened up an outpost of Tucker Duke's Lunchbox in the Hurricane Lanes bowling alley in Destin. Not a quick kitchen, and they're officially got a stated attitude of Yankee sarcasm instead of Southern hospitality, but they hit on the quality and creativity fronts. Brian even makes his own ketchup. (And if they're on the menu down there, I love his shrimp & grits.)

 

[momof2kids]

I don't order the hamburger - my son does. Who has yet to like all items on a menu - which it typical of children. What do your kids order??? (if you have them)

Plus if we are going out to eat as a family at a family type restaurant then I will not get my food there then drive my kids 10 miles out of my way to get them a $1 burger when we can order what is on the menu.

And yes - even with the cost I'd prefer to eat a burger from a restaurant rather than one from a drive through. (especially if it's a bar - I love bar burgers) Drive throughs are like getting a slice of cardboard on a stale bun that has been sitting under a heat lamp.

If the cook has a ticket that says hamburger then why does he decide it should be a cheeseburger? The ticket should say "hamburger" - if the cook reads it hamburger then send out a hamburger.

All menus we have seen show hamburgers - then somewhere near the burger listings it will state "add cheese for XX more".

Just making an observation & wondering if any restaurant people can help shed some light on what we have now deemed quite comical in our family. It's sometimes hard for us to stifle our laughter as the waitperson asks "do you want cheese on that". (& no - we aren't laughing at the waitperson)

 

[kitlit]

Don't know where you've been dining, or what tickets you've been seeing, but I know that where I work at the Seagrove Village MarketCafe, the cook's ticket DOES say hamburger OR cheeseburger, and also specifies how it is to be cooked (medium, well done, etc) and, if there is to be cheese, which of the three types we offer plus the option to add bacon. The tickets are pretty darned specific, and most restaurants I know of in the area use the same POS program. Gonna have to chalk that one up to server error, unfortunately. I take to-go orders, and always make it a point to ASK because, unlike the original poster, a lot of people DO say hamburger but they want a cheeseburger. Better to know for sure and enter the order correctly. Also, the server should be doing at least a cursory glance at the food he/she is taking out (I know, things get busy, and they can't inspect each plate with a fine tooth comb, but cheese on a burger is usually visible at a glance. For to-gos, I DO check every meal against the ticket before it's put in the bag--my customers don't have the option of having the kitchen recook their order if they find something wrong.

Sorry you seem to have issues with it, but maybe the answer is to repeat yourself to them--no cheese on the HAMburger! Shouldn't have to do that, but if they know it's an issue for you, they're more likely to pay attention.

 

[kathydwells]

Momof2kids,
I loved your post and want to try you and your kids comments on my next burger expedition. We too do not go to most fast food hamburger places.

We are on the search for that perfect burger and our expectations are listed below...not necesarrily in order:

- Fresh ground, grain fed, 80/20 ground chuck
- The hamburder meat not pounded to death to make so dense, the less one messes with it the better, and it is ok if it falls apart a little. This kind must be cooked on a griddle or iron skillet, it would fall through the bbq grill! Cooked done but not dry.
- The only seasonings are salt and pepper, no garlic or worcstershire sauce, or any other mystery ingredient.
- Choice of 3, 6, or 8 ounces (ok go a step ahead for the big eaters and make it 3, 6, or 9 ounces) and could be done one patty, two paties or three. Remeber loosly packed so they look bigger and are much tenderer.
- No fancy bun, white or wheat Sara Lee will do. Not a thick, heavy, dense bun. Warmed on the griddle or iron skillet.
- A choice of hamburder or cheeseburger(with a choice of cheddar, American or Swiss).
- A choice of mustard, mayo, catsup, pickles, onions, tomatos and lettuce(my way versus your way).

And trust me this is very hard to find. Most places pack them as dense as they can get them, put those mystery seasonings in them, and want to serve some fancy grass fed beef(which in my opinion is really beefy). One can get hormone free beef at high end grocery stores that makes the perfect burger, so I am sure food vendors can do the same. And then they want to use bread that overwhelms the burger.

Come on guys use the KISS formula....Keep It Simple Stupid!

Five Guys Burgers and Fries! They have one at Pier Park in Panama, City. Have it your way! Best Burgers Ever! At least the ones here in Alabama are. I am sure they are all the same. I love them.