For years, the thin, crispy-edged smash burger dominated social feeds and restaurant menus.
But across South Africa, foodies and chefs are sparking a major comeback for the thick, juicy patty. Driven by a desire for bigger flavour and a more satisfying, meat-forward meal, diners are officially reigniting the debate over what truly makes the ultimate burger.
The shift is less about killing off the smash burger and more about making room for choice.
For Simpiwe Asiedu-Adjei, founder of The Conjunktion, which specialises in burgers, the change is part of the natural cycle of food trends.
“I don't think there’s fatigue with smash burgers.”
Asiedu-Adjei believes that the popularity of the smash burger has as much to do with the people making it as the people eating it. A thin patty cooks quickly and is relatively simple to prepare, making it attractive to burger businesses looking for an efficient offering.
But there is a trade-off. A single smash patty can leave diners wanting more.
“To get a filling smash burger, you need to eat like a double or triple smash burger,” he said.
That is where the thick patty has an advantage. A substantial burger offers more room for flavour and allows chefs to experiment with what goes into the meat.
“With the thicker patties, you can go with seasoning, go with spice, you can add your mushrooms, garlic. There’s more that you can add,” said Asiedu-Adjei. “You can even add your cheese inside the thick patty.”
For diners, that can mean a burger that feels like a meal rather than a stack of thin patties.
The return of the thick burger does not necessarily mean the smash burger has lost its place. Instead, it points to a more varied burger culture. Diners can choose between a thin patty with crisp edges and a thicker burger where the meat takes centre stage.
Food influencer and multi-award-winning cookbook author Sinoyolo Sifo, known online as Sifo The Cooking Husband, agrees that the smash burger's popularity in South Africa is part of a wider food trend cycle.
“Smash burgers, when it comes to the SA market, are not a big thing this side. It's more like an American thing,” he said.
Sifo said the thinness of a smash patty leaves little room for error. With less meat to work with, seasoning becomes crucial.
“If you don't get them right in terms of flavouring, because the patty is so thin, it becomes a problem,” he said.
That can be particularly important in a country where many diners expect a burger to deliver a generous hit of meat.
“When a burger is not that thick, a person then feels like they are robbed,” Sifo said.
His solution is simple: if the patty is going to be thin, give diners more of it.
“If you're going to smash a burger, then at least try to have multiple patties to compensate,” he said. “If you're going to do a smash cheeseburger, at least have maybe three or four layers.”
Still, Sifo does not believe that thick burgers ever disappeared. For him, the appetite for a juicy patty remains strong, particularly in South Africa.
“Juicy, thick burgers will always be number one top priority, especially in SA,” he said.
The difference comes down to execution. A thick patty can carry flavour through the meat itself, while a smash burger depends heavily on seasoning and careful cooking.
“With a thick patty, you can get away with them. You don't have to put a lot of things on it because the meat is there. It's doing its job,” said Sifo.
lutho.pasiya@nationalmg.co.za