No Trade-Off Required: Smashburger® Delivers on Taste and Value
Great value shouldn’t ask you to lower your standards.
At Smashburger®, we’ve always believed the food has to prove itself. That means starting with quality ingredients, sweating the details and putting in the work at the grill. No shortcuts. No asking you to believe the hype before you take the first bite.
Recently, Business Insider put that idea to the test. A writer set out with a $20 budget to see how far it could go at several fast-casual burger restaurants, weighing taste, portions and overall value. Smashburger came out on top for the strongest combination of taste and value.
We like the result. We like the reasons behind it even more.
It Started With the Classic Smash®
The order began with a single Classic Smash®. There’s a reason the Classic earns its name. It starts with Certified Angus Beef® and brings together American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, ketchup and Smash Sauce®.
But ingredients are only part of the story.
The smash matters.
Our made-to-order smashing technique creates the sear, caramelization and texture that define the burger. That craft is central to how we build flavor at Smashburger®, not something we added because smashed burgers started having a moment. Our team has been focused on the craft of the smash since the beginning.
That distinction came through in the review. The writer called out the beef's fresh taste, pronounced beef flavor and the seared crust of the patty. That’s what we mean when we talk about standards you can taste.
Smashfries® Earned Their Spot, Too
A burger like that deserves a side that does more than fill the basket.
Enter Smashfries®. Thin, crispy fries tossed with rosemary, garlic and olive oil, Smashfries® have their own point of view.
In the review, they weren't treated as an afterthought. Their thin cut and rosemary seasoning were specifically called out as a favorite part of the meal.
That matters to us.
We obsess over the whole meal because details add up. The burger. The sear. The toppings. The fries next to it. If it earns a place on the tray, it should earn the bite, too.
And There Was Still Room for a Shake
The $20 test didn't stop at a burger and fries.
The order also included a vanilla shake, bringing the complete Smashburger meal to $18.57 before tax and tip. The writer specifically noted its thick consistency.
Our hand-spun shakes are made with Häagen-Dazs® ice cream, because the same rule applies to dessert: ingredients matter.
Burger. Smashfries®. Shake.
Still under the writer's $20 budget.
Value Without the Trade-Off
Here's the part we care about most.
Value isn't just about finding the lowest number on a menu. It's about what you get for what you spend.
That idea is increasingly important to how we're thinking about Smashburger. Our own consumer work found that price can bring people into the conversation, but generic value messaging isn't what makes the brand distinctive. The stronger long-term story connects value to quality, craftsmanship and a product that earns its price.
So we'll keep doing what we know.
Start with ingredients that meet our standards. Put the work in at the grill. Smash to order. Build the sear. Pay attention to the details.
Then let the bite make the case.
No trade-off required.
Smashburger®. Belief is in the Bite™.