The Actual Difference Between A Hamburger And A Steakburger

Even though hamburgers are seen as a money pit in restaurants, most sell them out of obligation, simply because they are popular. Scan the menu further in some spots, though, and you might see a similar but separate item: A steakburger. Huh? Aren't those the same thing? As it turns out, there is one major difference between the two, and that is the cut of beef that was ground up to make the patty.

Steakburgers actually tend to be made from higher-end types of beef — those that you would associate with actual steaks, like sirloin, especially, but also ribeye, T-bone, and even Wagyu. Hamburgers, on the other hand, are often made from ground chuck, a much more affordable cut of beef, though it still has a big, beefy flavor (which makes it perfect for patties).

While this is the most significant difference between the two, there are further traits that will bring them into sharper relief. Let's examine some other ways hamburgers and steakburgers contrast.

As we have just pointed out, steakburgers are typically made with more premium cuts of beef, so it follows that they are going to cost more whether at the fast food level — like the Steak 'n Shake chain — or in sit-down restaurants. For example, a single steakburger at Steak 'n Shake will set you back $4.44 while a regular hamburger at McDonald's costs half that amount, at $2.19 (and it's even cheaper in some markets, at just $1.79). However, there is no legal definition (or standard) for what constitutes a steakburger, so always check with the establishment what blend of beef they use.

If the beef used in the steakburger is more marbled, like ribeyes or Wagyu tends to be, it might also be a lot fattier (and perhaps greasier) than your typical hamburger, but then that can also lend itself to being more flavorful. Finally, steakburgers can withstand more mix-ins than hamburgers, which, in conjunction with the richer ground beef, lends itself to more depth of flavor. Steakburgers can hold up to additional herbs and spices in the mix — though they don't need any of that to shine — and can be made to taste even more decadent with the addition of premium toppings, like caramelized onions or thick-cut bacon.

Because hamburgers are typically made with ground beef chuck, as well as other cheaper cuts of meat, they are less expensive than steakburgers, as we have noted. But they're also more accessible, especially at the grocery store level, where you can find packages of ground beef in any supermarket meat case (as well as pre-formed patties, in some instances). But you would have to actually buy the cuts of steak and grind them yourself at home to make steakburgers, and this typically requires an extra tool, like a food processor or a meat grinding attachment for a pricey Kitchenaid mixer (though you can do it with a sharp enough knife and a little elbow grease).

Hamburgers are also easier to find in restaurants at every level of dining, except perhaps for fine dining (where the steakburger is likely to take precedence, if there's even a burger at all on the menu). McDonald's, with its basic, cheap, and uniform burgers, has over 41,000 locations around the world while Steak 'n Shake's fast food locations number only about 450. And whereas steakburgers may be more commonly blended with other flavorful ingredients, hamburger patties are typically seasoned simply — even Bobby Flay only uses two ingredients to season his patties (salt and pepper).