Burgers are trending all around the world. | Photo: Shutterstock
Burgers are a universal favorite, with 57% of consumers worldwide ordering them at restaurants. That’s up 2% from two years ago, according to Technomic’s 2025 Burger Global Menu Category Report.
While familiar toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, cheddar cheese and bacon continue to be top choices, countries around the globe are offering some pretty unique builds, from the patty itself to the condiments, add-ons and buns. Color, shape and size even play a part for their social media potential.
Here are 10 burger trends emerging in global markets that might inspire ideas for U.S. menus.
- Visual impact. In Japan, a chain called Dom Dom Hamburger introduced the striking Super Sentai Burger, a multi-color burger sporting the colors of the Super Sentai, the superheroes that inspired the Power Rangers. The burger has a red bun, blue-tinted cheddar, a yellow fried egg, pink tomato sauce and green lettuce. In France, the Black Smoke served at Roadside Burger is sandwiched in a black bun colored with squid ink.
The colorful Super Sentai Burger. | Photo courtesy of Dom Dom Hamburger
2. Local connections. Burger King launched a Sate XL Beef Burger in Malaysia, playing off one of the country’s well-loved street foods: Satay. Usually composed of chicken grilled on skewers and served with peanut sauce, the sate beef burger features a flame-grilled Whopper patty topped with crispy and raw onions and peanut sauce (kuah kacang).
3. Tastecations. Germany’s Burgerme chain created a Catalan burger to encourage customers to imagine a trip to Spain with each bite. The burger starts with a beef patty that’s topped with bacon, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, barbecue sauce and “authentic” aioli. The marketing push reinforces the message: “Get the taste of Spain delivered to your door!”
4. Cheese sauce everywhere. UAE’s Burger 28 offers a Cheese Volcano Burger served with a can of spicy cheese sauce that the eater pours over the burger at the table to create a lava effect. In addition to being Instagram bait, this item taps into the widespread dipping trend, where queso, nacho cheese and other warm, cheesy sauces are popular vehicles for dunking.
The Cheese Volcano Burger. | Photo courtesy of Burger 28
5. Breakfast themes. In Mexico, We Love Burgers partnered with Krispy Kreme and Heinz on the Gorgory Burger. It features a smashed beef patty with cheese, ketchup and bacon between two glazed doughnuts.
6. Sliders & minis. Sliders are big in the U.S. too, but it’s the packaging on this version that is trendsetting. Flat Burger in Saudi Arabia introduced Flat Coins mini burgers in a portable box that slides open. The downsized burgers also fit into the worldwide surge in snacking, where snacks are increasingly replacing breakfast and lunch.
Sliders in a slider box. | Photo courtesy of Flat Burger
7. Fruity toppings. Tastien, a fast-food burger concept in China, debuted a line of Angus burgers topped with cubed peaches. While sweet-hot condiments are still trending, this topping plays up the emergence of sweet-and-savory pairings, with fruits varying by the seasons.
8. Pizza inspo. McDonald’s rolled out two pizza burgers in South Korea as a limited-time mashup. The Pepperoni Double Pizza Burger featured two beef patties layered with cheese, lettuce and tomato, then topped with pepperoni and pizza sauce, while the Pepperoni Mega Pizza Burger boasts four patties. The burgers come on softer, chewier sesame seed buns.
9. Flavored mayo. Garlic is still a top flavor addition to mayonnaise, with aioli a prime example, but Shake Shack launched a Salsa Macha Burger in Mexico that’s slathered with salsa macha mayo. The beef patty is also layered with melted pepperjack cheese, jalapeños, pickled red onion and cilantro. Salsa macha is a blend of dried chilies, nuts and seeds that impart a slightly crunchy texture.
10. Next Korean wave. Burger King ran a Korean Spicy Fest promotion in India, with a Spicy Paneer Burger part of the collection. Now that consumers around the world are familiar with gochujang, bibimbap and Korean fried chicken, the next wave of authentic ingredients is gaining traction. This vegetarian patty is made with paneer, an Indian cheese, infused with red chilies, ginger, garlic and sesame seeds and layered on a brioche bun with lettuce and spicy sauce. The marketing ties into K-culture with its “K-Binge and Chill Night” slogan.
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