How the Restaurant Burger Went from Cheap Indulgence to Luxury Meal

The Burger Américain, a fastidious and Frenchified version of the Big Mac served at Le Diplomate, set diners back $14 when Stephen Starr debuted his stylish brasserie in Washington, D.C. in 2013. Thirteen years later, the same burger and fries cost $29.

Starr had a one-word reaction when informed about the 100-percent-plus price increase for one of Washington’s favorite burgers: "Unbelievable."

If Starr, a highly decorated restaurateur with dining rooms in multiple cities, is stunned by the burger inflation at one of his own places, imagine how other Americans feel. The wholesale price of ground beef has soared between 18 and 30 percent in the past few years, restaurateurs tell The Washington Post, and that doesn't take into account the other factors contributing to the increasingly lofty price of a restaurant burger: insurance, labor, rent, utilities, repairs. Prices for each have increased as well, owners say.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.