How to brand burgers: leave a mark with this hot trend

Burger branding is a hot new trend that’s easy enough to do with the right tools in hand, but is it worth it, what are the benefits and how do you do it?

Adding this easy finishing touch will help to transform an ordinary burger into something special.

You can elevate your hand-crafted burgers into something that becomes more memorable for your customers – as long as it tastes good as well, of course. Not only that but focusing on the overall looks elevates a simple bit of grub into an Instagram worthy dish. So not only do you get props, it helps to drive visibility, engagement and ultimately helps to organically market your dishes, and your business online. These social kudos help to reenforce your brand.

By producing a product that your customers naturally want to share on social media, it takes some of the hard graft out of marketing your business and helps to get your brand out there. And all you need for the job is a food safe branding iron.

Whether you run a food truck with skeleton staff or are operating an upscale restaurant, it’s a viable option that’s easy to introduce.

How to get started with burger branding

Choosing your tool

You’ve decided you want to give it a go so the first step is choosing the right piece of equipment and getting the tool ordered with a custom logo. You’ll need to consider the size of your product and the size of your logo to ensure that your logo is effectively eye catching and legible whilst also fitting on the burger bun or other food correctly with no overspill.

Bear in mind that a stainless-steel base should be used when working with food. You will also need to decide what voltage you need and whether a voltage regulator would be suitable, particularly for infrequent use. The manufacturer you choose should be able to provide more specific guidance for your needs. We have some helpful information available on our product pages to help you select the right product for the job.

Considering your logo design

When it comes to logo design, you will want to choose a logo that is as simple as possible to ensure it adheres properly. Try to incorporate gaps around the lettering and white space around the overall design. All these elements combine to ensure that the finished effect will be easily legible and create an eye-pleasing finished effect. After that, it’s as simple as supplying your logo file to allow the custom tool to be manufactured.

Selecting the right buns for the job

For optimum results, choose plain burger buns, as seeded buns can create issues with gaps in the design. The seeds can also get burnt from the heat of the branding iron. This will result in an unpleasant taste and unsightly look, lowering the visual appeal of the finished effect.

The testing phase

It might be tempting to start serving branded burgers straight away; after all, how hard could it be, right? But actually, there are a few hurdles to overcome!

As with everything, practise makes perfect and doing some testing can make sure you get the proper hang of it before you start slanging burgers that have seen better days! So, testing is an essential first step. You will need to get to grips with your branding iron and methods to create the optimum finished result.

For example, you’ll need to learn how to prevent sticking and how much pressure to apply. You will also need to trial different temperature settings to find the optimal temperature and timing for the food surface and for your logo.

So, it’s essential to dedicate some time – and some buns – to testing your branding skills until you’re happy with the final results that you can confidently repeat.

How to Brand Burgers and Burger Buns

So, you’ve worked through the steps above – now let’s get into it. Exactly how do you brand a burger?

Step 1 – Lightly grease the logo of your iron with a high smoke point oil – avocado or vegetable oil will do the trick. Make sure not to apply too much. We recommend pouring a small amount of oil onto a small plate or a piece of foil and giving it a quick dab. This will help to prevent sticking and should be repeated for each bun with a very thin layer.

Step 2 – Lay out your burger bun on a flat surface, which is free from clutter, ensure you have ample room to move and that the cable won’t get caught on anything.

Step 3 - Take your heated branding iron and bring it down directly into the centre of the top bun, being careful not to press too hard, and be sure not to leave the iron in place for too long. Alternatively, you can rock your iron across the bun by following the curve. If you have a more complex logo, or a particularly soft type of bread, this may be the preferred method so as to prevent squashing it. You will need to test the length of time you leave the brand in place before lifting off to allow the design to be adequately printed into the bread. That’s it! You’ve branded your first burger.

Incorporating branding into your burger business can help to create an experience for your diners, and craft memorable, as well as delicious food and ultimately help you to gain more customers! We hope this how to guide is helpful. Shop our range of branding irons here.