• McDonald's opens new Yagoona outlet 50 years after launching at the same site

Fifty years on from Australia's first brush with McDonald's, locals are again getting all aflame over US-style burgers, as new American chains bring their ultra-minimalist cheeseburgers to our shores.

People are queuing for hours for these stripped-back burgers, filled with little more than meat, cheese and mouth-puckering pickles, while local franchisees are investing big in American brands.

In the last 11 months, two major US outfits, Wahlburgers and Five Guys, have opened in Australia and will launch 20 stores apiece in the next five years.

They join other US exports staging an Aussie invasion such as Carl's Jr., while local businesses such as Slim's Quality Burger are helping to spread the word that less on a burger is more. It's a big shift from our beetroot-stained and stacked Aussie burger.

Warren Hammond, who leads concept direction and brand at food service company Delaware North, believes this is the third wave of Australia's US burger obsession.

Huxtaburger kickstarted it in 2011 in Melbourne, followed by heavily researched American-style menus a few years later at Mary's in Sydney and Easey's, also in Melbourne.

"Those Australian operators almost did that [ground] work for them," he says of the new US chains opening here.

IBISWorld forecasts the number of burger shops, currently 8500 including fast-food chains such as Hungry Jack's, will grow 2.5 per cent this year. It's a jump from 1.1 per cent annually over the last five years.

Each Five Guys store that's opened here since September 2021 has generated enormous buzz, selling more than 1000 burgers each day in their opening week.

People queued for four hours at the Penrith store in western Sydney on opening day and Melburnians for an hour at Southbank last month.

The explanation for the lines might be as simple as herd mentality: a queue in one city can create a queue in the next, especially with the help of social media.

Hammond believes our burger enthusiasm is a reaction against wholesome "fitspo" menus that were dominant over the last five years.

Brand manager of Five Guys, Robby Andronikos, says it's about choice. "I think Australians like variety and I think Australia has been quite saturated with a lot of main players."

Aussie outfit Slim's Quality Burger, established in December in Sydney's inner west, offers a brief menu of 11 simple burgers that co-founder Nik Rollison believes ties in with the retro diner vibe of Slim's stores.

"You don't see a hundred burgers on menus from the '50s or '60s. We think a lot of operators have lost their way with burgers getting away from that simple [formula]," he says.

From its napkin holders to its curved bars and neon signs, Slim's is heavily invested in American nostalgia. It's even opening eight drive-ins and drive-throughs across Queensland and Victoria next year.

"Basically it's everything like a drive-in used to be except for the rollerskates," says Rollison.

"We're something new and exciting to 16 to 25 year olds, who may not have seen a concept like this, but we also resonate to the older generation because it's how it used to be."

How many more burger joints does Australia need, though?

Neil Perry, who pioneered chef-made burgers at Rockpool Bar & Grill in 2006 (followed by now-closed Burger Project in 2014), believes people will find their own personal favourite among the many outlets.

"Lots of people love the Whopper and a lot of people love the Big Mac and never the twain shall meet," he says. "It just depends on personal preferences."

Hammond of Delaware North says the newer operators are different from more established fast-food burger chains because of the sourcing of their ingredients. "It is premiumised; there's a lot of care and attention put into every element."

Both Five Guys and Slim's emphasise freshness. Their kitchens are behind glass so customers can see what's going on, bags of potatoes for hand-cut chips are stacked in Five Guys stores, while Slim's claims it hand-churns its ice-cream.

"Your food is cooked fresh from the minute you pay rather than having a pre-prepared product," says Iain Ross-Mackenzie, Five Guys' senior director of operations Asia-Pacific.

Hammond sees the latest burger wave as part of a wider embrace of Americana in our food, whether it's hoagies (a New York style of sandwich) or reubens.

Could stripped-back burgers make the great Aussie burger – loaded with egg, beetroot, lettuce, tomato and even pineapple – an endangered species?

Perry loves both the Aussie and American take on the burger (but hold the beetroot). But he did serve Rockpool's burger with lettuce and tomato on the side, so people could add as much salad as they liked.

"I do believe that meat, pickle, onion, sauce and cheese is really where a burger's at."

Your field guide to the latest wave of American burgers in Australia

A burger is a burger is a burger. Right? Not according to superfans, who will tell you there are subtle differences between each of the chains now serving US-style burgers locally. Let us help you decide which one is for you. We've included a price comparison of the most simple burger with cheese at each outlet.

Five Guys (Sydney CBD, Penrith, Southbank (Melbourne))

Known for its endlessly customised burgers, this US chain asks customers to buy a basic burger of bread, patties and cheese, then choose from 15 toppings to create exactly the burger they want. Don't expect beetroot, egg or pineapple; this place is as American as it gets. Priding themselves on a no-freezer policy and hand-formed patties, Five Guys also cooks each burger to order. Hot dogs, customisable milkshakes and a small selection of sandwiches complete the menu.

Cheeseburger: $21 (includes two patties and as many toppings as you want)

Carl's Jr. (36 stores nationally)

Old-fashioned hospitality and hand-made are the buzzwords at this chain, which began in California in 1941. Find hand-scooped ice-cream in the shakes, hand-crumbed chicken and 100 per cent Australian Angus beef burgers, made fresh to order. The burgers cover Aussie and American ground, with large rounds of raw onion on some and little more than lettuce and cheese on others.

Famous Star with Cheese: from $8.95 (prices vary according to location)

Wahlburgers (Sydney CBD, Warriewood, Manly and Perth)

What started as one restaurant in Boston is now a global company helmed by chef Paul Wahlberg, brother of Mark Wahlberg. The first venue opened at Sydney Opera Quays earlier this year, followed by outlets across the country and New Zealand. Decorated with photos and memorabilia from the brothers' upbringing in the working-class neighbourhood of Dorchester, the chain offers beef burgers made with brisket, short rib and Angus chuck patties alongside chicken, fish and vegie options. There's a head-spinning range of sides and sauces, and a few Australian-inspired flavours for good measure. Vegemite aioli, anyone?

The Our Burger: $17.50

Slim's Quality Burger (Marrickville, Mt Druitt, Sydney CBD)

Would you like nostalgia with that? With its futuristic curves, chequered floors and light-boxes, a visit to Slim's is a quick route to mid-century America. The burgers on potato rolls complete the time-warp, with subtle variations between each like lettuce or no lettuce, pickles or not. Desserts are just as simple, with vanilla ice-cream cups or sundaes in three flavours. But the fries get really fun, loaded with bacon and cheese, and the spiders scream pure joy.

Slim's Original: $8.50

Karen's Diner (locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast)

Language warning: this colourful chain of diners is not for the prim and prudish. Since launching as a pop-up at Sydney's World Square last year, the brand has built its name on horrible hospitality delivered by sharp-tongued rockabilly servers, with venues opening across the country and overseas. Along with over-the-top attitude there's a menu of Americana-style burgers made with wagyu beef plus creamy thickshakes and retro cocktails.

The Basic Karen: $22 (includes fries)

Betty's Burgers (40+ stores nationally)

The vibes here are less American diner and more cruisy Australian burger shack, but the retro theme is strong nonetheless. Options from this casual Noosa-born chain include classics such as Angus beef or fried chicken alongside mushroom, plant-based patties and all-out vegan. You'll also find salads, onion rings, thick- or thin-cut chips and a kids' menu.

Betty's Classic: $11.50 (takeaway)