It’s one of the most common images among the culinary content that shows up most on platforms like Instagram or TikTok. Burgers don’t just win in physical life — they also win digitally, since burger videos are one of the food phenomena with the biggest impact on social media.
This type of content hooks users because it triggers so-called «virtual hunger.» Close-up shots of food with cheese melting, the sound of a knife on toasted bread to trigger the famous «ASMR» effect, or the image of someone enjoying a bite of steaming meat — these are effects that manage to hold our attention and bring back memories of the enjoyment tied to eating burgers.
The result: millions of views, and new generations of users rediscovering the potential of beef thanks to a dish that keeps reinventing itself and continually starring in viral trends.
Smash burgers, viral stars
One of the clearest examples is the smash burger — a ball of ground beef smashed onto the griddle until it becomes a crispy, thin patty inside a burger. Its presence on social media is constant: in recipes, restaurant recommendations, or user testimonials enjoying them. This is confirmed by data from the consultancy Tastewise, which points to smash burgers accounting for roughly 70% of burger-related posts on Instagram.
But viral trends aren’t limited to simply showing this kind of tasting. In recent years, content around unexpected mashups has also taken off — think tacos filled with burger meat, or salads built from classic burger ingredients like ground beef, cheese, pickles, bacon, and, of course, lettuce as the base.
Beef hooks Gen Z
Even though younger generations are open to exploring all kinds of diets, beef still hooks the youngest consumers. There’s a growing, tangible focus on protein as a central element of eating, and food industry market analysis is pointing in that same direction. That’s why beef remains a staple on the menu for all consumers — even those who have chosen to moderate their intake.
The combination of the visual appeal of new recipes and the ongoing demand for beef as a protein source shows just how powerful beef remains, and how it continues to be a key ingredient across every layer of society.
New formulas for new consumers
This digital success has old roots — the power of beef as part of culinary identity and as a culture of gathering and celebration. But to keep enjoying it, food innovation is needed — not as a substitute, but as a complement that meets the growing demand for beef.
The essentials don’t change, and neither do the techniques. But the formulas do — like cultivated meat, which lets us keep accessing beef, a protein that remains essential for Gen Z and that stays at the center of the conversation.
