If you’re firing up the grill this summer, odds are good there’s a smash burger on it. Social media chatter about smash burgers is up 47% year over year, according to Tastewise, a sign the technique is moving into regular backyard use. In fact, smashburgers are now a backyard staple: fast, reliable and built for a hot griddle or flat-top.
All you need is ground beef, a hot surface, a heavy spatula and 10 minutes. What started in restaurants has moved beyond menus to become a practical way for home cooks to achieve consistent hamburger patty results without much effort.
The number of burgers labeled “smash” or “smashed” on U.S. menus jumped 21.9% between the third quarter of 2023 and the third quarter of 2024, according to Tastewise, and the National Restaurant Association named them one of the top menu trends in its 2026 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast.
A restaurant smash sizzles in backyards
Smash burgers began on commercial flat-top griddles, where cooks pressed loosely packed balls of beef onto a hot surface, creating thin patties with deeply browned, crisp edges. The method spread through fast-casual chains and food media before landing in home kitchens.
What made it stick was its reliability. There are no marinades, no special seasoning blends and very little technique beyond pressing the meat at the right moment. Because the process does most of the work, even novice cooks can turn out a decent burger.
Fast, simple and forgiving
At its core, the method is straightforward: form a loose ball of ground beef, place it on a hot surface and press it flat with a heavy spatula. The thin patty cooks quickly, usually in just a few minutes per side. That speed removes much of the guesswork that comes with thicker burgers.
A thick patty requires careful heat management to cook through without burning the outside, while a smash burger cooks fast and evenly, making it easier to hit the right doneness without constant attention. Most are built with two thin patties stacked together rather than one thicker one. That creates more browned surface area and gives the burger enough structure to hold toppings. The result is a burger that feels substantial without requiring complicated cooking.
Why the flavor stands out
The appeal of smash burgers comes down to surface contact. Pressing the beef firmly against a hot pan or griddle increases the surface area of the meat in contact with the cooking surface, resulting in deeper browning. That browned crust is where much of the flavor develops.
Because the technique forms the crust quickly, the inside of the patty stays relatively moist, and balancing these factors is a big part of the appeal. Unlike thicker burgers, which often rely on added seasonings or mix-ins, smash burgers build flavor through the cooking process itself.
Minimal gear
One reason smash burgers have spread as widely as they have is that they don’t depend on a traditional grill. The same technique works on a stovetop with a cast-iron pan, on an outdoor griddle or on a flat-top insert placed over grill grates. That flexibility makes the method accessible to a wider range of cooks, including those without outdoor space. It also means the technique isn’t limited to summer. Once people start making smash burgers, they tend to use the same process year-round.
A heavy, stiff spatula with a wide blade helps apply even pressure when smashing the patty, but the cooking surface matters just as much. Cast-iron pans, carbon-steel skillets and flat-top griddles all retain heat well enough to produce the deep browning that defines smash burgers. An 80/20 ground beef blend works best for these burgers. The higher fat content renders quickly during the short cook time, helping keep the patties from drying out.
Built for how people cook now
Grilling habits have shifted in recent years. Instead of all-day backyard gatherings, more people are cooking smaller meals on weeknights and looking for options that don’t require much planning or attention.
Smash burgers are ready in minutes, scale easily for any crowd and don’t require a long preheat or extended time on the grill. Cooking for two or a group follows the same process. And once the burgers are done, the same pan handles smashed potatoes without any extra cleanup.
A trend that sticks
Burgers have long been a staple of American grilling, but the way they’re made continues to evolve. Cooking trends come and go, but the ones that last usually make a familiar food easier to prepare without sacrificing quality. Smash burgers are faster, simpler and more consistent than standard grilling, which is why they’re likely to stick around.
Anne Jolly is a seasoned writer and creator of the Upstate Ramblings blog, which explores America’s unique food culture. Her work on culinary trends and food traditions has appeared in major publications, including MSN, Fortune, The Mercury News, The Seattle Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Education Week. When not writing, she experiments with new recipes and discovers local food gems in upstate New York.