the unqualified economist

Rev at BurgerConquest and Bundle examine  price/value of burgers around the country (currently, this is my current favorite graph).

Both In-N-Out and Minetta Tavern have huge followings: Celebrities Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Paris Hilton have all been spotted at In-N-Out, while Minetta Tavern’s Black Label Burger has been described as “without question a riveting experience” by former New York Times food critic Frank Bruni. So, is it worth paying $26 for a burger when you can get equal enjoyment from one that costs $3.75?

To figure this out, we examined 30 of the most celebrated burger joints in America according to Epicurious, GQ, Food & Wine, and Rev Ciancio from the well-regarded burger blog Burger Conquest, who we called up to chat about hamburgers.

Click here to see the chart in high resolution, and see the list of top 30 burger joints here.

The burger joints on and to the right of the red line are considered absolutely worth it because of their very high rating. We’ve sectioned off the burger joints that are worth it by price point, so you’ll know where to go if you’re looking for a good, inexpensive burger under $10, a moderately priced burger between $10 and $15, and an expensive burger over $15. Both Minetta Tavern and In-N-Out make the cut, while the popular New York burger chain Shake Shack gets left behind due to its lower number of repeat customers (its popularity makes it a popular destination for tourists who eat once and don’t come back). But remember, a score of 50 to 80 is also considered relatively good, so although they’re not considered a “must visit” they’re still worth some consideration.