What's the difference between an average burger and a great one?

The amount of hormones in the beef…

Pickles

Good meat, good bread.

Good quality meat with a good fat content, I like a 20% fat patty cooked to about medium-rare if I am making it myself.

Bread that has some substance and won't fall apart. I usually like a brioche bun but that isn't strictly necessary.

You don't need a bunch of gimmicky condiments or presentation, or anything that will overwhelm the taste of the meat either. I might add some cheese and mustard and that is about it.

Choosing fresh ingredients, quality beef, herbs, onions to personal tastes and cooking yourself.

Pastrami

Quality beef and good meat to bun ratio. Bonus if you top it with bacon and a fried egg.

Easy. The high grade of beef, followed by fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. I had such a burger in Germany. The beef was so great that I didn’t need to add mustard and ketchup like I usually do. This burger could stand on its own. I could say the same about the cola there, too. It tasted fresh and natural. Ironically, I had both in Hamburg, Germany.

Bison and cheese.

About $5

A bit unorthodox, but I've been putting some fried ラッキョウ (Japanese shallot / scallion / Chinese onion) into my patties and they are absolutely delicious.

ラッキョウ are usually at their best in late summer, you can pick up big bags of them cheap but they usually need washing.

I don't get the whole gourmet burger thing. Yes they can be quite good, but there are other foods out there.

I was in Dubai airport recently and there must have been about fifteen places doing burgers. Since it is the Middle East, I had hoped they would be places doing Middle Eastern food, kebabs, Lebanese, flatbreads, baba ganoush, etc. but no, just lots of samey places doing dolled-up burgers. Very conservative and very boring.

What's the difference between an average burger and a great one?

I think I know this one...

Is the answer about ¥ 1,200?

good 100% beef not that minchi mix crap you get in supermarkets. Also flame broiled. In Japan, I stick with Burger King.