The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) dining concept offers customers the freedom to customize their orders according to their own preferences. According to the 2016 Burger Report, DIY burgers are a popular trend in the United States since there is a huge demand for variety and customization1. The DIY burger concept is easily found across Southeast Asia, with many burger joints offering DIY options to their patrons.
Fat Boy’s The Burger Bar is one of the burger joints that offer DIY burgers. It was founded by two Singaporean brothers, Kennie and Bernie, in 2009. The burger joint serves regular burgers and other all-time American classic dishes such as fried chicken and steak2. Its DIY burger menu allows patrons to choose three different types of buns, various choices of meat patties such as grilled chicken or beef, and delicious add-ons that include bacon, cheese, and guacamole. Customers can also select a variety of sauces such as mustard, mayonnaise, peanut butter, nutella and more3. All these options result in 4,400 different combinations of burgers4.
In Malaysia, a California-based DIY burger joint called The Counter, was established in April 2015. Its chicken, beef, and turkey patties are Halal-certified. It also offers hand-cut ahi tuna and vegan patties. There are a dozen cheese options available, 23 ready-made sauces ranging from red relish to sesame ginger dressing, and 44 various toppings. A myriad of buns are served in the joint such as English muffin, brioche, ciabatta, multi-grain, sourdough, and pretzel. Customers can also personalize their milkshakes by blending vanilla ice-cream with other ingredients such as apple crumble, espresso, or cookies5.
Eight Cuts Burger Blends is a popular DIY burger joint in the Philippines. It received an award as Manila’s Best Burger Joint in December 20146. It serves five custom burger blends made from 100% U.S. beef meats, which are house blend, beef bomb, steak cut, big game, and ox blend.
Besides burger joints, fast food restaurants are also offering customers the DIY option. Singapore is the first Asian country where fast-food giant McDonald’s launched its first-ever DIY kiosk7. These electronic stations are known as “Create Your Own Taste” kiosks, where patrons can customize their own gourmet burgers with 26 different ingredients. In Thailand, McDonald’s has also introduced this DIY concept in Bangkok in December 2015, where customers can choose premium patties such as Angus beef or kurobuta meat8.
Based on a study by Technomic in 2015, 72 per cent of customers expect restaurants to offer customization in their services9. Backed by research in the industry and constant consumer demands, restaurateurs can consider expanding their offerings to include the DIY option to their patrons.
References
1 The National Provisioner. (2016). The 2016 Burger Report: Packed with flavour. [online] Available at: http://www.provisioneronline.com/articles/103024-the-2016-burger-report-packed-with-flavor
2 Asiaone Business. (2016). Burger bar with huge taste for customer service. [online] Available at: http://business.asiaone.com/news/burger-bar-huge-taste-customer-service
3 Sixmealsperday. (2016). Fatboy’s Burger Bar @ Joo Chiat Road. [online] Available at: http://www.sixmealsperday.com/2016/07/07/fatboys-burger-bar-joo-chiat-road/
4 Sixmealsperday. (2016). Fatboy’s Burger Bar @ Joo Chiat Road. [online] Available at: http://www.sixmealsperday.com/2016/07/07/fatboys-burger-bar-joo-chiat-road/
5 Eat Drink KL. (2015). The Counter Malaysia: Custom Built Burgers @ Pavilion. [online] Available at: http://eatdrinkkl.blogspot.sg/2015/04/the-counter-malaysia-custom-built.html
6 Our Awesome Planet. (2014). 8 CUTS Burger Blends: Manila’s Best Burger Joint for 2014! @8cutsburger #meatourblends. [online] Available at: http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2014/12/8-cuts-burger-blends.html
7 Vulcan Post. (2015). McDonald’s Customised Gourmet Burger Kiosks Expanding To Yishun And Raffles City. [online] Available at: https://vulcanpost.com/230931/mcdonalds-customised-gourmet-burger-kiosks/
8 Inside Retail Asia. (2015). McDonald’s Bangkok build-your-own burger pop up. [online] Available at: https://insideretail.asia/2015/12/10/mcdonalds-bangkok-build-your-own-burger-pop-up/
9 Forbes. (2016). Are Build-Your-Own Snacks The Next Big Food Trend? [online] Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrentristano/2016/03/04/are-build-your-own-snacks-the-next-big-food-trend/#47915d8380eb