Hamburgers are America’s favorite food. Consumers spend more than $100 billion on the beef sandwiches every year. But despite America’s infatuation with burgers, there is considerable dissatisfaction among consumers based on hamburger quality and value. Many customers just aren’t happy with what is served up at market-leading fast-food outlets. They want a better burger, and they won’t hesitate to pay a higher price to get one. Enter Smashburger. Started just a few years ago in Denver, Colorado, Smashburger is now a rapidly expanding chain of more than 100 stores in 17 states. And all this growth happened during a severe economic downturn despiteSmashburger’s average lunch check of $8. Many customers pay as much as $10 or $12 for a burger, fries, and shake. The Smashburgervideo shows how this small startup has pulled off a seemingly impossible challenge.

Discuss the three major pricing strategies in relation to Smashburger. Which of these three do you think is the company’s core strategic strategy?

What effect does Smashburger’s premium price have on consumer perceptions?

Is Smashburger’s success based on novelty alone or will it continue to succeed? Explain.