Gone are the days where a burger was simply grilled - now it appears they must all be double-flipped, deconstructed or, to use one of the trendier buzzwords, 'smashed'.
However, while a flurry of eateries across the country started touting crispy, thin patties in lieu of a traditional hunk of meat, it appears the fad is already fading, with popular chain Gaucho among the first to follow.
In its latest winter and autumn menu, the Argentinian food bistro has revealed that they are 'listening to feedback from guests' and 'bringing back the classic 150g thick-stacked steak variant'.
'This menu is about listening to our guests and focusing on the bold, warming dishes they want at this time of year,' Anthony, Gaucho's Culinary Director, said.
'The beef and Malbec pie is a milestone for us - a first in our history and the return of our steakhouse burger reflects a shift away from the smash burger trend.'
While its among the first places to gently move away from the hyped influencer-favourite, with millions of social media videos reviewing the popular dish, one expert has revealed it's sure to begin its gradual descent.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, food consultant Renae Smith said as a general rule, diners just want simple things done well.
'Do you remember Froyo? Freakshakes? Matcha-flavoured everything?' they explained.
In its latest winter and autumn menu, the Argentinian bistro has revealed that they are 'listening to feedback from guests' and 'bringing back the classic 150g thick-stacked steak variant'.
While its among the first places to gently move away from the hyped influencer-favourite, with millions of social media videos reviewing the popular dish, one expert has revealed it's sure to begin its gradual descent.
'Smash burgers are just the latest to join that list of food fads we all went wild for... until we didn't.
'At first, they felt like a fun twist on the classic, but REALLY it was still just another burger. The hype's worn off.
What we're seeing now is a return to substance: burgers as comfort food, not content. People want the classics, done properly, without the gimmicks.
'Burgers will always have a place on menus as they're a staple. But venues that built their entire brand personality around smash burgers are going to struggle unless they're in that top-tier, cult-following category.'
'If a burger was only ever there to ride the hype wave, it's time for a rethink.'
Renae added that restaurants must 'reassess their brand alignment and make sure every dish actually builds their identity, not just fills a trend gap'.
'The consumer palate is maturing again and the brands that survive past the trend wave wears off (between six to 18 months) are the ones offering real value and originality, not just the latest thing off TikTok,' she concluded.
A smash burger, thought to have been popularised in the US, consists of a much flatter bite than its chunky brother.
The key is in the Maillard reaction - named after French chemist Louis Camille Maillard, who discovered that when amino acids and reducing sugars react, they create a distinctive flavour in the browned result that gets our taste buds tingling in a way that's strangely addictive.
Achieving this reaction in a burger takes plenty of heat, good meat, and the trademark 'smashing' technique that sees balls of minced beef squished and squashed until the patty itself is thin as thin can be, with the crust we have all come to love.
It comes amid a peak - and perhaps fatigue - of smash burger fame, after the last two years have seen social media has been bombarded with food lovers debating the best smash burger spots in UK cities from London to Manchester as well as TikToks of burger cooks squishing down the beef patties getting millions of views.
Videos of hungry food bloggers chowing down on colossal smashburgers have gone viral including one of TikToker 'Eating with Tod' challenging viewers to 'smash' a 10 patty smashburger from Camden eatery Bill or Beak.
A common or garden smash burger is one to four thin and crispy patties which are topped with American cheese and pickles, ketchup and mustard; although Honest Burgers top their smash burgers with their signature brown butter mustard mayo.
However, more recently it appears that culinary experts are drawing away from the smash to lean back to the original patty.
Speaking to the Go To Food Pod, chef Gabriel Pryce of Rita's Dining said he'd 'love to see non-smash burgers back'.
'Smash burgers don't quite understand that one,' John Devitt of Koya Soho added. 'I like my burger to have a little bit of blood in it.'
Others also slammed the recipe for lending itself to 'overcooked' meat.
'What's wrong with a big, fat, juicy burger?' Jake Finn of Cinder London questioned. 'Like, old school?'
However it may well take longer for most customers to grow tired of the smash - as the dish appears to maintain a strong foothold in the culinary scene.
Earlier this year, a smashed burger was crowned the UK's best - at the 11th annual competition.
Black Bear was crowned the winner at the cooking competition after chef Stewart Down wowed a panel of industry judges with his signature creation.
The winning burger featured two 45-day aged beef patties, cheese, smoked bacon, miso butter mayo and onion, sandwiched between a bespoke sesame seed bun.
Black Bear has sites across London including in Exmouth Market, Brixton , Victoria, Canary Wharf, Shoreditch and Camden.
Mr Down revealed he was surprised at winning this year after two unsuccessful attempts at the top spot.
He said: 'I was pretty surprised. We've competed two times before - came third last year and won the Bloggers' Choice Award after that; but this was the one we wanted.
'We've been going for over seven years and this is recognition as we've been so focused on doing burgers the best we possibly can.
'To come here and get something like this is pretty special. This changes things. We've seen past winners; they are big impressive names. To be up there with likes of them is amazing.'