Buns, beef, stars and stripes

"I don't think there's a pent-up burger demand. Rather, when given the option to try something new, people in Shanghai don't turn it down."

For Will Bray, the managing director of The Greater China Restaurant Company, the boom in the burger segment can be traced back to the success that Western brands have achieved back in their home countries.

"I think one of the reasons is that hamburger culture in the West has reached peak mania over the last four to five years and has become its own category with brands from the low end to the high end. This has in turn inspired many individuals to open their own hamburger restaurants.

"In addition, several hamburger operators have seen success and growth in their home markets and have looked toward new markets for new growth opportunities. The obvious example of this is Shake Shack."

Shirley Huang, food editor of Modern Weekly, says the entry of gourmet burger chains such as Shake Shack also illustrates how consumers today are more discerning than ever.

Gourmet burger restaurants are defined as those that advertise their food as higher quality than regular fast food outlets. Shake Shack is one such company, saying its burger patties are made using a proprietary blend comprising different whole muscle cuts of Angus beef instead of trimmings.