I’m live-blogging my SAS EuroBonus SkyTeam Million Mile challenge this week. Click here for background and route information.
I ordered a cheeseburger on SAS from London to Copenhagen. Could the Scandinavian carrier pull off what it calls a smash burger?
SAS Smash Burger – Yay Or Nay?
US readers may know that Smashburger is a US fast-food burger chain, but do not be confused…this was not an exclusive deal like Delta Air Lines announcement this week it would partner with Shake Shack. Instead, it appears that SAS has decided the term “smash burger” is general enough not to cause confusion…and at least in Europe, that may be the case.
While SAS offers a limited menu of buy-onboard items, it offers more from a pre-order menu, including heartier meals and more recently, burgers.
I ordered an SAS “smash burger” for 7EUR. There really was no other description beyond (“cheddar, caramelized onions, and burger mayo”) as well as the picture of the burger had cheese on it.
After we reached cruising altitude, flight attendants commenced service and my burger promptly arrived piping hot.
It was wrapped in a bag and had the ingredients listed, though no nutrition facts. While it seems that SAS has fewer preservatives or additives than the cheeseburgers that United Airlines served onboard, the ingredient list was still a bit long.
The burger definitely was not pretty…in fact, it looked pretty awful.
But I did eat it…and I did like it. Now I’m just a sucker for burgers so maybe that’s that, but I thought the meat patty and the cheese were fresh and the beef was certainly not the lowest quality cut.
In short, a good effort by SAS and I appreciated the ability to have a hot lunch onboard during the short 90-minute fight from LHR to CPH.
Each week, my Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago.
Recipes for making a smash burger add sugar into the beef to get the caramelized crust on the patties. Why this cant be done with heat I don’t understand.
Sugar isn’t needed, just high enough fat content, the right griddle temperature, and correct technique.
It looks terrible, so much bun, white flour, that goes to the waistline; then, the slice of artificial cheese on such a small patty; I’d rather have a slice of meatloaf, served with potato & vegetable.
Be careful or you’ll ruin your piping hot body with that airline food, pretty boy.
Phrase smash burger is pretty common even throughout the United States, has to do with the patty preparation. That said I don’t understand how you can have a microwavable smashburger since the whole point is you create the patty on the grill but what do I know
Was going to comment on this as well. The term “Smash Burger” is actually referring to a technique and style of burger. You are seeing it used more and more at many places, especially at lifestyle hotels which try to make anything sound better. Reality is, it’s a burger. It fits in well with lifestyle branding in making something sound as if trending when it’s really, well, a “nothing burger” in difference.
Looks like it got smashed!! I would still eat it.
The onions would be a deal breaker for me.
Think we’ll stick with Qatar Airways’ seared beef cheeseburger with accompaniments & waffle fries.