Burgers have been an American staple for the past several decades. Whenever someone not native to the United States thinks about America, burgers are one of the first things that come to mind, so it’s no surprise how popular burgers are, even in the St. Louis area. With St. Louis being one of the hottest cities in the nation for business startups,  more and more burger shops are opening up.

While popular chains like Steak n’ Shake and Five Guys are some people’s go-to burger joint, there are several small, locally owned burger stops as well.

Junior Logan Pauley said, “I like Five Guys. Their burgers are the bomb, and it’s close by.”

Other students have personal favorites, places that require a longer voyage.

“For me it’s gotta be Stacked, no contest. It’s by the city,” said senior Dylan Gornati.

It seems that new restaurants are opening up every month, especially in rapidly growing places like Maplewood, Clayton, and Central West End. Popular New York City based restaurant chain Shake Shack will be opening a restaurant in Central West End by the end of the year, according to the founder Danny Meyer, a St. Louis native.

Shake Shack recently offered St. Louisans a sneak peek at what it has to offer with a collaborative ‘pop-up shop’ with Italian restaurant Porano Pasta downtown on October 28. By 11am, the line to get in reached around the block–in 40 degree weather. After asking a few patient burger enthusiasts, it turns out that almost none of them have ever eaten Shake Shack before. So what compelled the to line of people to wait well over an hour for a burger that they weren’t guaranteed to get?

While initially it was thought that they were recommended by a friend, it turns out that most of the people in line never even heard of Shake Shack. One woman said, “I just saw an article on it. I like burgers and trying new things, so I thought why not?” Another man in line said, “I just want me some burgers, man.”

The enthusiasm for burgers–Shake Shack in this case–might be a result of the ‘startup culture’ that St. Louis has gained over the past decade or so. Ben Casselman from fivethirtyeight.com named St. Louis “The New Startup Frontier.” Popular Mechanics magazine named St. Louis the No. 1 startup city in America. New businesses, including restaurants, are popping up left and right, and the younger community of St. Louis seems to be eager to try them all.

The go-to burger joints at Windsor seem to by Five Guys, Steak n Shake, Bob’s, and Ginny’s. Others like to travel for a more unique burger experience. Personally, my favorite burger stop is Spencer’s Grill in Kirkwood. To see how your favorite burger shop stacks against the rest, check the poll on The Hoot.