Today, a MacDonald’s Big Mac will cost you just over £5. But on the other end of the spectrum sits an ‘1849’ burger from Gordon Ramsay’s franchise inside top people’s store Harrods. The price? An eye-watering price of £85.
The celebrity chef’s offering is almost 17 times the price of the ubiquitous McDonald’s burger – but is it 17 times as good? Probably not, according to YouTuber Ed Chapman.
“£85 for a burger?” he said. “It’s obscene, it’s ridiculous, it’s stupid.” After sampling the Wagyu beef burger topped with pecorino cheese, mushroom ragu, truffle porcini, aioli, watercress and 12-year-old balsamic vinegar, Ed admitted that it was one of the nicest burgers he’d had. But he added that he “genuinely felt sick” to have paid that much for it.
The restaurant has mixed reviews from members of the public on TripAdvisor, with some praising the experience while others complained of dry, overcooked food that was “a chore to eat”.
Ed said that, from his point of view, Gordon Ramsay’s Burger delivers an experience that was “slightly better than I expected, but also ridiculous”. The truffle parmesan fries served alongside his burger “weren’t anything special at all” and if anything rather “soulless and dead”.
While the main attraction, the burger itself, was delicious, Ed claimed it did nothing to justify the sky-high price tag.
“The bill came to over £100 for a burger and a bottle of water,” Ed said. “Such an outrageous and stupid amount of money for a bit of meat in some bread.”
Acknowledging that the burger was delicious, he added: “I’m not sure what it could do to be worth that amount of money but it was a really good burger.
“It was juicy, it was flavoursome… it was really, really good. Honestly one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. However it cost £85. That’s such a ridiculous amount of money it genuinely makes me feel sick.”
If the burger had been priced at more like £28, Ed added, that would probably be a fair price. But as long as Gordon Ramsay continues to sell it for the better part of £100, “just don’t bother”.
Many who have bothered seemed underwhelmed by the experience, with one cheekily commenting: “Having tasted Gordon’s fare (or fare cooked to his spec and sanctioned by him, at least), I can confidently say that I can make better burgers than Gordon Ramsey.
“If he and I were to have a ‘burger-off’, I believe he would be gentlemanly enough to quietly concede to that fact too.”
But others loved the experience. One explained: “The burgers are simply amazing, and I had the famous 1849 Wagyu beef burger with truffle Parmesan fries. The Wagyu beef burger was definitely five stars, but the price at £80 is very high. Comfortable surroundings, friendly and attentive staff along with a good bottle of red and its 10/10 from me.”
Gordon Ramsay’s representatives have been contacted for comment.