Ordering a burger at a restaurant equates to getting an overpriced, fussy, topping-heavy meal that doesn't exhibit the chef's forte, and eateries don’t want you to order them.

With the cost of food and labor rising, many restaurants are eating the cost rather than passing the price hike onto the diners, and they often lose money on burgers in particular.

Chef Geoff Davis of Oakland's Burdell told The NY Times, "If you have $40 or $50 entrees and […] a $19 burger, and a third of the people get the burger, you're losing […] money."

For this reason, restaurateurs prefer to sell higher-priced entrees over burgers. However, many chefs believe that having a burger on the menu actually pays off in two key areas.

Chef Kris Komori of Boise's Kin told The NY Times that burgers help eateries push their cocktail and beverage programs. Plus, it eases diners into getting a pricier dish later on.

As chef Johnny Spero of Washington D.C.'s Reverie explained, serving burgers "helps build trust." He added, "Not everyone wants to do a tasting menu or get a whole roasted duck."