Quality sells: 45% of consumers say they are willing to pay more for premium burger ingredients, says Chicago-based Technomic. Nearly half also are interested in trying alternative proteins such as buffalo or ostrich.

63% of diners want to be able to customize toppings, Technomic reports. For this build-your-own version from Las Vegas’ Stripburger, thick-cut bacon and fried- onion strings join typical toppings.

Stripburger staff prepare burgers to order following a strict method: Patties are lightly salted, placed on a hot grill over a low flame, salted again, peppered and moved only when they’re cooked halfway through.

Holding court in a prime spot on the Las Vegas Strip, Stripburger epitomizes the upscale burger joints sweeping the foodservice scene. The seven-month-old concept—an open-air restaurant and bar built in the round—is the latest Vegas concept from Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE). Here are the vital stats on the restaurant’s signature burger:

• The Beef: 7 ounces of 100% all-natural, 80%-lean chuck that’s ground in-house throughout the day to ensure freshness.
• The Bun: All-natural, old-fashioned in style and 4½ inches in diameter; both sides are brushed lightly with butter and then toasted.
• On Top: Iceberg lettuce, beefsteak tomato, pickles, red onions and mayonnaise are standard; specialty toppings include fried-onion strings, roasted green chiles, caramelized onions and guacamole.
• On The Side: Fresh-cut fries, fried pickle chips, fried-onion strings, chili and “Atomic Cheese Fries.”
• The Chef: Susan Weaver, a former executive chef at the Four Seasons Hotel New York, is divisional culinary director for Stripburger as well as for LEYE’s Mon Ami Gabi and Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! restaurants in Las Vegas.