Our Mission
Our mission is simple: to make burgers good.
We want our burgers to taste good and do you good. We challenge the idea of burgers being low in nutritional value and high in fat. That's why we make burgers the old-fashioned way, not the mass-produced, fast-food way. Ours are proper meals, not rubbery snacks that dissolve in seconds.
We do this by using only the highest quality, freshest ingredients, many of which are sourced locally from small, family producers. Every day, before we open the doors, we turn up the music and spend several hours preparing our ingredients (cutting buns, slicing tomatoes, mashing avocados...) that have been delivered fresh from the market.
We make every burger fresh to order on the flame grill in front of you so there's no hidden secrets. The grill gives our food its unique flavour and it's healthier than using a hot-plate.
Healthy Burgers?
It may sound like an oxymoron like 'Airline Food' and 'Corporate Culture' but it never used to be.
Going back a few years (before the burger became mass-produced & processed), the burger was a wholesome, nourishing meal. The burger was a perfect combination of basic foods - bread, meat and vegetables providing a good dose of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins & minerals. They didn't leave you feeling heavy, bloated or guilty afterwards.
That's what we mean by 'healthy burgers' today. We think a burger should contribute positively to your health and wellbeing by not only being good for you, but being made with wholesome natural ingredients sourced locally and prepared freshly for you once you place your order (and not before).
Our approach to Nutrition
Despite the 'healthy' tag, we're not health freaks (although we are prone to regular break-outs of boot camp in the wee hours...). When it comes to nutrition, we can be best described as passionate laymen (& women). We read widely and soak up information and advice from our nutritionist friends. We take a holistic approach to nutrition by focusing on more than just the nutrient levels in our foods. We don't just strive for low fat, low sugar everything at the expense of quality and flavour. We go for real foods with real flavour and believe nutrition is more than just a set of numbers. Feeling good about what you're eating contributes to our overall philosophy on nutrition - after all, a healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body! We're not perfect, but we are committed to continuously improving our products and helping you make informed decisions.
Our Ingredients Story
Buns
We use real buns not the overly processed variety. They're baked daily by a local baker and we don't add any sugar or artificial preservatives. We toast them so they're nice and crispy.
Beef
We use 100% lean Australian beef. Our butcher (who's the 2nd generation in the family) sources grass-fed beef from cool-climate places such as Gippsland and the High Country in Victoria. We use the prime chuck cut because it's the best cut for burgers (just ask Jamie Oliver). We grind it 3 times with a coarse grind so it has a nice home-made texture. We blend it with our signature tomato relish and selected natural herbs so our patties remain moist and there's no need for fillers. Nothing else is added. No preservatives. No binders. No poor cuts.
Chicken
We use 100% lean chicken breast, trimmed of all fat & delivered fresh to our door. We don't freeze it.
Lamb
We use 100% lean lamb. Like our beef, we grind it 3 times with a coarse grind for a home-made texture and we blend it with our signature tomato relish so it's moist and flavoursome. Preservative free.
Veggie
Our Veggie patties are 100% vegan. They're handmade to our unique recipe and contain no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or GMOs.
Fresh produce
Our produce (tomatoes, avocados, free-range eggs, carrots, Spanish onions etc...) is delivered from fresh local markets. We use a premium whole baby cos leaf for added crunch and texture and nutritional value (not like shredded, anemic iceberg lettuce).
Chips
Our thick-cut chips are cooked in high quality cholesterol-free oil that is changed regularly. We use A-Grade Russet-Burbank potatoes, ensuring that our chips are always on the large side - which means they absorb less oil than other chips (lower surface area to volume ratio) so they're nice and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Once cooked, they are sprinkled with our trademark Grill'd herb mix.
Relishes
Our signature herbed mayo, tomato relish & sweet chilli mayo are made by a local family company. They contain no artificial flavours, flavour enhancers, colours or preservatives. When it comes to mayonnaise, we choose to use the real thing and not the low fat versions. While it means more fat, it's mostly the healthy fats and by sticking with real ingredients, it means there's none of those additives you often find in low fat foods that are needed just to try and make up for the lost flavor that comes with keeping the fat down.
Nutrition Panels
Everyone's got individual needs, but if you're conscious about maintaining a healthy weight, look to the contribution a food makes towards your daily nutrient needs (or Daily Intake 'DI' values). As a general guide, if you eat three main meals as well as two snacks each day, each main meal should provide approximately 20-30% of your daily nutrient needs*.
(* Based on a reference intake of 8700kJ)
For weight control, kilojoule content is the key nutrient to consider. If you're just looking to maintain general health, look out for kilojoules, sodium and saturated fat. If you're a gym bunny or superstar athlete, then protein and/or carbohydrates are probably more your thing.
Download the Nutrition Information panels and ingredients for five of our most popular burgers.
We've also released nutritional information on our Summer burgers, steak sandwiches and salads which you can find here.
We're currently running the final numbers across the rest of our burgers and will post this information soon.
How do we Compare?
A study by Food & Nutrition Australia in 2007 comparing Grill'd burgers with fast food burgers and cafe style products, found that in almost every weight for weight (per 100g) comparison, Grill'd comes out on top.
Chicken Burgers : A Grill'd Simon Says chicken burger contains 28-43% less fat and 33-69% less saturated fat than comparable chicken burgers.
Beef Burgers: A Simply Grill'd Beef Burger provides 22-49% less fat and 61% less saturated fat than comparable beef burgers.
Casual dining: By choosing a Grill'd burger instead of eating out at the local café or takeaway store, you'll save yourself over 60% of the saturated fat you'd get by choosing one of the common café or takeaway meals.
Check out the following media releases
Vitamins & Minerals
Grill'd burgers also provide a range of important nutrients which many people may not get enough of, such as calcium, iron, zinc, folate and vitamin A. (Check out the table in the Media Release for the stats).
Folate
Necessary for healthy cell division. Requirements increase during pregnancy.
Vitamin A
Needed for normal vision, healthy skin and a strong immune system
Calcium
Needed for healthy teeth and bones, nerve and muscle function
Iron
Needed for oxygen transport, energy production and immune function
Zinc
Needed for a healthy immune system, cell division, wound healing and reproduction.
Gluten Information
Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, spelt, barley and rye and flours made from these. To make a Gluten-friendly burger, choose a Gluten Free* bun and avoid the following ingredients: veggie pattie, chickpea pattie, sweet chilli mayo, satay sauce and croutons. Our chips are gluten free!
(*Please note we toast our Gluten Free* buns in the same toaster as other breads, so they'll contain traces of gluten.)
The following menu items are Gluten-friendly with a Gluten Free* bun:
BEEF BURGERS
- Simply Grill'd
- Crispy Bacon & Cheese
- Mighty Melbourne
- Big Queenslander
- Almighty
- Wild Wild West
- Summer Sunset
- Mustard & Pickled!
- Hot Mama
CHICKEN BURGERS
- Simon Says
- Tuscan Delight
- Grill'd Bird & Brie
- Caesar's Palace
LAMB BURGERS
- Moroccan Lamb
- Baa Baa' Burger
VEGGIE BURGERS
SNACK BURGERS
KIDS BURGERS
CHIPS AND DIPS
- Chips
- Herbed Mayo
- Tomato Relish
SALADS
- Grill'd Chicken Salad
- Scotch Fillet Salad
- Mushroom & Feta Salad (not available at Grill'd Doncaster)
STEAK SANDWICHES
- Front Bar
- Back Bar (not available at Grill'd Doncaster)
Gluten IS PRESENT in the following menu items:
- Kung Fu Fighter - Gluten in Satay Sauce
- Sweet Chilli Chicken - Gluten in Sweet Chilli Mayonnaise
- The Zen Hen - Gluten in Satay Sauce
- Garden Goodness - Gluten in Vegetable Pattie
- Bombay Bliss - Gluten in Chickpea Pattie
- Sweet Chilli chip dip - Gluten in Sweet Chilli Mayonnaise
- Chicken Caesar Salad - Gluten in Croutons
Vegan Information
Our Traditional & Panini buns, veggie patties and chips are vegan. To make a vegan burger, you'll need to avoid a few ingredients: herbed mayo, sweet chilli mayo, pesto, tzatziki, Caesar dressing and of course all the cheeses.
Nutrition Q&A
OUR BURGERS
How can Grill'd burgers be healthy and yet so tasty?
We are rapt that we get asked this question so frequently! It comes back to the fact that our patties contain no preservatives, we use 100% lean beef and lamb, our chicken breasts are trimmed of all fat and we use only the highest quality, freshest ingredients. Put simply, they are made with love!
What exactly is in the beef and lamb patties?
Lean, Australian meat (we use the chuck cut for our beef) blended with our signature tomato relish and selected natural herbs. Our tomato relish ensures the patties remain moist and there is no need for fillers like breadcrumbs. Nothing else is added.
Is your beef & lamb grass-fed?
We're proud to say our beef and lamb are grass-fed, naturally. We think it's better for the animal & the planet.
What is the most popular beef burger?
Mighty Melbourne (a.k.a. Big Queenslander or Almighty or Wild Wild West) - the perennial favourite.
Is your chicken free-range?
Our chickens are not kept in cages, they're kept in open barn areas during the day and then locked up at night to protect them from foxes etc, but they're not classified as free range (Free range chickens are in a larger outdoor area but are even locked up at night for protection.)
What is the most popular chicken burger?
Simon Says - named after our inspiring founder.
Is your meat halal?
Unfortunately it isn't.
Who makes the veggie burgers and what is in them?
Our veggie burgers are made to our recipe by a vegetarian specialty producer and supplied exclusively to Grill'd. There is a traditional veggie pattie and a chickpea pattie, both of which contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and no GMOs.
Are the veggie patties suitable for vegans?
Yes; they are free from meat, egg and dairy products.
Is there a kid's burger?
Yes, the Mini Moo and the Chicken Licken are great burgers for big kids or for those who are after a satisfying snack. For the smaller tikes (under 7's) we have the Mini Me Packs with a mini burger, mini chips & juice plus crayons and an AWESOME FUN activity placemat to keep them busy (for a little while anyway!).
Can I make my own burger?
Yes. While we have taken great pains to ensure the menu offers a wide range of awesome combinations, we know that some of you will just want to do your own thing (satisfy your own individual bizarre tastes)!
OUR BUNS
Do you bake your own bread?
Our buns are hand made to our recipe by a skilled, traditional baker and are delivered to stores daily.
Do the buns contain much sugar?
No, unlike many other burger establishments, we don't add any sugar to our buns, so all Grill'd buns are low in naturally-occurring sugar and taste much better for it!
Is there a choice of buns?
Yes, there are 3 options - a Panini made from a light white dough and topped with flour, a Traditional bun that is a wholemeal blend topped with sesame seeds and a Gluten Free* bun. *may contain traces of gluten
Is the Gluten Free* bun suitable for coeliacs?
Our Gluten Free* buns are NOT suitable for coeliacs (those people who cannot process gluten) due to cross contamination risk. They are wheat free and ARE therefore suitable for those people with a wheat intolerance/following a wheat free diet. *may contain traces of gluten as these buns are put through the same toaster as our Panini and Traditional buns.
What if I want a burger without a bun?
No problem, just request no bun when placing your order.
OUR CHIPS
What makes Grill'd chips taste so great?
We use Tasmanian A-Grade Russet-Burbank potatoes that are cut into a thick-cut chip. This means they absorb less oil than other chips (lower surface area to volume ratio to get all technical), so they're nice and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. We cook them in high quality cholesterol-free oil that's changed regularly so it's nice and fresh. Once cooked, we sprinkle them with our trademark Grill'd herb mix.
Are your chips vegetarian?
Yes.
What chip dips are available?
Choose between the legendary Grill'd herbed mayo, tomato relish or sweet chilli mayo - everyone has their favourite. Our chip dips are made by a local family company and contain no artificial flavours, flavour enhancers, colours or preservatives.
OUR INGREDIENTS
Do your relishes/sauces contain nuts?
Several of our sauces have some nuts in them. In particular satay (peanuts) and pesto (cashews). Whilst most of our other sauces do not contain nuts the very nature of the way in which our sauces are laid out and their close proximity to these sauces with nuts, means we can not 100% guarantee that there is no traces of nuts in any of our food. We are often asked if we can prepare burgers separately to avoid any cross contamination. We happily oblige as best we can by preparing it on a separate plate and the food handlers change gloves but again we cannot guarantee that there are not traces of nuts.
Is there raw egg in your mayo?
No.