Although the price of ground beef is at an all-time high in the United States, some of the best burgers in Charleston are $10 or less. And not only are these burgers affordable, they’re also delicious.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of ground beef has gone up 51% since February 2020. Why? According to a recent NPR article, the number of cattle in the U.S. is the smallest in 75 years. Tariffs have also affected some beef imports, and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) has halted all beef from Mexico due to recent fears about a parasite. Additionally, climate change makes it more expensive to raise cattle because of drought and other environmental factors. Furthermore, the USDA forecasts beef production will decline 4% in 2025 and another 2% in 2026.
So yeah, beef ain’t cheap. But it isn’t all doom and gloom. Charleston City Paper spoke with four burger joints in town to better understand how restaurants can offer tasty burgers that don’t break the bank.
Smash City keeps costs low
Smash City Burgers, located in downtown Charleston’s Eastside neighborhood and winner of the top prize of “Best Place to Get a Burger” in the 2025 City Paper Burger Throwdown competition, offers four burgers for less than $10.
The classic single ($6.70) is an Angus Chuck blend burger smashed paper thin, served with dill pickles, steamed onions, American cheese and smash sauce. The classic double ($9.27), the Carolina Caviar single with pimento cheese ($9.27) and the Oklahoma Onion burger loaded with grilled onions ($9.27) also come in under that double digit mark.
Smash City owner Jeremy Reynolds said keeping costs low comes down to volume. On a random Wednesday in August, Smash City served 430 burgers and the night after, 400.
“We monitor costs in a lot of areas,” said Reynolds. “At the same time, we don’t skimp on ingredients. The pieces that we have, we’ve sourced everything to be exactly what we want it to be. And my purveyors have been very good, especially in the last year, to make sure that we have constant stock of these things. It all goes back to volume and putting out a great product.”
Reynolds said that the last bill he paid priced ground beef at $4.92 a pound and, at its highest, it was $5.50 a pound. When Smash City started as a food truck in 2020, ground beef was at $3.20 a pound.
“I don’t know that it’s ever going to come back down to that,” he said. “We just need to continue to monitor what we do. I don’t want to raise my prices; I don’t ever want to. But the problem is that there are so many outside influences that subjugate what we do.”
When Reynolds started Smash City, he would watch market trends and it just made him crazy. The restaurant’s sales numbers are now consistent enough where they can run low on ingredients which allows the restaurant not to hold additional overhead.
Reynolds said he is also able to keep costs low due to a robust delivery business and the food truck, which still operates. The truck is contracted with the Charleston Battery which contributes to the weekly revenue.
Joyland packs a punch
Joyland opened earlier this year on Calhoun Street and offers a menu with four burgers priced $10 or less: the Junior JoyBurger Deluxe ($7), the Joyburger Deluxe ($10), the Junior Crustburger ($6) and the Crustburger ($9). The junior versions have a single patty compared to a deluxe’s double, and the Crustburger smashes the patty
even thinner.
Tyler Ward, hospitality manager at Joyland, said great ingredients allow them to serve a burger that people keep coming back for, which means consistent strong sales. Again, it’s volume that keeps prices low.
“We’ve gone all in on ingredients,” said Ward. “And we really tried to minimize the costs because it’s more about constant return. Minimize costs and maximize the ingredients because the return will be there because the burger is so good.”
He notes that vendors just increased prices in mid-September, but the increase was not significant enough that Joyland needed to adjust the menu prices. Joyland’s strong alcohol sales also keep those menu prices down.
And for those looking for more ways to spend less at Joyland? The restaurant is rolling out happy hour this fall from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. when diners can get a beer and a shot for $10 as well as more burgers for less than $10.
Hugh-Baby’s has a host of inexpensive options
At Hugh-Baby’s in West Ashley, all burgers are less than $10. Pat Martin, the pitmaster and owner behind Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint and Hugh Baby’s BBQ & Burger Shop, noted that it requires a focus on the small details to keep prices down.
“With tariffs and the current state of the economy, many restaurants are going through price evaluations, and we likely will be for the foreseeable future,” Martin said.
“It comes down to managing raw material costs from our vendors, minimizing waste and keeping portion control in check. Our focus is on diligence, managing labor and cost of goods, so we can continue offering guests the best price possible while maintaining a profitable business.”
Heavy’s Barburger sees prices holding steady
Brenda and John Haire own Heavy’s Barburger with locations downtown and on Daniel Island. The Luten’s Cheeseburger ($9.99) is a quarter-pound, Angus beef smashburger with American cheese, red onion, pickles, Duke’s mayo and French’s mustard on a toasted sesame seed bun.
“At Heavy’s, we run a lean and focused menu,” Brenda Haire said. “We don’t try to be everything to everyone. By keeping things simple and tight, we can buy smarter, stay consistent and pass that value on to our guests. We’d rather serve a neighborhood full of people every week than price folks out of coming in often.”
She also noted she does not anticipate a price increase at any point soon and that if it happens, it will be a last resort.
“We watch costs closely, but we also know that creating great value, along with our vibe, is one of the reasons people keep coming back,” Haire said. “Our goal is to protect the price of the Barburger as long as possible. If there’s ever a change, it’ll be thoughtful and only after every other option is considered.”
Burgers worth the splurge
While a $9 burger feels great on the wallet, these Charleston burgers are well worth the higher price tag.
- The Archer ($21) has parmesan cream, fancy sauce, shaved red onions and is served with shoestring fries (and it’s $10 after 10 p.m.)
- Little Jack’s ($22) double tavern burger is a double patty with American cheese, tavern sauce and griddled onions on a sesame bun.
- Oak Steakhouse ($21) serves a combination of New York Strip, filet and brisket in the Oak Burger, which is an 8 oz. patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, fontina cheese, special sauce and truffles fries.
- Sullivan’s Fish Camp ($24) double cheeseburger comes with bread and butter pickles, caramelized onions and fries.
- The Tippling House ($18) serves a double patty burger on a perfectly prepared bun with fries on the side.
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