Japanese burger joints often offer unique takes on the classic hamburger. McDonald’s has reengineered its double cheeseburger into a rice burger and introduced a Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) burgers to their menu earlier this year. Burger King has also upped its game with its bunless, 4-patty “extreme one pound beef burger” and its starchy, chip butty-esque fake burger. You’d also be remiss to overlook other artery-clogging creations like the whole fried crab burger on offer from Dom Dom Burger.

Blue Star Burger

Gourmet Blue Star Burger, on the other hand, is serving up innovation another way. Content with a more traditional, gourmet menu, the chained rolled out a cutting-edge ordering system in November. Using the latest food technology, the restaurant offers burgers and other takeout menu items in a contactless fashion. From order to payment to pickup, transactions occur in a convenient and highly-sanitary manner.

To participate, diners use a proprietary app to chose their destination restaurant and place their order. The software handles payment and order placement providing users an order number. They can then head to the appropriate location to pick up their meal at a stand reserved for takeout orders. In accordance with the "new normal" we find ourselves in during the pandemic, the system removes the need to wait in line or handle cash, limiting potential exposure.

Furthermore, the restaurant chain is also working to reduce food loss. Blue Start Burger’s limited menu helps ensure they can keep limited inventories of fresh ingredients in stock. They prepare menu items in store, and in so doing, the chain can limit food loss at its stores. Blue Star offers several burgers:

Hamburger 170 JPY ($1.60)

Blue Star Cheeseburger 290 JPY ($2.80)

Double Blue Star Cheeseburger 430 JPY ($4.10)

As well as several sides:

French Fries 270 JPY ($2.60)

Blue Star Lemonade 150 JPY ($1.40)

Coffee 150 JPY ($1.40)

You can find more information about Blue Star Burger on their website.