Hard Rock Cafe 24k gold leaf burger review, pictures

The Hard Rock Cafe now sells a burger covered in 24-karat gold leaf.

The 24-Karat Gold Leaf Steak Burger was introduced as part of the chain's new menu launch on June 14, and costs $24.99 at the Times Square restaurant.

We tried the burger to find out what made it better than a normal burger, but we were surprised to find that we much preferred Hard Rock's cheaper signature burger, the Legendary Burger.

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As part of the launch of its new menu on June 14, Hard Rock Cafe began offering the 24-Karat Gold Leaf Steak Burger. Described by the chain in a press release as a “first-of-its-kind burger with bling,” the burger contains a 1/2 lb patty covered in 24-karat edible gold leaf.

When we heard of this gilded gut-buster, our question was: “What makes this better than a burger without gold leaf on it？”

Our hypothesis: not much.

Edible gold leaf is nothing new: Europeans have been consuming gold leaf in liquor for centuries, and gold leaf is sometimes used for “warq,” a traditional coating for sweets in India, although silver is more common.

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However, gold leaf is flavorless, and although some claim it has antimicrobial properties when consumed, its primary culinary use is as a garnish. We suspected that perhaps the only real value that the gold burger offered was Instagram value.

But we wanted to try the burger for ourselves before making a final judgement. At the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, a PR representative told Business Insider that the restaurant's customers often come in looking to indulge. “What could be more indulgent than a burger with gold in it？” he said.