Chris Dudley

American steakhouses, facing rising costs that are forcing higher prices, are struggling to attract customers. That means The Great American Steakhouse is drowning in red ink. Since losing money is a no-go in the restaurant business, those losses have to be offset somewhere. The solution? Giving customers less for about the same money. Steakhouses are quickly abandoning the customer perks that have long been part of the dining experience.

American steakhouses, facing rising costs that are forcing higher prices, are struggling to attract customers. That means The Great American Steakhouse is drowning in red ink. Since losing money is a no-go in the restaurant business, those losses have to be offset somewhere. The solution? Giving customers less for about the same money. Steakhouses are quickly abandoning the customer perks that have long been part of the dining experience.

Though named after a German city, and with origins that can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamia, the hamburger has evolved into the quintessential All-American sandwich. It has carved out a varied role in pop culture, where it has been portrayed as a boringly benign menu option, a reward at the end of a hero's journey, a comic foil, and a villainous tool of corporate greed preying on American excess.