Are Americans willing to eat burgers with gloves on?

A lot is said about mouth-feel, but does the sensation of eating a hamburger with your bare hands enhance the taste? Some Americans may scoff at the idea, but across Russia and Eastern Europe, upscale hamburger chains adopted a fad years ago of providing disposable black nitrine gloves to its customers. Though the gloves were initially touted as a symbol of clout and not hygiene, in the post-pandemic dining era, restaurateurs in other parts of the world are taking a second look at the practice. George Motz, the self-proclaimed burger expert, told The New York Times, that even with our elevated Covid-19 safety concerns, the glove trend will not catch on here because: “Americans take their burger culture way too seriously.”

The Counter Stories by our editors.