UFO burgers land in Singapore

SINGAPORE – They look like spaceships from a 1950s sci-fi movie and, as with many food fads that land in Singapore, come from South Korea.

The compact burgers are made in machines that seal the edges of the bread component, to make them less messy and easier to eat. Purveyors try to convince diners that sealing locks in flavour.

Here, the first sightings were in 2023, when pop-up stall Spaceship Burger flew into food fairs. Then in 2024 and 2025, disc-shaped UFO burgers started swooping in and stayed on. 

Bakery chain 50 Years Taste Of Tradition offers Crispy Cheese UFO Burgers; Kowboy in Bali Lane stuffs its burgers with, among other things, wagyu burger patties; and restaurant chain Swensen’s went big on them, with three variations served in all its restaurants here.

South Korean chain UFO Burger, which launched in 2019, appears to be the brand that sparked the craze. Similar burgers started appearing in Asia and Europe.

But the origins of these UFO-shaped burgers go back to the 1940s in the United States, when the Toas-Tite Sandwich Maker made its debut. It is a round, handheld sandwich press with a long handle. Bread and fillings are clamped together and held over the stove or outdoor grill to make hot pocket sandwiches.

By 1953, it had fallen out of favour, but production in the US started again some years ago, according to its website (

toastite.biz

).

Today, the original aluminium and steel sandwich maker, complete with retro packaging, is available on Amazon.sg at $51.35 (

amzn.to/45qHclx

).

The UFO burgers available here are made in fancier, countertop machines that look like panini presses. 50 Years Taste Of Tradition, known for its egg tarts, makes its Crispy Cheese UFO Burgers in ones that emboss its logo on the puff pastry it uses. They are stuffed with Curry Chicken ($3.30) or Tuna ($3.60).

Kowboy, which opened in January, got its first machine from South Korea. It has added new ones from China.

Owner Michael Lee, 52, also owns King Of Wagyu, a halal wagyu supplier. The patties at Kowboy are made using beef with A5 marbling from Miyazaki and Tokushima prefectures in Japan.

“The patty is the soul of the burger,” he says.

The UFO Nebula Classic is priced at $9.80 and comes with pickles, onion, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and cheese. Not all the eight variations available are filled with beef, however. Diners can also opt for chicken burgers, including the new UFO Galaxy Seoul ($8.80), with a chicken cutlet, lettuce, kimchi and cheese.

Mr Lee says he wanted something different for Kowboy and thought UFO burgers were novel enough. Instead of bread or pastry, he uses pita bread for his burgers.

“We are the first in Singapore to use pita bread,” he says. “It is light, but keeps the juices in, and doesn’t get as soggy as bread.”

He has built his business around the cosmic theme and also serves milkshakes in flavours such as Vanilicious Starshake ($8.80). Even the packaging for the burgers is futuristic – they are sealed in shiny foil bags.

Since opening, he has fielded inquiries from companies looking to take his burgers overseas and is in talks with an Indonesian restaurant group. He is also looking to collaborate with other food brands on special burger fillings and is open to franchising the business.

Meanwhile, the Swensen’s chain has muscle behind its UFO burger launch. It started serving them in all 25 of its restaurants here – including Earle Swensen’s – in June.

The chain uses brioche bread and three variations are available: Golden Chicken Katsu ($15.90), filled with breaded and deep-fried chicken, butter lettuce and cheddar cheese; Beam Me Up ($16.90), with a beef patty, arrabbiata sauce, cheese and butter lettuce; and Truffle Shroom ($18.90), with beef, shiitake and button mushroom ragout, cheese and truffle oil. The burgers come with fries and coleslaw.

They are now a permanent feature on the menu.

A spokesman says: “When the UFO burger trend started gaining traction, it caught our attention. We took some time to refine the concept, ensuring the perfect crunch and balance of flavours, elevating it with a soft, buttery brioche bun.”

They are designed not as a quick snack, but as a dining experience.

“Guests can enjoy their UFO burgers hot and fresh, paired with signature sides and desserts,” the spokesman says. “Our version delivers both indulgence and quality that set us apart from kiosk or bakery-style offerings.”

Mr Lee says he welcomes the competition.

“I think it’s very healthy,” he says. “We are one of the pioneers. Besides, we are not selling a shape of burger. We are selling soul. Anybody can make a UFO burger. But we think beyond that.”