As proprieter of this site, I feel transparency and openness is important, thus I publish herewith my Official Burger Statement.

Statement of Cheese 
I prefer cheeseburgers over hamburgers, but only if cheddar is offered. I will not suffer American cheese on my burgers.  I also find it odd when specialized burger places do not offer cheddar.

Statement of Toppings
In order of importance, I prefer my burger be dressed with mayonnaise, raw onion, tomato, lettuce, and pickle. I will add mustard in the absence of cheddar. I will occasionally add peppers—roasted chiles are best, but pickled jalapeños are also acceptable.

Statement of Bacon
Never. Competes too much with the burger. Belongs on a Club Sandwich or BLT.

Statement of Patty Thickness
I swing both ways–thin and thick. Prefer thicker patties when cooked over open flame (with the notable exception of Top Notch‘s thin patty flame-kissed burger of excellence), thin patties when cooked on a griddle.

Statement of Cooking Surface
Prefer open flame grilled burgers, but have gained an appreciation for properly griddled burgers. In either case, the burger must have some crust development.

Statement of Doneness
Medium rare to medium, with some evidence of char or crust on exterior.

Statement of Simplicity
Toppings not listed above do not belong on a burger. I am not interested in burgers with foie gras, bleu cheese, truffle oil, etc. Nor am I interested in ingredients mixed into the meat before cooking. As we like to say around here, “Burgers Don’t Have Recipes™“.

Statement of Architecture
Veggies belong under the top bun. Nothing belongs between the meat and the bottom bun except for mayo and/or mustard. Both bun surfaces must be slathered with either mustard or mayo (or a mixture of both)–no dry buns!

Statement of Bun Toastedness
Bun should be toasted.  Top-toasting the upper half of the bun is a plus.