KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lura Dannenbrock has her Denny's lunch order down pat. A "Better Burger" — 100 percent seasoned beef patty, hand-pressed, grilled, with Swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms.

At $6.99 with drink and fries, it's a deal she can't pass up.

"They're a very good value for the price, but I also want it to taste good," said Dannenbrock.

Americans have long craved the humble burger — turning it into a sizzling $100 billion dining category annually. But in these bleak economic times, it turns out consumers are shelling out more for higher quality, bulkier burgers that go beyond the traditional toppings.

Diners who may have been ordering the occasional steak or more expensive dish are downsizing to burgers but still want quality meat. Others may just recognize a good meal deal when they see one.

This premium burger segment is heating up with fast-food, fast-casual, mid-scale and upscale operators trying to capture a growing portion of the patty market, according to Nation's Restaurant News, a trade publication.

Nationwide, the number of restaurants overall offering burgers has increased by more than 4 percent since 2005, but in the fine-dining category, burgers jumped nearly 19 percent during the same time span, according to data-research company Datassential.

Premium patties are popping up on the midpriced menus of Applebee's Grill & Bar (A-1 Steakhouse Burger with cracked peppercorn and crispy onion straws) and Chili's Grill & Bar (100 percent USDA-choice ground chuck, fresh-never-frozen, hand-formed in the restaurant).

"Burgers have been a staple on our menu since the brand was introduced in 1975 so it is something we wanted to capitalize on and give our customers a choice," said Maureen Locus, spokeswoman for Chili's.

Fast-food operations are beefing up their menus to stay competitive with the upscale upstarts.

In August, McDonald's introduced the $3.99 Angus Third-Pounder (one-third pound of Angus beef with toppings such as mushrooms and Swiss cheese). Burger King plans to introduce its own version of the A-1 burger called The Steakhouse XT in early 2010.

"The economy is causing people to change how they spend their money, so people who might have been more inclined to go to a casual dining restaurant, we've given them a reason to choose McDonald's," said Neil Getzlow, spokesman for McDonald's.