Not Where's The Beef But How Much Is The Beef : Just how much of the cost of a hamburger at a fast food joint is the ground beef :???: Buy 1 pound of regular ground beef at the store and make 12 patties and then buy 1 Dozen buns plus enough pickels, mustard, ketchup,cheese slices to complete. Which will cost more , the meat or the product it's hidden under? If the cost of ground beef was $1.00 more how much would that effect demand?