The hamburger menu—an interface element represented as a small icon—can be loved or hated, used in your websites/apps or completely avoided. But from a web design perspective, it’s becoming less and less common, and there are reasons for that. It’s not just that trends evolve or the icon has become outdated—there are many other factors that influence whether web designers see it as a valid solution for every project.
This tiny icon causes debate and raises doubts: Will the project function properly? Will it look clean or confusing? These discussions started when the icon first became popular and still continue today, even though the trend is no longer new.
The hamburger menu is convenient. It creates clean space on the canvas, allowing designers to place important elements, content, CTAs, and more. However, there are usability issues that can frustrate even the most dedicated web designers. So let’s explore both the love and hate aspects of this interface element.
A Clean Canvas
The extra space gained by using a hamburger menu helps create a cleaner, more open, and “lighter” (not in color, but in feel) modern look. It enables minimalist designs free of overlapping elements and clutter that resemble piles of papers on a desk.
This design choice encourages both the designer and team to rethink content and user experience. Since the hamburger icon doesn’t require much space to expand—unlike mega menus, which are less popular these days but still have valid uses—web designers must decide if such hidden navigation is truly needed.
When screen space is limited, the hamburger menu becomes an excellent tool for focusing on content. It helps users clearly see and understand the site’s information. As a result, it would seem that hamburger menus should always be loved and never fall out of favor.
Let’s look at ascendlearning, mlgr, gyrotonic, natedentondesign. These sites vary greatly, but here’s the catch: on some sites, a small menu is justified—it appears in a sidebar and doesn’t interfere with exploring the main content. On others, the menu expands to full screen and duplicates the same sections that appear right after scrolling just once. That one scroll—something nearly every user does by instinct—renders the menu redundant. It feels like it was added just to follow a trend. It’s there—but why, exactly?
Lack of Implied Meaning
What is a hamburger icon, really? A tiny symbol of three parallel horizontal lines. That’s it. The site’s subject matter often determines the target audience, including their age. For older users or those less familiar with mobile conventions, this icon might be meaningless. We designers may assume “everyone knows this stuff by now.” But they don’t—and never will. No one knows everything. It’s just not realistic.
This segment of users may not realize that they need to click the three lines. They’ll simply leave the site. It’s easier.
On the other hand, a more tech-savvy audience (not necessarily early adopters, but generally familiar with mobile UX) will accept and even prefer the hamburger menu. If the site is primarily designed for desktop, however, this icon might be completely inappropriate.
A clear example: online stores. Sites like Ozon, 1C-Interes, L’Etoile (our readers may have noticed they updated their design). On mobile, the hamburger icon might be fine. But on desktop, it’s more of a nuisance. As customers, we prefer to see key product categories right away. Hiding everything behind a menu isn’t ideal. Ozon’s approach is interesting: the hamburger icon is labeled and a full menu is still available—making things clearer. Same goes for travel websites.
Mobility at Its Best
It’s fascinating how design changes before our eyes. When the hamburger icon first emerged on sites and apps a few years ago, few expected it to become standard—especially on mobile.
But that’s exactly what happened.
In mobile apps and responsive websites, the hamburger menu is everywhere, and most users are now used to it on smartphones and tablets.
Thus, it’s a solid choice for mobile navigation. It clears visual space for more content, allows for dropdowns or side panels, and eliminates the need for tiny, hard-to-read fonts. It also enables the addition of extra navigation links, buttons, and section jumps—there’s a lot of flexibility.
Compare the desktop versions of iconvillas, legalanchor, carleton, und to the mobile examples above. In most cases, the main menu is hidden behind the icon. In some cases, a vertical menu remains visible on the homepage but is also duplicated in the hidden version. This idea is implemented in different ways, and on mobile, the standard is unlikely to go away anytime soon.
Quick Access to Essentials
Hamburger menus can provide direct access to content—and that’s a good thing. According to the Nielsen Norman Group definition, direct access means tapping the icon to go right to the needed info without scrolling or searching. It’s an alternative to endless mega menus where you “keep expanding, and expanding… and finally find what you need.”
This quick access allows users to reach their destination within the site more efficiently. Previously, “site maps” were used—a single page listing all links. But constantly opening a sitemap isn’t ideal. The hamburger menu partially replaces that. Fewer clicks to reach content is always a win.
One caveat: quick access should lead to high-priority content. That’s especially important on large sites. If there’s too much to filter through, consider adding search or sub-levels to the menu—it helps users find what they need faster.
Consider examples like solcocina, stickybandits, stphilips, allianceplus. Designers here took different approaches. Some added search to the menu. Some included contact info—eliminating the need to visit a separate page. Others included language options. Clicking the hamburger icon opens a space distinct from the main site, but designed to improve navigation speed and simplicity.
Focus and Attention
This ties into everything said so far. Users quickly lose focus when they can’t find what they’re looking for. And it’s not about screen size—it’s about interface clarity.
Imagine looking for an “About” page or delivery info. The simplest instinct? Click random links until you find it—especially on sites where navigation is scattered or scrolls horizontally.
It’s even worse when the hamburger icon is hidden or heavily stylized, making it hard to locate. Sometimes designers hide UI elements to prioritize visuals—but that creates confusion. Users aren’t sure where to scroll or click to reveal anything.
That’s frustrating. These designs are rare and usually found in artistic projects—but they exist. The result: users stop focusing on the content and instead try to “find the interface.”
Let’s look at mathieulevesque, essentiallookscollection, espn, bornikirken (menu is always visible, but maybe should be a bit hidden). Menus are present—but not always easy to find, or maybe too dominant.
Conclusion
Do we love or hate the hamburger menu? Both. It’s essential for mobile. On desktop, it’s sometimes appropriate. But in either case, it requires careful implementation. There’s no better solution right now, but web designers are coming up with creative approaches: adding search, hierarchy, social icons, contact info, subscription forms, etc. These additions help reduce clutter and streamline site navigation overall. Still, designers must remember that users vary in age and digital literacy. Simplicity, tact, and adaptability are key.
The hamburger icon may seem to be fading—but in reality, it’s just less common in desktop layouts. Resize your browser window, and there it is again. Right there. And honestly, it’s still useful—for those who design it well.
Once again… the golden middle ground.
Ultimately, we love hidden menus when they’re appropriate, accessible, and clear. We hate the hamburger menu when it’s unnecessary, hard to find, or simply annoying.