There are many places that serve the combo for much less. Grand Lux has a combo that doesn't cost $40 (Palazzo/Venetians 24/7 type cafe). Only a moron would spend $40 for their cheap fastfood type burger.
Not a Vegas comment, but burgers in general.
There are niche burger places that command a higher price based on quality, variety and, yes, value. Not everyone wants a Big Mac every time they eat out.
I loved going to Fuddruckers. They offered various sizes of burger using fresh meat (butchered and ground onsite). You get your order in line that comes with the plain burger on a bun (cooked to order) and whatever sides you ordered. You carry the plate to a large "fixin's bar" and build your burger exactly how you like with all the cheese, veggies, condiments and extras (jalepenos ...). If you want, you can go back and add more toppings to the same burger or make two halves with different toppings to share. The 1/2 lb burger alone was about $10, then add for fries, onion rings, etc. and your drink -- including bottled beer. The burger meal can easily top $20 per person.
I was in heaven when Fuddruckers added the Taco Salad to the menu! You got a salad bowl made of fried tortilla (similar to Taco Bell before they changed) filled halfway to the top with seasoned beef (using their fresh hamburger meat), and as many trips to the fixin's bar as you liked. Anything you normally get on a taco salad was on that bar. I used to pile on the ingredients, eat all that with about half the meat, then pile on a second helping of toppings to make another salad basically. The price was about the same as their 1/3 lb burger.
These prices were in the 1985-1989 period.


My ex liked to go to Hamburger Hamlet in Bethesda, MD, when she lived there. I went with her when I visited a few times. The quality of the ingredients and cooking were unmatched. And the menu was more for the "advanced" burger lover. I liked the mushroom & Swiss cheese burger with steak fries. My ex got the bleu cheese burger. The bill was easily $40 each when you figure the sides were all ala carte, and the drinks were restaurant-priced for max profit. The atmosphere was very much similar to a high end steak house with a large bar for singles to order food or for your normal crowd out for a few drinks. These prices were from before 1985.
Hamburger Hamlet in LA
