Ground and whole-piece meat create different bites
The idea
Ground meat mixed with herbs has a different structure from a whole piece on a skewer. Neither format is inherently the better one. The useful comparison is whether you prefer a more integrated mixture or the texture of distinct pieces, and how the sides fit that choice.
A practical next step
Compare the menu description of kafta with a whole-piece skewer before deciding that two grilled dishes are interchangeable.