Across the country, new breeds of restaurant chains are popping up to fulfill Americans’ endless appetite for the hamburger. From mega-chains in the making to artisan burgers crafted by celebrity chefs, there’s a multitude of challengers taking on big players like McDonald’s and Burger King. Here now, part two in a five-part series profiling the “better burger” chains. Yesterday was In-N-Out vs Five Guys, today: Smashburger, Elevation Burger, and Mooyah Burger.
Elevation Burger (Arlington, VA-based), Mooyah Burger (thoroughly Texan), and Smashburger (sprawling out from Denver) have displayed the kind of innovation, aggressive expansion, and national footprint that make the most promising mega-chain contenders. These three new chains may not be in every town yet, but given the way they’ve weathered the economic storm and are still growing rapidly, they just might get close soon.
“The market is looking for something better and more modern than what is on offer,” said Smashburger founder and CEO Tom Ryan. “I think the major players have been shifting their focus to pursue other occasions and the burgers have been falling by the wayside.” Read on…