The TOC Blog:
Today Illinois gets its first taste of Fatburger, the popular Cali burger chain loved by hip-hop icons “like a fat kid loves cake.” In the months leading up to this debut, it’s been widely reported that Kanye West is behind this particular franchise, but if he is, no one told management. When I called the Orland Park location this morning and asked the acting manager (who declined to give his name) to confirm that West is the franchisee, he replied “This is Fatburger Corporation, not a franchise, and I don’t care if Crain’s or the Chicago Tribune has been saying Kanye owns it, they also said the Cubs were gonna win, right? Plus, does it make a difference? We’re open and we’re making burgers.”
Well alrighty then. A call to Fatburger HQ in California was equally confusing. “We manage a portion of their operations, but they are definitely a franchise,” said marketing manager Maria Brooks. “And we cannot comment on whether or not Kanye West is involved.”