Burger 21 Building Strong Presence in Atlanta; Plans Three More Restaurants

TAMPA, Fla., July 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Burger 21^®, a new better burger franchise founded by the owners of The Melting Pot^® Restaurants, Inc. franchise company based in Tampa, Fla., announced today it has signed a multi-unit franchise agreement to develop three additional restaurants in the Atlanta area. As part of this deal, the three restaurants are targeted to open in the Buckhead, Cumberland Mall and North Druid Hills areas.

"We are very excited about this opportunity. This allows our family to share our favorite burger experience with everyone in the Atlanta area," said new Burger 21 franchisee Chris Bastecki. "This is the only gourmet burger concept where non-burger lovers can also experience a memorable meal through an array of incredible culinary options. It's hard for me to get excited about chicken tenders, but your kids will be begging you to take them back to Burger 21 after they get a taste of ours."

As a seasoned, multi-unit Jimmy John's franchisee with three years of experience, Bastecki decided to join Burger 21 after he and his family dined at the Buford location. He is targeting to open the first restaurant in Buckhead in 2015.

Burger 21 opened its first Atlanta-area restaurant in Buford near the Mall of Georgia last year and now has eight other franchised locations in development across Atlanta, making it Burger 21's largest market for development to date.  In addition to this latest franchise agreement, Burger 21 has signed agreements with franchisees to develop locations in the Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Kennesaw and Perimeter Mall areas.

"We are extremely pleased with the overall success that Burger 21 has experienced in Atlanta," said Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development of Front Burner Brands, management company for Burger 21. "Over the past year, we've built a strong customer following in the community and still see great potential for additional growth within the greater Atlanta area including Downtown and Midtown Atlanta."

To further fuel development, Burger 21 will host a live webinar on Thursday, July 17 at 2 p.m. EDT. To register, or to learn more about franchising opportunities with Burger 21, please visit www.burger21franchise.com/events.aspx or contact Ashley Pollard, franchise development manager for Burger 21, at 813-425-6252 or [email protected].

Burger 21's rapid expansion helped the brand earn the No. 5 ranking in Fast Casual's Top 100 "Movers and Shakers" of 2014, up from No. 22 the prior year. Additionally, Burger 21 President Mark Johnston was recognized as one of the "Top 25 People" for his continued strategic leadership in the growth and development of the brand. Last year, the franchise's gluten-free menu received the No. 1 ranking in the "Top 10 Menu Innovations" category.

Burger 21 is seeking single- and multi-unit operators with restaurant experience to join its upscale fast casual dining concept. Franchisee candidates should have a minimum net worth of $500,000 and liquid assets of at least $200,000 per unit. Burger 21 will be developed through both single-unit agreements and Area Development Agreements. Depending on the real estate site selected, franchisees can expect the total investment for one restaurant to be approximately $422,083 – $974,395. The initial franchise fee is $40,000; however, reduced franchise fees apply for Area Development Agreements of four or more units. 

About Burger 21
With 12 locations open in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia, and 23 in development in seven states, Burger 21 is a "beyond the better burger" fast-casual franchise concept founded in 2010. Burger 21 is a chef-inspired brand with offerings including 21 unique burger creations ranging from hand-crafted, freshly ground Certified Angus Beef^® to chicken, turkey, vegetarian, shrimp and tuna burgers, fresh salads, all-beef hot dogs, chicken tenders and an extensive shake bar including hand-crafted shakes, floats and sundaes. Burger 21 is an affiliate of Front Burner Brands, a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. For more information, visit http://www.burger21.com.

About Front Burner Brands
Front Burner Brands is a restaurant management company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. It is affiliated with the corporate owners of and its management services extended to The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., founded in 1975 with more than 135 locations in North America and more than 25 locations currently in development, Burger 21 with 12 locations open in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia, and 23 in development in seven states, and GrillSmith with five locations in the Tampa Bay area. For more information, visit http://www.frontburnerbrands.com.

CONTACT:             
Ellie Mannix 
Fish Consulting
(954) 893-9150
[email protected]

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SOURCE Burger 21