Burger 21 Offers What Customers Crave -- Menu Diversity

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Burger 21^®, a new better burger franchise founded by the owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc. with five locations open and 10 in development on the East Coast, is giving customers exactly what they crave in a burger — diversity. The brand unveiled an infographic highlighting how its guests are buying into better burgers through its variety of menu options.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120920/NY78263LOGO)

In addition to 10 unique hand-crafted Certified Angus Beef^® burgers, Burger 21 offers 10 non-beef burgers, including the Black Bean Burger, Ahi Tuna Burger, Chicken Parmesan Burger and more. Of the entrees ordered at Burger 21, approximately 40 percent of Burger 21 customers are ordering non-beef alternatives and 60 percent are choosing all-beef burgers, sliders and hot dogs. 

"Offering a diverse menu resonates with our customers and is key to us providing our customers with a 'beyond the better burger' experience that keeps them coming back for more. Of the established and emerging better burger franchised brands, Burger 21 locks up the female vote by delivering on menu diversification with 205 percent more non-beef burgers in addition to 38 percent more beef burger choices," said Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development for Front Burner Brands, management company for Burger 21. "With sales of non-beef menu items representing approximately 69 percent of our revenues, we clearly appeal to consumers who hunger for variety."

With 21 crafted burgers, three all-beef gourmet hot dogs and five fresh salads, Burger 21 also focuses on providing premium ingredients like Certified Angus Beef^®, sushi-grade ahi tuna, toasted brioche buns, pickled cucumbers, applewood smoked bacon and sweet potato fries with toasted marshmallow sauce. 

In a recent Technomic Market Intelligence Report on Better Burgers, consumers said that the quality and taste of the meat or protein is by far the most important part of the burger. Approximately 56 percent of consumers ranked the quality of the burger as most important. Price was ranked most important by 25 percent and quality of toppings (8 percent) and quality of bun/bread (5 percent) followed as other important features. 

"The variety of choices and innovative recipes we offer guests translates into repeat business with 37 percent of customers responding that they had visited Burger 21 two or three times in the last 30 days," said Stone. He added that 19 percent returned at least once during the month and 22 percent returned four or more times during a 30-day period.

In Fall 2011, Burger 21 launched an aggressive growth initiative to bring its crafted burger creations and hand-dipped signature shakes to more cities across the country. Since that launch, Burger 21 has signed franchise agreements with six different entities in six states in 2012 to develop a total of 11 restaurants.  Most recently, the Tampa, Fla.-based "beyond the better burger" concept opened its first franchised restaurant in Orlando. The brand also signed franchise agreements to develop four restaurants in Washington, D.C. over the next few years, in addition to franchise agreements in Atlanta, Voorhees, N.J., and Charlotte, N.C. A second Orlando location is scheduled to open near the University of Central Florida in late February.

Burger 21 is seeking single and multi-unit operators with restaurant experience along the East Coast and throughout the country 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 cost of investment for one restaurant to be approximately $597,995 - $831,995.  The initial franchise fee is $40,000; however, reduced franchise fees apply for Area Development Agreements of four or more units. 

To learn more about ownership opportunities with Burger 21, contact Ashley Pollard, franchise sales associate for Front Burner Brands, at 813-425-6252 or [email protected] or visit http://www.burger21franchise.com. To register for the next live franchising webinar on Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. (EST), please visit www.burger21franchise.com/events.aspx.

About Burger 21
With five locations open in Tampa Bay and Orlando, Fla., and 10 in development in Orlando, Atlanta, Voorhees, N.J., Charlotte, N.C., and Washington, D.C., 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 and slider creations ranging from hand-crafted, freshly ground beef to chicken, turkey, shrimp and tuna burgers, made-to-order salads, all-beef hot dogs, hand-breaded chicken tenders and an extensive shake bar including hand-dipped 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 (formerly known as TGS Restaurant Management) 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 140 locations in North America and more than 25 locations currently in development, Burger 21 with five locations open in Tampa Bay and Orlando, Fla., and 10 in development in Orlando, Atlanta, Voorhees, N.J., Charlotte, N.C., and Washington, D.C., GrillSmith with six locations in the Tampa Bay area and other new franchise concepts in development. For more information, visit http://www.frontburnerbrands.com.

CONTACT:
Ashley Rodriguez
Fish Consulting
(571) 312-6174
[email protected]

SOURCE Burger 21