Burger 21 To Open First New York State Restaurant in Albany on Aug. 25

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 18, 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 its first restaurant in upstate New York will open in the Albany area on Monday, Aug. 25 at 622 New Loudon Road in the Village at New Loudon in Latham. To celebrate with the community, the first 100 guests to visit the restaurant on opening day will receive a free Burger 21 t-shirt and all guests will have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win a free tailgate grill.

Locally-owned and operated by Mike Stygles and Bruce Anderson, Burger 21 Albany features 21 unique, chef-inspired burger creations, hand-crafted signature shakes, gourmet hot dogs, hand-breaded chicken tenders and fresh salads served in a contemporary-style diner atmosphere with fast, high-touch service.

"We're thrilled to be the first franchisees to bring Burger 21's diverse menu and unique culture to Albany," said Stygles, franchisee. "Through Front Burner Brands' different restaurant formats between Burger 21 and The Melting Pot, we are able to provide guests with dining experiences unlike any other in town, while offering the highest quality ingredients. We have no doubt that the community will be pleased with the addition of Burger 21."

The franchisee partners also own The Melting Pot of Syracuse and additionally, Stygles owns The Melting Pot locations in Albany and Poughkeepsie, N.Y. They expect to open an additional Burger 21 restaurant in the Albany market within the next few years. With the opening of the Albany location, Burger 21 will have 14 restaurants open and 24 franchised locations in development across the country.

"We're looking forward to the highly anticipated opening of the first Burger 21 restaurant in New York state," said Mark Johnston, Burger 21 president and chief concept officer and president of Front Burner Brands, management company for Burger 21. "With more than 30 years of franchising experience, we've built strong relationships with our network of dedicated franchisees, like Bruce and Mike, who have successfully grown their business by embracing our customer-focused culture."

Highlights of Burger 21 Albany include:

• 70 new team members hired in Albany
• Approximately 3,200 square feet
• Seating for 128 customers inside the restaurant and 36 on the patio

The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. To learn more about Burger 21 Albany, please call the restaurant at (518) 218-6406 or visit www.burger21.com. Follow Burger 21 on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and join the B21 Club to receive the latest Burger 21 special offers and promotions delivered straight to your inbox.

Recently, Burger 21 was named one of QSR's "Best Franchise Deals" and also earned 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 acknowledged 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.

As the brand continues to expand across the U.S., 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 $416,133 – $833,895. 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 development manager for Burger 21, at 813-425-6252 or [email protected] or visit http://www.burger21franchise.com.

About Burger 21
With 14 locations open in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Virginia, and more than 20 in development in eight 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 135 locations in North America and more than 25 locations currently in development, Burger 21 with 14 locations open in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Virginia, and more than 20 in development in eight states, and GrillSmith with five locations in the Tampa Bay area. For more information, visit http://www.frontburnerbrands.com.

CONTACT:
Elayne Sommers
Fish Consulting
(202) 588-8138 
[email protected]

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SOURCE Burger 21

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