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What happens when you follow conventional wisdom but your customers don’t? When Everest Burger opened a year ago in Glencoe, Ill., an affluent northern Chicago suburb, it had all the 21st-century burger-restaurant earmarks: upscale grass-fed-beef specialty burgers and a fast-casual service model. Owners Mark and Margarita Challenger weren’t novices: They own the successful Guanajuato Mexican [...]

Happy Holidays from BurgerBusiness.com. Here’s hoping the holidays are merry and 2012 is brighter for loyal subscribers and occasional readers alike. Our warmest thoughts go to the good folks at Red Gold, a wonderful brand that keeps this site’s lights on. Traditionally, the year closes with a roundup of burger chains worth watching in the [...]

When the good news is that quick-service restaurants’ customer counts are flat, you know times are tough. But that’s how it is with the report issued today by researcher The NPD Group. Despite all the ballyhooed “social media” that consultants have pushed operators to use, despite Groupon and other daily-deal channels and in spite of [...]

Fresh from last month’s introduction of the premium Dave’s Hot ’n Juicy Cheeseburgers line, Wendy’s will add a mid-price line of cheeseburgers dubbed “The W” by year-end. Acknowledging that consumer spending continues to be sluggish, the new line will be priced at $2.99, below Dave’s $4-and-up prices, and above its My 99¢ Everyday Value Menu [...]

[During RRGB's 11/3 quarterly analyst call, CEO Steve Carley acknowledged the impending Burger Works opening and called the concept a way to enter urban sites as well as colleges, airports, military bases, food courts and other nontraditional sites where a a full-size Red Robin cannot go.] The sluggish economy is pushing yet another casual-dining chain to [...]

 Dave Prokupek, chairman and CEO of Smashburger, says he expects a shakeout among fast-casual “better burger” concepts with two or three brands emerging as national players. Smashburger will be one of them, he says.      The Denver-based chain intends to be a global power, having announced its first two overseas development deals this month. One [...]

Fondue-chain operator The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc. tested the better-burger-restaurant waters in November 2010 by opening Burger 21 in Tampa, Fla. The fast-casual restaurant takes its name from the 21 “chef-inspired” burgers—priced from $5.95 to $8.95— on its menu. It also features signature hand-dipped milk shakes, a dipping-sauce bar and more. Front Burner Brands—the corporate [...]

Big Boy’s fast-casual concept, @burger, has closed its doors after barely a year in business, AnnArbor.com reports. Last year, Big Boy CEO Keith Sirois told BurgerBusiness.com that one reason to try the compact @burger concept was that “5,000- to 8,000-square-foot restaurants [like traditional Big Boys] just aren’t practical any more.” But it was the smaller, higher-priced concept [...]

Cinco de Mayo is over but Chevys Fresh Mex is keeping the party going and, surprisingly, celebrating National Burger Month by adding the first burger to its menu of traditional Mexican dishes, seafood and steaks.  Chevys’ El Mexi Burger is a seasoned hamburger patty with green chiles, avocado and jalapeño-Jack cheese in a grilled flour [...]

Wendy’s said it, like other restaurant chains, will need additional selective price increases this year (after taking a late-March hike) due to food costs that are rising beyond expectations. Beef costs should be up 20% this year rather than the 10%-15% rise previously forecast. Overall food prices could be up 5%-6% and not the 2%-3% [...]

May is National Burger Month, but if the celebrating seems half-hearted, blame chicken, which has been rudely stealing the promotional limelight. Thanks to wholesale prices that favor poultry over beef, it seems that every burger joint is adding chicken sandwiches, wraps, tenders and more. And that will continue: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers will promote a jalapeno-and-salsa-topped 5 Alarm [...]

Leading fast-casual burger chain The Counter has opened its first licensed airport unit, this in Terminal D at Miami International Airport in partnership with contractor HMSHost Corp. As often happens with airport locations, a breakfast menu was mandated to satisfy bleary-eyed morning travelers and this Counter location has that, plus 2,150 square feet of dining space with seats [...]

Former NFL coach and current steakhouse entrepreneur Don Shula announced plans to open a chain of fast-casual burger restaurants under the Shula Burger name.  Shula said in a release that the first franchisee is being sought in Florida, with 100 locations projected within 10 years. That’s an ambitious timetable in this economy, but the chain [...]

[Feb. 3 Update: Smashburger has extended the vegetarian menu to its units in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northern California and Wichita, Kan.] Fast-growing fast-casual Smashburger certainly isn’t afraid of tinkering with the concept. Last fall, it boldly took its menu beyond burgers into chicken sandwiches and salads. Then, this month, it bent its local-flavors approach to accommodate [...]

Smashburger shows itself to be doubly trendy with its systemwide introduction this week of the Sin City Smashburger. Not only is this the fast-casual chain’s first limited-time offer but the build includes an Angus beef patty toped with applewood-smoked bacon, melted American cheese, grilled and haystack onions, Smash sauce and a fried egg on an [...]