Burger Business Booms
In a weak economy one type of business has found success, the upscale burger business. While restaurants across the country are pinching pennies, burger joints, such as Five Guys Burgers, are making higher-quality ingredients the standard in their products. Another tactic to increase their business is using quirky ingredients such as fried eggs and pineapple. According to NPD, a market research group, the hamburger and sandwich category was the only category to experience growth in both full-service and quick-service restaurants last year. Although beef prices are on the rise, many operators of burger businesses are still planning to expand their ventures.
Most of these businesses successes stem from the fact that hamburgers can be altered but they remain true to their traditional form. For example, Smashburger's Colorado burger comes with two different kinds of cheese, grilled green chilies, and served on a chipotle bun. Also, instead of limiting the side items to french-fries, Smashburger offers "veggie frites" – fried asparagus, carrots, and green beans – and fried pickles. Other chains have offered sweet potato fries.
Many of these businesses have seen rapid growth, but none has experienced as much expansion as Five Guys; where sales grew 70% to $499 million in 2009. Also, according to a consulting firm, Technomic, Five Guys was the fastest growing restaurant in its category of businesses with annual sales of more than $200 million annually.
To read more about the burger boom see Burger joints experience increase in business.
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