Burger 21 Celebrates Grand Opening of First Restaurant in South Florida

(Franchise Buy) - By . Updated Feb 24, 2013

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:       Elayne Sommers  

Fish Consulting

(954) 893-9150

esommers@fish-consulting.com

Burger 21 Celebrates Grand Opening of First Restaurant in South Florida

- Award-Winning Fast Casual Chain Brings Its Beyond the Better Burger Concept to Davie -

TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 24, 2013) – Burger 21^®, a new better burger franchise founded by the owners of The Melting Pot^® Restaurants, Inc., has announced the opening of its first restaurant in Davie, Fla. located at 2451 South University Drive. This location is one of four units to be developed in Broward County over the next several years. Currently, Burger 21 has 12 restaurants open and 20 franchised locations in development across the U.S.

“My family and I are thrilled to open Burger 21’s first restaurant on the Atlantic Coast of Florida,” said franchisee Adam Booken. “We are confident that the people of Davie will love our exceptional service and chef-inspired menu items that appeal to a wide range of tastes and dietary preferences.”

Highlights of Burger 21 Davie include:

• 55 new team members hired in Davie
• 2,913 square feet inside plus a 319-square-foot patio
• Seating for 136 customers with 102 seats inside the restaurant and 34 on the patio
• Hours of operation are: Sunday – Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday – Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

In addition to offering guests a variety of beef and non-beef burgers like the Tex-Mex Haystack, Spicy Thai Shrimp, Black Bean and Chicken Marsala, the Davie location will offer craft beer and wine by the glass.

“This is our eighth location in Florida and we’re extremely pleased with Burger 21’s growth throughout the state,” said Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development for Front Burner Brands. “Looking ahead, we will continue to focus on expanding our presence in South Florida, from Miami-Dade to Palm Beach counties, as part of our aggressive development plans.”

To further fuel Burger 21’s expansion in South Florida and across the country, the company is actively seeking qualified franchisees and will host a live webinar on March 13 at 2 p.m. EST. To register, or to learn more about franchising opportunities with Burger 21, please visit www.burger21franchise.com/events.aspx.

Burger 21 has developed a unique culture in its restaurants that includes a strong commitment to the communities it serves. Since its inception, the company has provided more than $71,000 in contributions as part of its “B Charitable” initiative. On the 21^st of every month, each Burger 21 restaurant donates 10 percent of the day’s sales to a local school or charity partner of the month.

Burger 21 was named one of Fast Casual’s Top 100 “Movers and Shakers” of 2013. The concept ranked No. 22 based on its variety of innovative recipes and recent expansion. In addition, the franchise’s gluten-free menu received the No. 1 ranking in the “Top 10 Menu Innovations” category and Mark Johnston was recognized as one of the “Top 20 People” for his strategic leadership in the growth and development of the brand.

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 $414,495 – $832,495. 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 apollard@burger21.com or visit www.burger21franchise.com.

About Burger 21
With 12 locations open in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia and 20 in development in six 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, made-to-order salads, all-beef hot dogs, hand-breaded 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 (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 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 20 in development in six states, GrillSmith with six locations in the Tampa Bay area and other new franchise concepts in development. For more information, visit http://www.frontburnerbrands.com.

# # #