Burger 21, a new better burger franchise founded by the owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc., announced the opening of its first restaurant in Charlotte, N.C., located in Ballantyne Village at 14825 Ballantyne Village Way. Currently, Burger 21 has nine restaurants open and 16 franchised locations in development along the East Coast.
“We are extremely excited to bring the first Burger 21 to North Carolina,” said franchisee Todd Dennis. “We know the Charlotte community, which has supported us for so many years, will love our incredibly diverse menu and exceptional customer service.”
Highlights of Burger 21 Charlotte include:
- More than 50 new team members hired in Charlotte
- 2,600 square feet inside plus a 500-square-foot patio
- Seating for 110 customers
- Hours of operation are: 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., Monday – Thursday / 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Friday – Saturday / 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sunday
In addition to offering guests a variety of burgers like the Tex-Mex Haystack, Spicy Thai Shrimp, Black Bean and Chicken Marsala, the Charlotte location will have craft beer and wine by the glass. The location is focused on being green and environmentally conscious with its LED lighting and hand washing station.
“We are confident that Charlotte residents truly will be impressed with our innovative 21 crafted burgers and hand-dipped shakes offered at Burger 21’s first North Carolina location,” said Mark Johnston, Burger 21 president and chief concept officer of Front Burner Brands, management company for Burger 21. “Our young brand has made great strides in expanding to numerous new markets over the past two years and this is just the beginning for Burger 21’s development throughout North Carolina. We plan to develop approximately 10 units in the Charlotte and Research Triangle markets, and continue to seek dedicated franchisees to help us build a presence in the region.”
Burger 21 recently 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 latest gluten-free menu received the No. 1 ranking for the “Top 10 Menu Innovations” and Mark Johnston was recognized as one of the “Top 20 People” for his strategic leadership in the growth and development of the brand.
To further fuel Burger 21’s expansion in North Carolina, the company is actively seeking qualified franchisees and will host a live webinar on Aug. 29 at 2 p.m. EDT. To register, please visit www.burger21franchise.com/events.aspx or contact Ashley Pollard, franchise development manager for Burger 21, at 813-425-6252 or apollard@burger21.com or visit www.burger21franchise.com.
Since launching its aggressive growth plan in fall 2011, Burger 21 has signed franchise agreements with 11 different entities in eight states to develop a total of 21 franchised units in cities along the East Coast from New York to Florida.
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 – $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 development manager for Burger 21, at 813-425-6252 or apollard@burger21.com or visit www.burger21franchise.com.
With nine locations open in Tampa Bay, Fla., Orlando, Fla., Voorhees, N.J., Atlanta, Ga., and Charlotte, N.C., and 16 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 and slider 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-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.
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 nine locations open in Tampa Bay, Fla., Orlando, Fla., Voorhees, N.J., Atlanta, Ga., and Charlotte, N.C. and 16 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.
