Ben & Jerry’s multi-unit franchisee and husband and wife duo growing MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes in Orlando
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, a fast casual, “better burger” chain, is ready to satisfy the taste buds of burger enthusiasts in Orlando. The restaurant franchise is set to have two openings in late 2019 and early 2020 at 8050 International Drive and 3155 South Orange Avenue in Orlando. The Orlando openings mark the second and third MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes restaurants in the market, joining the existing Oviedo Mall location that opened last fall. The franchise brand is planning to bring an additional six locations to the greater Orlando area, creating a total of more than 200 jobs across the area.
MOOYAH International Drive Franchise Owner Tareq Qarman brings years of multi-unit franchise ownership experience with Ben & Jerry’s in Orlando. He chose to become a franchisee based on the family-friendly atmosphere and quality culinary expertise that the brand offers. Angel and Sebnem Flores were frequent Guests at the Walnut Creek, California MOOYAH, where they fell in love with the restaurant’s overall experience and strong marketing efforts.
“We lived in Walnut Creek and that’s where we first discovered the brand,” Angel Flores said. “We knew from our very first visit; our first bite of the burger, first sip of the shake; and first reach into family size fries that this is a special place. Our first experience convinced us it would not be our last.”
After several visits to Walnut Creek’s MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, Angel and Sebnem decided to download the MOOYAH mobile app and began looking at franchise opportunities. After researching the franchise and meeting with the corporate team, they signed on to bring four locations to Florida in Orlando. The Flores’ previous career in military aircraft parts distribution had allowed them to travel the world, but they were ready to leave California and establish roots in Florida near extended family who had moved there decades earlier from Wisconsin. Their location will be in the south downtown area of Orlando across from the Orange Avenue Shopping Center in a highly commercial area.
Tareq Qarman moved to the United States from Palestine in 1993. While earning a bachelor’s degree in business, he worked at Golden Corral where he learned the ins and outs of the restaurant industry. His background led him to become a Ben & Jerry’s franchisee, and he currently owns five, soon to be six, Ben & Jerry’s locations in the Orlando region. When it came to looking for his next franchising opportunity, MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes stood out due to the store design and how it cultivates a family-friendly environment. Qarman’s location is located near Universal Studios, a tourist attraction that brings millions of people to the city each year.
“I love building a great culture with incredible customer service and high-quality food,” Qarman said. “I am a big believer in doing what you know. Restaurants are where I’ve worked for my entire life. I am excited to grow the MOOYAH brand across Orlando and the state of Florida.”
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes President and COO Tony Darden echoes Tareq, Angel and Sebnem’s enthusiasm to expand MOOYAH’s presence across Orlando: “With one location already in the market, and two planned to open very shortly, we are looking forward to bringing our top-notch menu items and superior customer service to new and returning Guests in Orlando. As a top tourist destination in the U.S., we are hopeful that Guests will fall in love with our brand and want to become Franchise Owners in their hometowns, helping expand the MOOYAH footprint across America.”
At MOOYAH, Guests have the advantage of choosing from a variety of bun options, such as baked-in-house artisan potato or multigrain wheat non-GMO buns and hand-crafted lettuce buns called Iceburgers to accompany the never-frozen, 100 percent Certified Angus Beef brand burgers, all natural Jennie-O turkey and mouthwatering MorningStar Farms black bean veggie burgers. Each gourmet burger can be customized with six cheeses, Applewood smoked bacon and sliced avocado, along with ten free veggie toppings and ten free sauces.
MOOYAH’s hand-cut fries come together in a six-step process that takes a total of 24 hours to completely prepare. A delightful combination of constant attention and a little magic help transform U.S. #1 Idaho potatoes into perfect, crisp-on-the-outside and fluffy-on-the-inside fries. Guests also have the choice of savory sweet potato fries. Never one to forget dessert, MOOYAH offers 100 percent real ice cream shakes, allowing Guests to choose from 7 flavors ranging from vanilla and Hershey’s chocolate to Reese’s, Oreo and more.
For more information on the growing brand and the sweepstakes, be sure to connect with MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes on the Facebook Fan page, and follow MOOYAH on LinkedIn, Twitter @MOOYAHburgers and Instagram @MOOYAHburgers.
For franchising opportunities, please visit franchise.mooyah.com.
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes is a fast-casual, “better burger” concept offering mouthwatering made-to-order burgers, French fries hand cut from Idaho potatoes, and real ice cream shakes. Founded in 2007, the Plano, Texas-based company serves fresh, 100% Certified Angus Beef Brand burgers, all natural Jennie-O turkey burgers and black bean veggie burgers. MOOYAH’s non-GMO potato and multigrain buns are baked in-house daily, and Guests can choose from five real cheeses, bacon, avocado and 20 free sauces and toppings made from garden-fresh veggies. MOOYAH Guests can choose from 7 flavors of 100% real ice cream shakes, including vanilla, Hershey’s chocolate, Reese’s, Oreo and more. While many Guests dine in-restaurant, MOOYAH also offers online ordering and carry out for Guests on the go as well as a loyalty app. In 2018, MOOYAH was ranked among Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 200 Food and Restaurant Franchises of 2018 and landed at #7 in the Top 10 Fast Casual Restaurant Franchises by FranchiseRankings.com. In 2017, MOOYAH was named to Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious list of the smartest growing franchise brands, and was ranked #11 on Fast Casual Magazine’s annual Top 100 Movers & Shakers, a list the brand has been included on every year in the last ten years of rankings.
