Impressive Growth and Innovative Campaigns Fuel MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes’ Strong Performance in 2016

For MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, 2016 consisted of record breaking growth and milestone moments worth celebrating. And as the leading better burger brand heads into the new year, it’s clear that its strong momentum isn’t slowing down any time soon.

Over the course of the past year, MOOYAH added 20 new restaurants to its ever-growing franchise system. The brand also expanded its reach in target development markets across the country, including Austin, Texas; Monrovia, California; Lafayette, Colorado; Franklin Township, New Jersey and Doral, Florida. But MOOYAH’s biggest grand opening celebration in 2016 came when the brand achieved a milestone that few franchise brands can boast: its 100th location.

To facilitate that impressive growth, the brand actively took steps to boost both its corporate team and digital presence. Internally, MOOYAH brought on former Dallas Cowboys star Bradie James as its director of brand engagement. And to increase its interaction with its valued guests, MOOYAH invested more in technology by rolling out an upgraded mobile-responsive website and a new loyalty app.

“We’ve made some amazing strides this year. Between crossing the 100-unit mark and introducing a better loyalty program to our guests, it’s clear that we’re more committed than ever to creating an unrivaled franchise system and customer experience,” said Natalie Anderson Liu, MOOYAH’s vice president of marketing. “That combined with MOOYAH’s top quality ingredients and customizable, innovative menu proves that we’re the better burger brand to beat.”

MOOYAH’s innovative efforts aren’t limited to its internal team—the brand is constantly finding new ways to engage guests. The brand launched its wildly successful “Taste to Try” campaign this year, for example, which featured new branded menu items made up of different ingredients already available on its menu every day. These burgers—which were all then inducted into MOOYAH’s “Burger Hall of DANG!”—included The Double Diablo, The Well D’Onion, The Hamburdog and many others. Guest checks including a Taste to Try creation were 40 percent higher than checks without a Taste to Try.

“We couldn’t be more excited with the way our guests responded to the Taste to Try campaign. One of the recipes became so popular that it’s currently being added to our menu,” said Anderson Liu. “This campaign is absolutely something we’re continuing in 2017. We see an opportunity for Taste to Try flavors to be even bolder than those we featured in 2016.”

As MOOYAH moves into the new year—marking its 10th anniversary on March 30—the brand plans to continue raising the bar even higher. In addition to openings in major markets throughout California, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Virginia and New Jersey, MOOYAH plans to open between 20 new restaurants in 2017. The brand will also continue to build on its success in non-traditional spaces like college campuses with an opening scheduled at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

In addition to those strategic growth efforts, MOOYAH will introduce its new MOO2 initiative across its entire franchise system in 2017. Designed to enhance the brand’s overall experience, the roll out of the innovative format is expected to be completed in the first quarter.

“We spent our first decade building the brand and laying a solid foundation. Now that we’re heading towards the next milestone, we’re excited to take our growth and development efforts to the next level,” said Michael Mabry, COO of MOOYAH. “If 2016 is any indication, MOOYAH is perfectly positioned for another record breaking year. While we’ve always set the standard in the better burger industry, we’re excited to raise the bar even higher in the months ahead.”