Top 10 Burger Franchises To Watch in 2020

The average person in the U.S. will eat about 30 pounds of hamburgers per year, but the biggest breakout trend in this burger-loving nation in 2019 has easily been the addition of plant-based patties to menus everywhere. Even burger purists have gotten behind these vegan-friendly burgers that taste remarkably like the real thing.

As consumers are growing increasingly health and environmentally conscious, customizability, quality ingredients and convenience are the name of the game in the burger industry. No bun? No problem! Trying out a meatless Monday? A nearby burger shack has got you covered. So whether you’re a hardcore carnivore or a casual flexitarian, chances are you have a favorite burger spot. 1851 broke down 10 of today’s leading burger franchises by unit count, initial investment and what you can learn from each brand’s latest moves.

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes*

Unit count: 90

Investment range: $402,750 to $564,400

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries and Shakes is a fun, family-friendly burger brand based out of Plano, Texas. MOOYAH has been rapidly expanding across the U.S. in 2019 thanks to the work of an ambitious network of franchisees. The brand also launched a new lineup of Lifestyle Burgers this year, a collection of new menu items compatible with a wide range of dietary restrictions and preferences including paleo, keto, vegetarian and gluten-free diets.

What you can learn from this brand: "MOOYAH is unique because we are Seriously Fun®!,” said Natalie Anderson-Liu, MOOYAH’s Vice President of Marketing. “We serve only the highest quality food including Certified Angus Beef® brand burgers, hand-cut french fries, real ice cream shakes, fresh veggies prepared daily, non-GMO buns baked in-house and more. We combine that with a brand personality and experience that invites guests and team members to be themselves and have fun.”

“Because the demand for our cuisine is strong, we focus on taste, quality and experience and maximizing those in a model that yields a strong ROI for our franchisee partners,” Anderson-Liu continued. “Our focus on menu innovation is coupled with rigor around maintaining industry-leading prime costs. Smiling guests, team members and franchisees make MOOYAH one of the strongest better burger franchises out there!"

Checkers* and Rally’s

Unit count: 875

Investment range: $203,600 to $945,000

Checkers and Rally’s is ranked No. 88 in Entrepreneur’s 2019 Franchise 500. Started as two different concepts, the restaurants merged in 1999 to become the double drive-thru burger chain that it is today. The brand even has a pretty prominent franchisee, with rapper Rick Ross owning multiple locations. 

What you can learn from this brand: In 2019, the brand reached several milestones. Checkers & Rally’s chose to partner with several third-party delivery companies, tackled 100 restaurant reimages and partnered with mobile customer engagement company Mobivity to launch programs to consumers across all 875 locations. The Mobivity partnership introduced personalized, exclusive offers straight to customers’ phones via SMS text message. Like so many other brands in the QSR sector, Checkers and Rally’s is positioning customer convenience and tech at the forefront of brand growth. 

The Counter

Unit count: 36

Investment range: $746,000 to $2,335,250

The Counter is a build-your-own gourmet burger franchise out of California that specializes in quality ingredients and inventive menu items. This full-service burger concept prides itself on offering gourmet options that are adaptable to any diet or lifestyle and its full bar offering that helps The Counter stand out in the space. 

What you can learn from this brand: This brand spent 2019 expanding its happy hour menu and evolving its beverage program to become more than just another burger joint. The brand has already taken off in California, and is looking to expand to other parts of the U.S. with a model that is applicable to just about any market. The brain was even featured in Thrillist as an underrated burger chain that needs to be in every state. 

Sonic Drive-In

Unit count: 3,606   

Investment range: $1,236,800 to $3,536,300

Sonic Drive-In is a burger chain with a retro feel thanks to its drive-in concept, which is well-known for its roller-skate wearing carhops. In spite of being such a classic concept, Sonic thrives on menu innovation, bringing on a slew of new, limited-edition items every year. 

What you can learn from this brand: The brand came in at No. 3 on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, No. 13 on Restaurant Business Online’s Top 500 Chains and No. 13 in the QSR 50. Accolades abound for this iconic concept, and the brand’s revitalization has been brought on largely in part due to an acquisition by Inspire Brands—the fifth-largest restaurant company in the U.S.

Culver’s

Unit count: 715

Investment range: $1,970,000 to $4,714,000

Known for ButterBurgers?, frozen custard and more, Culver’s is a Midwestern staple from Sauk City, Wisconsin. This brand sets itself apart from the competition by staying true to its Midwestern roots. All of the restaurant’s cheese curds come from a single dairy in Stanley, Wisconsin, and guests in 25 states can’t get enough of them. 

What you can learn from this brand: Culver’s is No. 40 on Restaurant Business Magazine’s Top 500 and No. 6 on Entrepreneur’s 2019 Franchise 500. Culver’s appeal is deceptively simple—the brand delivers fresh, delicious food and hometown hospitality in a family-friendly environment, making it a regional favorite among Midwesterners and more. The concept still has plenty of room to break into new U.S. markets in the Northeast, Southwest and beyond.

Jack in the Box

Unit count: 2,200+

Investment range: $1,481,500 to $3,336,600

Jack in the Box is a cheeky franchise serving burgers, fries and more out of San Diego, California. Once a regional staple only found in 17 western states, the brand has immensely grown since 2004 to a highly franchise-focused format, expanding to over 2,200 stores in 21 states and Guam. In 2015, Jack in the Box re-entered the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 after declining to participate for 24 years. What’s even more surprising, though, was that the brand snagged the No. 4 spot. 

What you can learn from this brand: This California-founded chain is No. 19 in this year’s Franchise 500 ranking. Since its founding in 1951, Jack in the Box has been a pioneer of a drive-thru and takeout-friendly business model that more and more QSRs are pivoting toward. According to QSR Magazine, in order to encourage franchising in select markets, Jack in the Box is reducing royalties by up to 50% for five years and is waiving its $50,000 franchise fee.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Unit count: 351

Investment range: $590,469 to $1,986,315

Founded in 2002, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is a relatively young brand in the burger business, yet has seen steady growth thanks to an experienced executive team and investment in franchising initiatives. Come by Freddy’s for cooked-to-order griddled patties, authentic Chicago-style hotdogs and frozen custard.

What you can learn from this brand: Freddy’s had a truly breakout year in 2019, earning Forbes’ title of the No. 1 Best Franchise to Buy in the High Investment category. The brand boasts approximately 30% year-over-year growth since 2013, and also came in at No. 51 on The Entrepreneur Franchise 500 this year.

Carl’s Jr. 

Unit count: 1,656

Investment range: $1,622,000 to $2,171,500

Started from a hot dog cart in Los Angeles, Carl’s Jr. is now a household name in the burger business. Burgers weren’t even added to the menu until 1945 when the founders opened the first brick-and-mortar Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue.

What you can learn from this brand: Carl’s Jr. ranks No. 33 in the Entrepreneur Franchise 500. The brand’s most noteworthy innovation this year was the addition of the plant-based Beyond Burger, which has been the chain’s most successful burger launch in two years. While many other brands tested plant-based patties this year, Carl’s Jr.’s launch was so successful that the meatless burger is now a permanent menu item.  

Fatburger

Unit count: 200+

Investment range: $463,169 to $988,000

The first-ever Fatburger was opened in 1947 by African-American woman and founder Lovie Yancey. The now-iconic brand began with just three stalls at the flagship Los Angeles location, but now has over 200 stores, both in the U.S. and internationally. The California-based brand started franchising in 1990 and has had an impressive roster of celebrity franchisees including Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Montel Williams and Queen Latifah.

What you can learn from this brand: Fatburger has cleverly utilized ghost kitchens to boost sales on third-party delivery apps. Parent company FAT Brands—which has a large network of other concepts under its belt including Hurricane Grill & Wings, Buffalo’s Café, Buffalo’s Express, Yalla Mediterranean, Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses and Elevation Burger—is utilizing ambitious co-branding opportunities to drive sales across locations as well as foster franchise expansion in previously untapped markets. As of August 2019, Fatburger had already opened 16 franchises, with a goal of 30 by the end of the year.

Krystal

Unit count: 342

Investment range: $900,000 to $1,300,000

Krystal is the second-oldest QSR concept in the U.S., founded in 1932. The brand is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, but has locations all over the Southeastern U.S. The nostalgia surrounding this brand in many southern states was a driving factor in a 2019 revitalization initiative for the brand that included nine scrape-and-rebuilds, a move that has proven successful for customers and employees alike. 

What you can learn from this brand: Krystal is returning to franchise growth after 15 years, meaning this concept could be one to watch in 2020. The brand’s newest franchised restaurant is slated to open in Jonesboro, Arkansas, in early 2020 thanks to franchisees Anand Patel and Kalpesh Das, of Slider Joint, LLC. This opening comes in tandem with a systemwide revamp of the restaurant’s looks, operations and service.