Top Burger Franchises Under 50 Units

Americans eat almost 50 billion burgers per year, according to the Huffington Post, which for those of us who struggle with math comes out to about three burgers a week for every person in the U.S. What this means is that while the burger segment is rife with opportunity, the biggest challenge a franchise brand faces is how to distinguish itself in such a crowded industry. With dedication and innovation, these are the franchises defying the odds and rising in prominence.

CaliBurger

Unit count: 40 locations worldwide

Investment range: $292,000-$774,000

Established in 2011, CaliBurger is a young but growing franchise that specializes in - you guessed it - the California-style burger, despite being headquartered in Seattle. Made-to-order burgers feature never-frozen beef, fresh buns and vegetables, and are cooked in zero trans-fat oils. CaliBurger makes its sauces in-house and hand mixes its shakes. The brand also is at the forefront of incorporating technology into its restaurants, specifically in its Pasadena, California location where it partnered with Miso Robotics to develop the first-ever robotic kitchen assistant. The robot, named Flippy, is a prototype designed to increase quality and consistency of products while simultaneously decreasing wait times that CaliBurger plans to install in more of its restaurants going forward.

Bareburger

Unit count: 40 locations worldwide

Investment range: $987,000 and up

Clean eating is the name of the game for Queens, New York-based burger chain Bareburger. The brand has grown its footprint throughout New York and beyond by prioritizing all-natural, organic products and sustainable operations since it was founded in 2009. Bareburger established a network of local farmers and suppliers to ensure the quality of ingredients and eventually built a menu that is over one-third vegetarian and plant-based. Additionally, each restaurant is constructed with reclaimed and recycled materials, making each space unique and furthering the brand’s commitment to sustainability. In less than a decade, Bareburger has expanded internationally and established itself as a health-conscious burger option - no small feat.

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar

Unit count: 33 locations in 6 states and counting

Investment range: $590,000-$1,382,000

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar is a full-service burger franchise that offers chef-driven gourmet burgers and local craft beers. Since 2008, the brand has steadily grown beyond its Colorado home base and stronghold due to an atmosphere it describes as “uniquely edgy” yet “approachable and inclusive.” Bad Daddy’s differentiates its menu with a proprietary burger blend, create-your-own offerings and a full bar. Recently, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar celebrated the opening of its Greensboro, North Carolina location by creating a 10-pound monster burger and is growing its presence throughout the Atlanta metro area in the second half of 2018.

Burger 21

Unit count: More than 20 locations in 10 states

Investment range: $428,247-$1,085,164

When Tampa, Florida-based Burger 21 was founded in 2010, the fast-casual restaurant concept offered exactly that: 21 different hand-cut, fresh-ground burgers made of 100 percent Angus beef. As the brand grew, so did its menu, along with its ability to skirt the traditional labels of a QSR burger joint, a traditional gourmet burger establishment and a full-service burger restaurant. By merging aspects of each effectively, Burger 21 is targeting growth in major U.S. cities like Dallas, Houston, Miami and Philadelphia, becoming an industry player to watch.

BGR The Burger Joint/BGR-Burgers Grilled Right

Unit count: 23 domestic and international units

Investment range: $202,800-$599,800
In the midst of a rebranding effort, this growing ‘better burger’ franchise that previously went by BGR The Burger Joint will now be called BGR - Burgers Grilled Right going forward. The brand got its start in Bethesda, Maryland in 2008, establishing itself in the market by serving made-to-order, flame-grilled burgers with rotating menu options. The majority of its locations are concentrated in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, though the brand also maintains a strong international presence with locations in Kuwait and Oman. BGR - Burgers Grilled Right recently celebrated its milestone 10-year anniversary.

Big Smoke Burger

Unit count: 21 locations in Canada and the Middle East

Investment range: $184,500-$417,500
Big Smoke Burger is a Canadian burger franchise that was established in 2007 and underwent a rebranding effort when it began franchising in 2011. Big Smoke Burger’s menu takes a gourmet approach to the fast-casual burger segment, offering fresh, never-frozen beef with broader options like chicken, veggie and lamb burgers, and the Canadian staple of poutine. Based in Toronto with franchised locations in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, the brand is seeking continued opportunities to further grow its Ontario stronghold.

Meatheads
Unit count: 16 locations in Illinois and Indiana

Investment range: $40,000 and up

Founded in Normal, Illinois in 2007, Meatheads serves fresh, never-frozen Angus beef burgers with a wild selection of toppings that includes pineapple and giardiniera. Also wild is the way the brand’s fries, something that seems like a pretty standard menu item, take 32 steps to make. Beyond these distinct made-to-order offerings, Meatheads serves chicken sandwiches, chop salad, chicken tenders, New England-style hot dogs and more. With a strong foothold in the Chicago suburbs, the brand is targeting its initial expansion efforts in states and markets tangential to Illinois, but plans on widening the parameters of its search in the future.

Liberty Burger

Unit count: 10 locations in Texas and Wyoming

Investment range: $540,000-$789,000

Liberty Burger is a burger franchise based in Texas that was founded in 2011 as an alternative to the tired American concept of a fast-food hamburger. With quality, community and environmental responsibility at the center of its business model, Liberty Burger is committed to providing a top-tier experience at all of its locations. Its menu reflects that, with all-natural meat and poultry from local suppliers plus a broad selection of sandwiches, salads, sides and another staple, alcoholic milkshakes. According to co-founder Mariel Street, the brand’s next step is finding a restaurant group to team up with to expand further outside of Texas, specifically the Oklahoma cities of Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Good Stuff Eatery

Unit count: 7 locations across the globe

Investment range: $1,029,500-$1,338,500

Good Stuff Eatery is a small but mighty contender in the burger franchise segment due to its strong and distinctive product offering. To say this is in such a crowded segment feels insincere, but Good Stuff Eatery’s presence as a genuine, farm-fresh option in a world more and more concerned with the quality of the food it consumes - yet still craves a good burger - makes the brand uniquely positioned for growth. The brand opened its first location in Washington, D.C. in 2008 and has since opened another unit in the city and expanded to Virginia, Chicago, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. All menu items at each location are locally sourced and made fresh by experienced chefs.

BUILT Custom Burgers

Unit count: 6 locations in the U.S. and Canada

Investment range: $368,000-$982,000

BUILT Custom Burgers, the fast-casual concept brand of established burger franchise The Counter, was established as its own entity in 2015 and began franchising in 2015. The spinoff was created to put the creative power in the hands of the customer, providing tons of variety in a simple format to ensure satisfaction. First, the customer chooses a protein (a vegan veggie patty is one of the options), then moves on to the cheese, bun, and toppings section, where they are met with a laundry list of possible add-ons. Finally, they choose from a selection of hand-made sauces, then sides and a beverage. The concept matches that of The Counter’s, just with quicker service and a more casual setting. A restaurant in Malaysia is also in development.