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| footnotes = Slogan: "Every City's Favorite Burger Place", "Smash. Sizzle. Savor."
| footnotes = Slogan: "Every City's Favorite Burger Place", "Smash. Sizzle. Savor."
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'''Smashburger''' is an American chain of [[Fast casual restaurant|fast casual]] [[hamburger|burgers]] restaurants that originated in [[Denver, Colorado]].<ref>[http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/12/01/daily24.html Smashburger inks expansion deals - Denver Business Journal<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Originally known as '''IconBurger''', the new name comes from the process used to cook burgers , which entails smashing a ball of ground beef on a [[barbeque grill|grill]] to "sear in the juices."
'''Smashburger''' is an American chain of [[Fast casual restaurant|fast casual]] [[hamburger|burgers]] restaurants that originated in [[Denver, Colorado]].<ref>[http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/12/01/daily24.html Smashburger inks expansion deals - Denver Business Journal<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Originally known as '''IconBurger''', the new name refers to the process of smashing a ball of ground beef on a [[barbeque grill|grill]] to "sear in the juices."


==History==
==History==
Smashburger was founded in 2007 by Tom Ryan, a veteran of fast food chains including [[Quiznos]], [[McDonald’s]], [[Pizza Hut]], and [[Long John Silver's]], and a Top 25 American food entrepreneur according to Gourmet Magazine.<ref>[http://www.gourmet.com/food/gourmetlive/2012/020112/the-top-25-american-food-entrepreneurs?currentPage=3 The Top 25 American Food Entrepreneurs]</ref> While at Pizza Hut he introduced the company's Stuffed Crust Pizza and Lovers line. At McDonald's he was Worldwide Chief Concept Officer, and held the titles of US Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Menu Management. At McDonald's he launched the [[McGriddle]], [[McFlurry]], [[Big N' Tasty]], Dollar Menu<ref>[http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/meal_bundles/dollar_menu.html McDonalds.com Dollar Menu]</ref>, and Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits. Ryan is is currently Managing Partner and Chief Concept Officer of Consumer Capital Partners<ref>[http://www.franchiseherald.com/articles/3622/20130319/smashburgers-road-success-tom-ryan-consumer-capital-partners-employees-disruption.htm] Smashburger's Road to Success: Tom Ryan, Consumer Capital Partners, Employees and Disruption</ref>.
Smashburger was founded in 2007 by Tom Ryan, a fast food executive who has worked with a variety of chains including [[Quiznos]], [[McDonald’s]], [[Pizza Hut]], and [[Long John Silver's]]. In 2007, he was named as one of the Top 25 American food entrepreneurs by Gourmet Magazine.<ref>[http://www.gourmet.com/food/gourmetlive/2012/020112/the-top-25-american-food-entrepreneurs?currentPage=3 The Top 25 American Food Entrepreneurs]</ref> While at Pizza Hut he introduced the company's Stuffed Crust Pizza and Lovers line. At McDonald's, where he was Worldwide Chief Concept Officer, US Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Menu Management, he was responsible for launching the [[McGriddle]], [[McFlurry]], [[Big N' Tasty]], Dollar Menu<ref>[http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/meal_bundles/dollar_menu.html McDonalds.com Dollar Menu]</ref>, and Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits. Ryan is is currently Managing Partner and Chief Concept Officer of Consumer Capital Partners, the investment and operating company behind Smashburger<ref>[http://www.franchiseherald.com/articles/3622/20130319/smashburgers-road-success-tom-ryan-consumer-capital-partners-employees-disruption.htm] Smashburger's Road to Success: Tom Ryan, Consumer Capital Partners, Employees and Disruption</ref>.


In 2009, Smashburger received a $15 million investment from Consumer Capital Partners to enable a major national expansion. David Prokupek, the private equity firm’s chief investment officer, became Smashburger’s chairman and chief executive officer.<ref>[http://smashburger.com/about/executive-team/ "SmashBurger Executive Team"]</ref> As of early 2011, Smashburger has 100 locations nationwide, and planned to double its store count by 2012.<ref>[http://www.inc.com/ss/10-most-promising-franchises-2011#2 "The 10 Most Promising Franchises of 2011"]</ref> In 2012, the first Smashburger outside the U.S. opened, in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], with plans to open locations in [[Edmonton]], Alberta, [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], and [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].<ref>[http://smashburger.com/2011/11/smashburger-smashes-over-the-border-into-canada/ "SMASHBURGER SMASHES OVER THE BORDER INTO CANADA"]</ref>
In 2009, Smashburger received a $15 million investment from Consumer Capital Partners to enable a major national expansion. David Prokupek, the private equity firm’s chief investment officer, became Smashburger’s chairman and chief executive officer.<ref>[http://smashburger.com/about/executive-team/ "SmashBurger Executive Team"]</ref> As of early 2011, Smashburger has 100 locations nationwide, and planned to double its store count by 2012.<ref>[http://www.inc.com/ss/10-most-promising-franchises-2011#2 "The 10 Most Promising Franchises of 2011"]</ref> In 2012, the first Smashburger outside the U.S. opened, in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], with plans to open locations in [[Edmonton]], Alberta, [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], and [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].<ref>[http://smashburger.com/2011/11/smashburger-smashes-over-the-border-into-canada/ "SMASHBURGER SMASHES OVER THE BORDER INTO CANADA"]</ref>

Revision as of 02:15, 17 April 2013

Smashburger
Company typePrivate
GenreFast casual restaurant
Founded2007
FounderTom Ryan
Headquarters
Denver, Colorado
,
U.S.
Key people
David Prokupek
Chairman & CEO
ProductsBurgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, french fries, Häagen-Dazs shakes, soft drinks
Websitesmashburger.com
Footnotes / references
Slogan: "Every City's Favorite Burger Place", "Smash. Sizzle. Savor."

Smashburger is an American chain of fast casual burgers restaurants that originated in Denver, Colorado.[1] Originally known as IconBurger, the new name refers to the process of smashing a ball of ground beef on a grill to "sear in the juices."

History

Smashburger was founded in 2007 by Tom Ryan, a fast food executive who has worked with a variety of chains including Quiznos, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver's. In 2007, he was named as one of the Top 25 American food entrepreneurs by Gourmet Magazine.[2] While at Pizza Hut he introduced the company's Stuffed Crust Pizza and Lovers line. At McDonald's, where he was Worldwide Chief Concept Officer, US Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Menu Management, he was responsible for launching the McGriddle, McFlurry, Big N' Tasty, Dollar Menu[3], and Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits. Ryan is is currently Managing Partner and Chief Concept Officer of Consumer Capital Partners, the investment and operating company behind Smashburger[4].

In 2009, Smashburger received a $15 million investment from Consumer Capital Partners to enable a major national expansion. David Prokupek, the private equity firm’s chief investment officer, became Smashburger’s chairman and chief executive officer.[5] As of early 2011, Smashburger has 100 locations nationwide, and planned to double its store count by 2012.[6] In 2012, the first Smashburger outside the U.S. opened, in Calgary, Alberta, with plans to open locations in Edmonton, Alberta, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto, Ontario.[7]

Corporate Philosophy and Technology

Smashburger hired Philosophy Communication to help it open corporate locations and to develop its website and to tell the Smashburger story to potential consumers and franchisees.[8] In addition to a wide-ranging but tightly focused media campaign, Smashburger hosted VIP opening nights for key community influencers including food critics, Yelpers, bloggers, local government, business people and neighbors from surrounding communities for a sneak preview of the new Smashburger concept.

Smashburger often uses its social media platforms to offer rewards to its fans. Coupons are periodically offered via its Facebook page and the company uses localized Twitter handles instead of a single national account to deliver targeted content such as half-off shakes in the Chicago area when the Bears football team win a game.

Inside the store, Smashburger aimed for a clean and modern look, in contrast to Five Guys more open area lined with peanut bags and potato bags, Smashburger implemented an interactive experience using two different types of digital menu boards: large, 47-inch panels behind the counter, and register, while smaller display screens are placed right in front of the register and face the customer as they're ordering with the goal of increasing security, speeding up the line and to help up-sell items such as Coke, fries or a milkshake. They also analyze data coming in from these menus looking for variances and standard deviations from store to store in an effort to establish a corporate uniformity. For that, the company uses Empathica, a customer experience management (CEM) firm that uses reporting technology to set "focus areas for improvement" so that managers don't have to dig through data. Managers at Smashburger are generally trained in Denver and then relocated to open new stores nationwide.[9]

Accolades

Smashburger describes its mission as "to be every city’s favorite place for burgers.” In Denver, the alternative-weekly Westword named it the best locally owned chain for 2008.[10] Later that year, Denver Magazine named it “Most Likely to Succeed” and local ABC affiliate KMGH/Channel 7 touted it as the “best burger” on its “A List.”[11]

In Minnesota, MPLS St. Paul magazine rated Smashburger the best “Thin Burger” (defined as “drive-in or better fast food”), with a score of 96/100.[12]

In 2009, Nation’s Restaurant News, a leading restaurant-industry trade magazine, named Smashburger to its prestigious “Hot Concepts” list.[13] In 2010, the Sin City Smashburger was named one of the top burgers of the year by Las Vegas Weekly.[14]

Smashburger’s menu focuses primarily on burgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, and salads, with a wide variety of toppings and customization options. The restaurant serves localized burgers in each market based on regional flavors. Smashburger also offers a variety of sides, including sweet potato fries, fried onions, fried mild green chilies, fried pickles, and chili. Desserts include shakes, malts, and floats made with Haagen-Dazs ice cream.

Smashburger used to offer breakfast, but after realizing the market demand was not as high for breakfast, they took it off the menu. Smashburger's menu is customized for each state it is located in. For instance, The Colorado Burger is only available at Colorado locations. Sides and shakes are often customized as well.[15]

The chain also serves alcohol, offering beer, wine, and Mike’s Hard Lemonade, in addition to assorted malt beverage floats and liqueur-blended shakes.

References

  1. ^ Smashburger inks expansion deals - Denver Business Journal
  2. ^ The Top 25 American Food Entrepreneurs
  3. ^ McDonalds.com Dollar Menu
  4. ^ [1] Smashburger's Road to Success: Tom Ryan, Consumer Capital Partners, Employees and Disruption
  5. ^ "SmashBurger Executive Team"
  6. ^ "The 10 Most Promising Franchises of 2011"
  7. ^ "SMASHBURGER SMASHES OVER THE BORDER INTO CANADA"
  8. ^ [2] Smashburger Case Study
  9. ^ http://www.empathica.com/press-release/smashburger-accelerates-customer-satisfaction-with-empathica-local/
  10. ^ "Denver Best Locally Based Chain"
  11. ^ "Smashburger in Denver CO on Denver's 7 'A List'"
  12. ^ "Thin Burgers"
  13. ^ "Hot Concepts Winners"
  14. ^ "Best Burger"
  15. ^ "Tabor Center - Smashburger"
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