An Up and Coming Burger Franchise!

Back in March, Laurie and I were up in Cleveland Ohio visiting our son David II, his wife Amy and our two very cool grandsons, David III and Emmett Lee.  With their parents at work, we had the boys to ourselves so we headed out for lunch and a movie!

David III is 13 and Emmett Lee is 10.  Like most boys of that age, (or my age for that matter), one of the favorite foods is hamburgers!  They told us that we should take them to BurgerFi…a relatively new burger joint in a nearby suburb. 

This is Emmett Lee… His current ‘thing’ or focus is football with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots as his favorite team.  As he lives in Cleveland, he also roots for the Cleveland Browns.  Emmett is an excellent soccer player and he runs track too! 

This is David III… He actually loves to read real books…you know…the kind printed on paper.  He’s very bright and loves it when we quiz him on various miscellaneous topics…like geography or a little history.  David plays soccer too and he plays basketball. 

I'm sure that you see Emmett in the background...'photobombing' our photo of his brother.  We've now learned a new word!

  

The interior of BurgerFi is much like the exterior…sort of industrial modern with a few twists to change up the décor.  Customers order at the counter and they call you when your food is ready.

Note the strange chandeliers, the humongous ceiling fan and the wood on the walls.  Then then there is that big table and the chairs of varying color and design…

The BurgerFi operation is into environmentally sustainable best practices…including chairs that are made from recycled Coke bottles, tables made from compressed recycled wood and those big fans that use 66% less electricity.  The company also maintains a strict recycling program for oil, cardboard, bottles and cans.  

This was David II’s BurgerFi Cheeseburger. ($5.97) BurgerFi serves all natural Angus Beef.  No antibiotics and no hormones are used in raising the free range cattle that they purchase from their supplier.

 

BurgerFi’s sandwich menu is simple and straightforward… In addition to the burgers, the restaurant also offers Hot Dogs...plus a couple of specialty sandwiches.  The hot dogs range from a New York Style version ($3.67) all the way up to a 100% Wagyu Kobe Beef Dog. ($4.97)

Laurie and I both ordered a Double Cheeseburger with white cheddar cheese and hickory smoked bacon. ($8.13 each) We hadn’t told them how we wanted them cooked and there was some fear that they’d be overcooked.  We like our burgers medium rare… They were cooked all the way through but they were still moist and flavorful!  The quality of the ingredients makes a big difference…

Note the BurgerFi ‘brand’ that is imprinted on the top bun of each hamburger.

Emmett Lee ordered 2 single cheeseburgers with American cheese. ($4.47 each) Both of our grandsons love BurgerFi!!

The specialty burgers/sandwiches include a VegeFi Burger made with quinoa ($6.97); a Brisket Burger made from aged ground brisket ($9.97), and a Breakfast All Day Burger with hickory bacon drizzled with maple syrup, a fried egg, hash browns, grilled diced onions and ketchup. ($6.97) I can’t quite understand maple syrup on a burger…but what the heck, different strokes for different folks!

For beverages, we ordered 2 ‘freestyle sodas’ ($2.27 each) and 2 lemonades. ($2.57 each) As you can see, the beverages are a profit center for BurgerFi.  They also offer beer and wine for those who are so inclined...

The boys told us that we’d only need one large order of French fries…and they were right!  It provided plenty of fries for everyone and they were pretty darn good too… ($3.97) The next time that Laurie and I eat at a BurgerFi, we’ll order the Parmesan and Herb Fries…Yum! ($4.94 for the large order)

The good news is that a BurgerFi has just opened in Knoxville!  Former Tennessee Volunteers and NFL Pro Albert Haynesworth is the franchisee… The bad news is that it’s still about an hour from our home.  This franchised operation is growing fast.  The first BurgerFi opened in 2011 and there are now roughly 48 locations with another couple dozen slated to open yet this year.

We like BurgerFi!  We will even get around to driving that hour or so to visit the location near the University of Tennessee… It remains to be seen if the company can maintain its momentum and its standards.  We wish them success!

The BurgerFi that we visited in the Cleveland area is located at 8748 Mentor Avenue in Mentor Ohio.  Phone: 440-974-6265.  The company website can be found at http://www.burgerfi.com/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave