BUBBA Burger has developed its Original BUBBA Burger Grill fast casual concept, with the first four units scheduled to open in Jacksonville, Fla., in April, according to Billy Morris, president and CEO.

BUBBA burgers, the No. 1 selling retail branded burgers in the United States, have traditionally been available in grocery store freezer sections.

Chains such as Boston Market, California Pizza Kitchen and Starbucks are among those that offer packaged-goods in grocery stores. It is much less common, however, that food brands with a grocery store-only presence evolve into a fast casual concept.

Morris says the process wasn’t quick and easy, and it has been developing throughout the past few years. He thought of the concept while he was traveling and found himself craving a burger in an airport. Not finding anything that appealed to him, he began thinking about offering the BUBBA burger in such a venue.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to have developed a loyal customer base, and we’ve really taken our time and looked for the right opportunity before moving forward,” Morris said.

The chain's menu will feature all varieties of the BUBBA burger, including its original, sweet onion, jalapeno, reduced fat, mini BUBBA bites and the new turkey burger. It will also serve side dishes, including chili cheese fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings and fried pickle chips.

“Our BUBBA fans have been asking us for years to open restaurants where they could get their BUBBAs on the go when they were away from home,” Morris said. “Our new BUBBA Burger Grill will feature the great taste, quality and personality that our customers nationwide have come to expect from our BUBBA burgers.”

BUBBA's restaurant concept

Morris is proud of the product quality he thinks the Original BUBBA Burger Grills will be able to provide to customers.

“If I look at the rest of the burger industry, I don’t think there are any other options that control the production the way we do. From food safety and quality, we have absolute responsibility for what we’re serving our guests,” said Morris.

There are two manufacturing facilities, located in Elberton, Ga., and Hastings, Neb., which are responsible for producing all of the BUBBA burgers. These facilities will also be handling the production of the burgers for the restaurants.

Guests of BUBBA Burger Grill will create their own burger by selecting from an array of options, including their choice of buns, toppings, cheeses and sauces. Additional options include the BUBBA chicken sandwich and a mini BUBBA dog platter.

Morris said the BUBBA Grill locations will offer guests an inviting, comfortable and casual atmosphere.

Following the chain’s initial four units, Morris said the chain plans to grow across the country through traditional restaurant locations as well as food courts, airport locations, college campuses and sporting venues. The decision about whether the BUBBA Burger Grill concept will offer franchising opportunities hasn’t been made yet.

“We want to make sure we’ve got it down first before we start offering franchise opportunities. We’re looking to expand to about 100 units over the next three years," said Morris. "We have strong brand recognition, and we think it presents a strong opportunity.”

Retail-to-restaurant

BUBBA Burgers is one of a small handful of brands making the transition from retail to restaurants.

Nestle has had success with its Nestle Toll House Café by Chip concepts, offering the traditional chocolate chip cookie, as well as specialty coffees, frozen treats, brownies and smoothies. The first café opened August 2000 in Frisco, Texas.

Ziad Dalal, founder and CEO of Nestle Toll House Café by Chip, and his partner Doyle Liesenfelt approached Nestle with the franchise fast casual concept in response to what they now refer to as “Doyle’s epiphany.”

“Doyle was sitting at home and the childhood memory of a freshly baked Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie sparked in his mind. He told Ziad that they needed to create a concept where a consumer could be out and about and get that same fresh cookie on-the-go without having to go home to bake it,” said Valerie Shropshire, Nestle Toll House Café director of marketing.

Dalal said they knew it would be a hit, but it was a long and sometimes painful journey from the first presentation of their vision to Nestle to the opening of the first location. Being blessed to work with the “best brand in the land” was very helpful throughout the process, Dalal said.

There are now 95 cafes open throughout the U.S., all of which are franchised except the corporate flagship store. There are two international locations in Lebanon, with plans to open a location in Dubai in May.