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Smashburger expanding in Middle East

Smashburger is expanding its presence in the Middle East, thanks to a partnership with Pearll Investments to grow the brand in Qatar and United Arab Emirates.

February 11, 2016

Smashburger is expanding its presence in the Middle East, thanks to a partnership with Pearll Investments to grow the brand in Qatar and United Arab Emirates, including Dubai and Doha. The deal will result in 26 restaurants opening over the next several years, according to a company press release.

The new agreement continues the rapid global expansion for the brand; UAE and Qatar operations will join Smashburger operations underway in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as well as new restaurants in the U.K. and Egypt coming later this year, said Scott Crane, Smashburger president and CEO.

"Smashburger's international expansion has really taken off and we're excited to be adding United Arab Emirates and Qatar to our portfolio of international countries," he said. "Our new franchise partners are experienced restaurant operators and we're confident they will help us grow the brand throughout this part of the region. Dubai in particular is an attractive destination for people all across the world, and we're looking forward to bringing our made-to-order, hand-crafted burgers to a community that is experiencing growth and high traffic visibility year around."

Smashburger has plans to open an additional 60 to 80 restaurants in 2016 including expansion across the globe and into new markets in the U.S. The brand currently operates over 355 restaurants across the U.S., Kuwait, Canada, El Salvador, Panama,Costa Rica, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia