What burger chain sells organic and free-range beef, is founded by gourmet chefs, and has Martha Stewart on their board of directors? BurgerFi! The burger chain is known for all of the things mentioned above in addition to cage-free chicken burgers, veggie burgers, Wagyu beef hot dogs and colossal onion rings.

How much does it cost to open BurgerFi? You’ll need a liquid capital of $500,000 and a net worth of $1,000,000. The total cost to open a BurgerFi location is $629,900 to $1,011,750 that includes the one-time franchise fee of $45,000.

Ready to shake up the burger scene in your area by opening a BurgerFi? Read on to know more about this burger chain, company financials, and challenges. You can also take our 7-minute franchise quiz to be paired with an opportunity that’s right for you.

Financial Requirements and Fees

These are the financial requirements that BurgerFi requires from their interested franchise applicants:

Fees / Expenses Financial Amount
Liquid Capital $500,000
Net Worth $1,000,000
Total Investment $629,900 to $1,011,750
Franchise Fee $45,000

In addition to all the fees, BurgerFi also requires a royalty fee of 5.5% from revenue, local restaurant marketing fee of 1.5%, and a national brand fund contribution of 2%.

Veterans get 25% off on the franchise fee. The term of agreement to run a BurgerFi location is 10 years and can be renewable.

Average Sales / Revenue per Year

BurgerFi has reported revenues of $68.9 million in 2021 which was a 103% increase from their 2020 revenue that came in at $34 million. The increase in revenue was also due to more locations joining the system.

BurgerFi Franchise Facts

Total Units 125
Incorporated Name BurgerFi Int’l. Inc.
Franchising Since 2011
Industry Fast Casual
Subsector Food and Beverage

BurgerFi is an American fast-casual restaurant chain that started in 2011 in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida. Founded by John Rosatti, the goal of BurgerFi from the start is to “redefine the way the world eats burgers”. With this comes the selling of all-natural burgers, particularly 100% natural American Angus Beef with no antibiotics, growth hormones, steroids, chemicals, and additives. They’re strict about choosing their beef that only 1% of the beef in America meets their standard. Their tagline is “Burgerfication Of The Nation” which is how they got their name BurgerFi.

The menu at BurgerFi mostly includes double-beef patty burgers with their signature BurgerFi name stamped on the bun. Other patty options include a double Wagyu burger, Beyond Meat’s 100% Plant-Based Burger, and a crispy quinoa veggie burger.

BurgerFi also offers chicken burgers. They use an all-natural, cage-free chicken breast sourced from Springer Mountain Farms for their burgers and fried chicken tenders. Hot dogs are also part of the menu in which they use American beef Wagyu.

BurgerFi Official Website

BurgerFi Official Website

Other items on the menu include French fries, custard, shakes, and their beer battered onion rings that have made a name for themselves for being bigger than the regular onion rings that a usual fast-food chain sells.

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BurgerFi also has a number of sauces you can choose from such as their BurgerFi sauce, garlic aioli, ghost pepper honey, truffle aioli, bacon jalapeño ranch, honey mustard barbecue, cheese sauce, chili, Memphis sweet barbecue, spicy mayo, and ranch.

BurgerFi is known as one of America’s fastest-growing burger chains. The company has racked up accolades and awards in several notable magazines such as:

  • Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 in 2017
  • Nation’s Restaurant News “Top Restaurant Brand to Watch” in 2019
  • Consumer Reports “Best Burger Joint” in 2019
  • QSR Magazine’s Breakout Brand of the Year for 2020
  • Inc. Magazine’s Fastest Growing Private Companies List
  • “Top Better Burger Restaurant to Put On Your Radar 2021” by Forbes
  • #1 Brand of the Year in Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers list in 2021
  • Top Better Burger chain in Fast Casual Restaurants in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice for 2021

They’re very well-known that they even have American businesswoman and TV personality Martha Stewart as one of their board of directors. She handles the Product & Innovation Committee at BurgerFi. Martha Stewart is known to be a fan of the burger chain as well.

To franchise BurgerFi, fill out the franchisee form here or you can email them at [email protected]. You can also contact them at 561-312-1611. BurgerFi requires that their franchisees have experience as a single or multi-unit restaurant operator and a commitment to the development of the BurgerFi brand. They must also be active as an operator of their BurgerFi restaurant.

What BurgerFi offers in return is the following:

  • Site selection assistance and guidance by our real estate team
  • Prototypical plans, construction and design management
  • Comprehensive BurgerFi Training Boot Camp program for restaurant managers
  • Confidential operations and training manuals
  • Pre-opening and post-opening marketing programs and materials, including public relations guidance and support
  • Structure for ongoing support in all aspects of the restaurant and financial operations
  • Proprietary, cutting-edge technology, designed to guide and assist you in effectively managing your restaurant

Aside from franchising, you can also do business with BurgerFi through real estate. If you have a site you would like to sell or lease to them for a future BurgerFi location, you may contact them. BurgerFi locations are usually 2,500 to 2,800 square feet with a 500 square feet outdoor patio or seating area. So if you have a site that fits these requirements, you can offer it up to them.

Related Reading: How Much Does It Really Cost to Open a Chick-fil-A Franchise?

BurgerFi has 125 franchised and corporate-owned restaurants and are planning to open 15 to 20 locations by the end of 2022 so if you’ve heard any rumors about BurgerFi locations closing, know that they’re still around, alive and kicking. The branches that have closed were probably just those affected by the pandemic. There wasn’t any official news or announcement about these locations closing down but rest assured that BurgerFi is opening more locations in the coming months. They currently have locations in the United States, Mexico, and the Middle East. BurgerFi’s current Chief Executive Officer is Ian H. Baines. Their headquarters is located at North Palm Beach, Florida.

How Much Does BurgerFi Make in Profit?

According to Macro Trends, BurgerFi’s gross profit for the year 2021 is $52 million. This is considered an increase from their 2020 gross profit of $26 million.

Advantages of a BurgerFi Franchise

BurgerFi is known in many places as a high-quality burger chain. This also means they have a lot of advantages you can look forward to if you decide to franchise with them. Here are a few you can expect:

All-natural Burgers

BurgerFi’s main concept is to offer gourmet burgers made from 100% natural American Angus Beef. As mentioned above, only 1% of the beef in America meets their standard. That’s how strict they are when it comes to making their burgers.

And it’s not just the beef. Even their chicken burgers come from cage-free chickens. Their hot dogs are also American Wagyu which is considered to be of high quality. All the ingredients are free from additives and steroids which promotes healthy eating.

Environmentally Conscious

Aside from burgers, BurgerFi is known to be environmentally conscious. They make use of 10-foot fans in their locations that consume 66% less energy. Their chairs are made from upcycled Coca-Cola bottles. Their walls are made from pine lumber which is considered the most renewable timber source. BurgerFi also uses 100% recycled paper countertops and 100% energy-efficient LED lighting.

A franchise that’s environmentally conscious is an advantage because you’ll be a part of a company with values and principles that help the planet.

Delivery

BurgerFi has adapted into the modern world that accommodates deliveries and orders online. They have an app in which customers can download so that they can get their burgers delivered. BurgerFi claims that you can get special deals such as low prices and even rewards for using the app. Though the fine print does say this depends on participating locations. But the bottom line is that BurgerFi makes it a point to have their burgers more accessible to everyone.

Reviews

There have been a lot of positive reviews from other BurgerFi franchisees. Larry Higgins, a store owner, says that he fell in love with BurgerFi right from the start and is always in the store 7 days a week. Manuel Sanchez, owner of 10 BurgerFi locations, sees a very “ambitious and dynamic organization” in BurgerFi. Matt Falcone, also a multi-owner of BurgerFi stores, says that “BurgerFi is a major leader in the industry”.

Positive reviews from franchisees mean that BurgerFi does not give their franchisees any serious problems.

Challenges of a BurgerFi Franchise

Businesses will always have challenges. Even franchised ones will face some problems along the way. It’s only normal. Here are a few you can expect from BurgerFi so you can prepare yourself on how to face them:

Competitor Look A Like

You can’t deny that BurgerFi looks a lot like one of their competitors Shake Shack. The dominant green logo on the text, the milkshakes, and the custard offerings on the menu are like Shake Shacks as well.

Though Shake Shack doesn’t have a plant-based protein for their burgers, fresh cut sides, and gourmet sauces, both brands look a like.

If you were to franchise BurgerFi, be prepared with questions about being linked to Shake Shack as this might come up occasionally.

No Value Menu

BurgerFi offers really good, authentic, and gourmet burgers but they’re a bit on the expensive side. We understand that the brand is a fast-casual burger place but there have been reviews that they’re pricey. One review says that they were “Too expensive for a burger joint.” Another one says “Cannot believe the prices. EXPENSIVE!!”.

There is a kid’s meal which is probably the only value meal on the menu. But other than that, there isn’t any other option for an affordable gourmet burger.

2 Burger Patties

Some people like their burgers with two patties. Others prefer to have a simple classic burger with just one patty. BurgerFi advertises the burgers on their menu as having two patties and that may seem like there’s no other choice but to go with that. But you can still have your burger customized to only have one beef patty.

As a future franchisee, you may have some inquiries as to whether or not BurgerFi offers just one patty so it would be best to have a clear menu that shows you can customize.

Is the BurgerFi Franchise Right For You?

BurgerFi has positioned themselves to become a major player in the burger industry with their all-natural beef burgers, the way they’re environmentally conscious, and efforts to connect with customers through technology. Their revenue also looks promising as it increases each year. The company has also put serious though into their vegetarian options by offering Beyond Meat’s plant-based burger.

So if you have the financial means, you may want to give BurgerFi a closer look. They’re open for franchising.

What is an alternative BurgerFi franchise?

One burger chain you can franchise that’s also in the fast-casual scene is Five Guys. They’re also a well-known burger chain in America and can be considered a competitor of BurgerFi and Shake Shack. Not only do they serve burgers and hot dogs but they also serve sandwiches.

Franchising Five Guys will require you a liquid capital of $150,000 and a net worth of $500,000. The franchising fee is at $25,000. To learn more about Five Guys, check out my previous guide here.

Fast-casual dining is all about good food in a laid back environment and BurgerFi seems to be hitting the mark with current burger trends. I hope this guide was helpful in your search to find a new franchise business.