The economy doesn't seem to be slowing growth in the burger segment. Burger Time, a primarily drive-through burger chain, has announced it's expanding to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro region, according to a story by Minneapolis Finance and Commerce.
Burger Time corporate parent Food Shacks Inc. said the company plans to open 40 stores in the next 48 months as part of a partnership with Minneapolis-based Upland Real Estate Group.
The expansion will quadruple the chain's current number of locations. According to the chain's Web site, Burger Time has 10 stores, four located elsewhere in Minnesota, four in North Dakota and two in South Dakota.
The chain's menu focuses on one-third and two-third pound burgers but does offer a BBQ rib sandwich and a large chicken sandwich.
From Finance and Commerce:
Although the burger bonanza seems counterintuitive given the national economic recession, industry observers asserted that the trend makes perfect sense because consumers are looking to stretch their dining dollars and the burger restaurants are giving them that option."The burger segment is one of the few segments that continues to enjoy increasing market share," said Kevin Moll, CEO of Denver-based National Restaurant Consultants Inc. He added that Burger Time's menu is "attractively priced and with short cook times, (so) it would appear as though the average location should enjoy some outstanding sales."
