Burger Book Report: Burger Chef by Scott R. Sanders + Texas burger recommendations

You’ve seen books from the Images of America series thousands of times at your local bookstore, airport, historic landmark gift shop, etc. (there are over 5,000 titles in the series already).  They are paperback books chock-full of black and white pictures of historic towns, neighborhoods and fraternal organizations.  The Burger Chef book is the first one dedicated to a fast food outlet and for sheer historical and pop culture value, the chain is a great choice for this treatment.

First time author Scott R. Sanders uses images he has gathered from Burger Chef  co-founder Frank P. Thomas Jr. (who sadly passed on before the book was published*), several collectors and perhaps the largest collection of Burger Chef memorabilia, Schroeder’s Drive-In in Danville, Illinois, to move along the pretty compelling story of the chain.  Running almost parallel to McDonalds (in philosophy, McD’s set up shop in the big towns and Burger Chef ruled small town America), the chain was a trailblazer in fast food technology and marketing and at one point laid claim to the title of fastest growing fast food chain in the country (and second-largest chain overall behind McDonalds).

As much as I wanted Stacy Perman’s In-N-Out Burger book from earlier this year to be some sort of cosmic event – offering up the secrets to success and worldwide burger adulation with a side order of history, Sanders builds a story here that I think is much more compelling. In less space and really only with pictures, he illustrates Burger Chef’s impact on the industry and in reshaping small town America (now whether that is a good thing is debatable, but with chains that have disappeared we can cut them some slack).  The incredibly personal and candid photos used throughout stamp a real time and place aspect on the story, which ratchets up the nostalgia factor while easing you through the history.

Broken up into 6 sections, the book takes you from the birth of the franchise (like McDonalds, Burger Chef was born out of the technology that  was used in the restaurant – in this case the Sani-Shake and Sani-Broiler designed by chain founders under the General Equipment Company flag), through its growth and ultimate demise, with stops along the way to gawk at store merchandising, promotional items and advertisements.

One of the most interesting sections of the book is about an ill-fated side venture from Burger Chef, the Pied Piper mobile food van.  As shown below, the entire operation was run out of an early 60’s Volkswagen Van.

One innovation from Burger Chef that did stick was the “Fun Meal” which was introduced in 1973 and served as the template for similar offerings at other chains and continues on today as “Happy Meals” or “Kids Meals.”

I had the chance to speak with Scott about some topics not covered in the book.

The last Burger Chef closed in 1996, is there chain today making burgers similar to BC?

The hamburgers at Carl’s Jr. are flame-broiled and taste the closest to what I used to eat at Burger Chef. Burger King used to taste similar, but the flavor of their hamburgers has changed.

Asked if writing a book about burgers caused him to eat more of them…

I don’t think I ate hamburgers more frequently while writing the book, but I was often reminded of how much I missed eating hamburgers at Burger Chef.

Scott is an elementary school teacher in Alvin, Texas and I asked him how his pupils have reacted to the book…

Actually, I did a presentation about Burger Chef and my book for my school last spring, and the reaction of the students was amazing.  They were fascinated by the story of the chain and they all wanted to go out and eat at one of the restaurants.

If you are in Texas, Scott has a few recommendations for burger joints to check out including:

Bellaire Broiler Burger

5216 Bellaire Blvd
Bellaire, TX 77401-3902

The Spot

3204 Seawall Blvd
Galveston, TX 77550-7656

Whataburger

I (Scott) generally consider Whataburger to be the best hamburger chain in the area.

Mooyah

I (Scott) have started eating at a new chain called Mooyah that just opened here.  To order, you fill out a card indicating your choice of hamburger and the toppings you would like.

Burger Chef is available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and on-line retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book at my request.  I receive no compensation for your purchase and I am not related to Scott R. Sanders, but it is good to know there are other folks named Sanders who appreciate a good story and a burger.

Filed under: Another guy named Sanders who likes burgers?, Bellaire Broiler Burger, Burger, Burger Book Report, Burger Chef, Burgers from a bygone era, Fast Food Chains, Houston, In-N-Out, Marc Sanders, Mobile Food Truck, Mooyah, Scott R. Sanders, The Spot, Whataburger

Words Cannot Describe: The Baconzilla from Checkers

Filed under: Bacon, Big Burgers, Blog Post Without Words, Burger, Checkers, Cheese Whiz, Cheeseburger, Coronary, Fast Food Chains, How Am I Not Dead Already?, Marc Sanders, Meat On Meat, Mmmmm Chemicals!, OMFG, Philly Burgers , Shhhhh! Don't Talk...

Wynnewood, PA: Elevation Burger’s Cheeseburger

50 E Wynnewood Rd
Wynnewood, PA 19096-2013
(610) 645-7704

I first posted about Elevation Burger way back in February so needless to say the anticipation has been building for a while on this one…and I am happy to report that Elevation Burger did not disappoint.

With a mantra of “Ingredients Matter,” what many have dubbed the “healthy Five Guys” opened their first store here on the outskirts of Philly over the 4th of July weekend.  It took me a whole 2 days to get down there thanks to holiday festivities but lunchtime Monday was destined to be all about Elevation Burger.

Four of us from work headed over and I was not surprised to run into another burger-loving friend already waiting in the short queue ahead of us.  Word seems to have spread fast as they had a decent lunchtime crowd already for their first work-day service.

I opted for the Cheeseburger, as opposed to the Elevation Burger (1 patty vs 2 patties) and was presented with one of the best upsell attempts I have ever heard…”We find men are more satisfied with the Elevation burger (double) as opposed to just the single.” Ah-hem.  Innuendo aside, I still stuck with the single burger (a rare show of restraint) in order to justify getting a side of fries and a soda.

As you can see from the picture, the burger itself is aesthetically pleasing.  It is clear that they spend a lot of time training their staff to present the product well and I appreciate when a burger joint does that (ex: Shake Shack or In-N-Out) as opposed to just slapping together ingredients.  I ordered my burger with lettuce, tomato and “Elevation Sauce” which I was told was a creamy, light tomato sauce.  Either an homage to INO or even Big Mac sauce, I found that the sauce really didn’t add too much flavor to the package.  It didn’t distract or ruin the taste, just didn’t add that much. To be honest, that is my only complaint.  The burgers at Elevation are 100% organic, grass-fed and free range and you definitely can tell that something is different about the patties.  Well seasoned and served on a squishy bun with a nice hunk of cheddar cheese (non-processed!) my cheeseburger was a winner.  The best part may have been the complete lack of that icky, weighed down feeling (strangely enough this was a negative factor for my co-workers).  The absence of greasiness meant no strong desire for an afternoon nap which could help productivity back at the ranch.

As good as the burger was, I have to say the fries are even better.  Fresh cut shoestring style and crisped up perfectly in 100% olive oil (no trans or saturated fats), these were probably the best fries I’ve had in a long time and everyone in the group agreed they were the highlight of the meal.  A side order was enough for 2 of us to split, though in the future I’d easily order one side just for me because they were that good (perfectly salted, each one tasted like that idealized vision of a McDonald’s fry we conjure up but have only ever experienced maybe once or twice in our lives).

Bonus points for Pibb Xtra as a fountain selection.  Having spent time growing up in the south, seeing Pibb Xtra, which is the “new” name for “Mr. Pibb,” triggered lots of nostalgic memories.  And despite Mitch Hedberg famously maligning Pibb’s lack of advanced education (“Mr. Pibb is a poor imitation of Dr. Pepper. Dude didn’t even get his degree.”) I’d choose it every time over the much fizzier Pepper.

The menu also features fresh-scooped ice cream milk shakes made with Blue Bunny ice cream.  I didn’t have one, but they were hand-dipping a lot of them and I am sure I’ll get around to that at some point (maybe Jess @ Fries With That Shake will beat me to it).

Located half-way between my work and home I am going to have to try hard to avoid filling up one of their “7 Club” cards each week.  Congrats to the team that has been working so hard on getting this location open and good luck to them keeping the steady stream of people coming.  Keep delivering a good product and they will (and the demos of this area seem ideal with a Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s in short driving distance the health-concious bent should play well).

Filed under: Big Burgers, Burger, Burgers In The Burbs, Cheeseburger, Fast Food Chains, Fries, Grass-Fed, Hamburger, Healthy, Main Line, Marc Sanders, McDonalds, Narberth, Organic, Philly Burgers, Wynnewood

Burger Legends: Where’s Herb Now? Burgatory.com’s Interview with Jon Menick (Pt. 1)

Every so often the Internet kicks out something that triggers a tidal wave of memories and sets you off on a silly (and probably completely useless) quest to find a nugget of info or the answer to that long ago forgotten question.  A few weeks back I saw an “I’m Not Herb” shirt listed on eBay and off I went…to YouTube to watch the commercials, to Wikipedia to read about the campaign, to Google to read critics panning the campaign and ultimately imdb to learn about the career of the actor who played Herb in the iconic Burger King campaign of the mid-1980s.

If I told you that today, Jon Menick, the actor who portrayed the hapless Herb was out of show business you might not be surprised.  If I told you he is out of show business after a long, fruitful career which included feature films, network TV and a slew of national commercials you might not believe me, but thanks to the kickstart offered by this campaign, Jon Menick carved a nice career for himself out in Hollywood (eschewing the seemingly certain perils of typecasting) and has recently ditched the rat race for a more peaceful life working in the Valhalla of the Americas – Asheville, North Carolina.

I had the chance to speak with Jon about life pre- and post-Herb, but for those who may not be 100% familiar with the campaign, perhaps a bit of a refresher is in order (I keep having to remind myself that not everyone who reads this blog is a mid-30’s male weaned on TV and fast food – although I am sure there is some Google Analytics tool that would tell me I have the demo pretty well pegged…thanks for visiting!)

Homogeny From Sea To Shining Sea

In the early 1980’s a war raged across our country, one that would change the landscape (and shape of humans) like no war had before or since.  Fast food, which until then had been a regional affair, was in the throes of the last great land grab.  Regions of the country that had subsisted on burgers and fries prepared with local flair at hamburger stands and greasy spoons were facing an invasion of golden arches, burger royalty and a freckle faced girl in pigtails.  It is hard to even imagine now areas of the country that didn’t have access to these homogeneous fast food empires, but it is true (and it occurred in my lifetime).  I can (and I am sure many readers can, too) remember dominant local chains which existed and thrived across the country delivering what may realistically have been just complete knock-offs of McDonald’s, Burger King and to a lesser extent Wendy’s…but many of us did not know better (and/or may have been better off for it).  So, back to the war…

By the 1980’s most every part of the country was infiltrated and in order to gain market share, the big chains spent millions battling for mindshare and walletshare by launching some of the most memorable and expensive TV ad campaigns ever seen.  Perhaps we’ll explore this a bit further in future posts, but the first major shot fired was by Wendy’s with their famous “Where’s The Beef” campaign featuring the lovable octagenerian Clara Peller.  Wendy’s had placed McDonald’s and Burger King on the defensive and each answered in a completely different way.  McDonald’s introduced the McDLT, with its unique packaging and value statement (wasn’t it “Keep the hot side hot and the cold side cold?”).  Burger King answered with a character of their own to match up against Peller…Herb.

The Original Whopper Virgin

Herb was born in the fertile minds of the creative folks at J Walter Thompson, who at the time were helmed by James Patterson who now enjoys life as basically the most successful fiction writer alive.  Though his direct ties to the Herb campaign are tough to confirm, what is known is that Herb almost never happened.  In fact, the first time the character-driven concept was presented to their client (Burger King) the idea was shot down.  Pitched again months later as the Burger Wars continued to heat up, the idea grew legs and a two-part campaign was crafted.

The first part was “Who’s Herb?” in which the world was asked to ponder what would a guy who has never tasted a Burger King Whopper look like?  Concerned friends and relatives appeared in commercials questioning just what type of person could go through life without tasting a Whopper. The implication was that only “Herbs” (a nickname for geeks/nerds/other undesirables) don’t eat at Burger King and if you wanted to avoid the stigma of being a nerd yourself you’d better get one right now.  (It is at this point that I must tell any millennials/Gen Yers reading this that there was a time in our humble country when using a computer and showing a modicum of interest in technology was not cool…if you need more information on this wild and backwards-seeming time I encourage you to add the following to your Netflix queue Revenge Of The Nerds, Revenge Of The Nerds II: Nerds In Paradise, Revenge Of The Nerds III: The Next Generation and of course Revenge Of The Nerds IV: Nerds In Love).

Photographic Evidence Of The Existence Of Nerds

The second part of the campaign was “Where’s Herb?” and in what may have been the first example of a character jumping off the TV screen into real life, North Americans were challenged to be on the lookout for Herb at their local Burger King and if they were the first to spot him they would win $5,000.  Enter into the story, Jon Menick, who at the time was a stage actor living in New York City.

(Wow!  You just read almost 1000 words about Herb…want to hear more?  Part II will be posted later this week.  I will announce the post via twitter @burgatory or if you’d like me to email you when it is posted, send me an email with the subject “I gotta have more Herb!” to burgatory@gmail.com.  You’ll get a one-time email from me – that’s it!  No spam, just a heads up when the next part of the story is posted)

Filed under: Burger, Burger Legends, Burger Wars, Fast Food Chains, Hamburger, Herb, Marc Sanders, Opportunity Of A Lifetime, interview , 1980's, ads, advertisement, burger king, interview, TV ads

Philadelphia, PA: goodburger’s $4.99 burger special

1725 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 569-4777

Had a meeting with one of our customers the other day that went particularly well and during the walk back to the car we passed goodburger (is it always lower-case?) and their strategically placed placard touting their contribution to the recession busting craze – the $4.99 burger and soda special.  Agreement on going in was almost non-verbal (scary) and as usual, goodburger delivered.

The special is for the small version of their regular 7 oz burger, but at 5.5 oz it is considerably larger than many competitors and comparable to the offerings at Five Guys in the same neighborhood (price-wise).  The burger-to-bun ratio was way off though and really the only downer.  The stock art they chose for the ad shows your typical white squishy bun that might have been sized better, but the kaiser roll that this came on was too wide leaving a few too many hollow bites.  Minor hiccups though.

The toppings were stellar.  Surprising to see such a deep red tomato this early in the year (most likely not a NJ grown fruit, but that’s ok) with such great flavor.  Great crispy raw onions and a nice flap of iceberg lettuce rounded out the healthy bits.

I ordered mine medium and it was done to a “t.”  My co-worker ordered one medium-rare and after a minimal attempt to talk her out of it (might be standard operating procedure) they delivered her burger exactly as requested.

All told complete happiness.  $4.99 is more than fair for the quality (including soda w/refills – basically the soda is free if you use their normal menu as a guide since they do offer a 5.5 oz burger at that price point – so more packaging then huge savings, but heck I’m a sucker for a good marketing ploy).  It was listed as a limited time special, but they actually had some printed materials which leads me to believe this one may last a while.  Here’s to hoping we have more clients downtown eager to discuss the wonders of cash management and remote deposit capture technologies.

ps:  This special was offered at the goodburger in Philadelphia.  Not certain if they are offering a similar special in NYC.

pss:  Just saw that the next “meating” of the Phila. Burger Club (organized by Fries With That Shake) is taking place at goodburger this Saturday 5/16.  Click through to their site for more details.

Filed under: Burger, Burgernomics, Fast Food Chains, Hamburger, Marc Sanders, Philly Burgers, goodbugrer

Daddy, where do burger blogs come from?

A strange confluence of events this evening as I was getting ready to do some maintenance on the blog.  I took a look down at the website hit counter and noticed that it had crossed the 9,000 mark en route to 10,000 (and maybe more).  I had kind of told myself that when we hit 10,000 I’d feel this experiment was a success.  It got me thinking about how this blog started and then a ping came from the mail program and my Google Alerts set for “burgers” showed a story (1,2) about Beef Burger in Greensboro, NC…which in actuality is how this whole blog started.

While late night websurfing a few years ago I came across a  website dedicated to a burger chain called “Biff Burger.”  This site stunned me in its simplicity and the depth of information it held on this burger chain from the history books and started me thinking how many other stories were out there.  Fast forward a bit and sites like A Hamburger Today and the site/book Hamburger America pretty much fill the niche for this type of info, but I thought there were probably a few stories that could be told and so I set up shop @ burgatory.com to tell them, toss out recipes, report burger news and generally learn how blogging works from the back-end.

Each summer we load up the family truckster and hit the open road searching for hole-in-the-wall burger joints and salt-air beaten clam shacks.  Last summer we pointed the car towards Greensboro, NC to visit “Beef Burger,” one of two remaining locations of the original “Biff Burger” chain.  I’ve been sitting on this post for ages due to lack of inspiration, but the fact that the pictured burger can be yours today and tomorrow for a mere $0.59 is reason to pull it out of the draft folder and send it live to offer my opinion.

Beef Burger

1040 W Lee St
Greensboro, NC 27403
(336) 272-7505

A while back I stumbled upon a website dedicated to a burger chain called “Biff Burger.” After years of driving past one of the last outposts of this chain on the way to college I searched for info in hopes of planning a trip and sadly found out that the restaurant had by then closed. And, with its closure, the Biff Burger chain was down to only two locations (one in St. Petersburg, FL still using the Biff Burger moniker and one in Greensboro, NC now called “Beef Burger.”) Having blown the opportunity to enjoy a burger at a location within reasonable driving distance from home I vowed to get to one of the two remaining restaurants when the opportunity presented itself…and thus the itinerary for this year’s burger vacation was set…we’d make our way to North Carolina.

Located in an industrial section of town, across the railroad tracks from UNC-Greensboro’s campus (and home of the ridiculously great hot dog and ice cream joint Yum Yum), Beef Burger still draws in the crowds.  Polite and orderly, folks line up inside the tiny lobby which no doubt was outdoors at some point (and thus much less claustrophobic) and feast on traditional American roadfood fare.

I ordered the SuperBurger combo with a Cheerwine (yet another reason why the South rocks -from a culinary standpoint) and settled into a formica booth to enjoy the fruits of the laborious drive (Philly to NC via Pittsburgh/West Virginia).  By sheer will alone that burger had to taste good, and it did.

As C. Catherman notes on his tribute site, Beef (ne Biff) Burger’s signature feature, the Roto-Broiler:

…was an ingenious specially designed broiler which gave Biff-Burger the leading edge over many other Drive-Ins during the day in which fast-food hamburgers were common. But the burgers at Biff-Burgers weren’t just your “ordinary” hamburger. The burgers at Biffs had a unique char-broiled taste which were unlike any other. Every original Biff-Burger sign, regardless of design used, indicated “Roto Broiled”. The “roto-broiled” process was indeed Biff-Burgers signature to fame and the reason why so many people enjoyed their burgers!

With the gift of hindsight I must honestly admit that the burger was nothing earth shattering.  It didn’t rise to the top of my own personal list of best tasting burgers, though the thrill of the chase more than made up for that.  The broiler certainly helped provide a unique flavor to the burgers and I can see why Mr. Catherman and hundreds of others are still partial to this cooking method.

The carousel of meat effect was pretty amusing and my daughter and I stared at it for a while before she made her way outside to the coin-op human version on the sidewalk (that is her in the corner of the pic).  The lower level of tis ingenious machine toasted the buns and that was a plus, too!  Brought together in a styrofoam container with a decent side of fries and the aforementioned sugar-shock inducing soda, this was burger escapism at its best.  A real retro experience worth searching out, even hundreds of miles away.

If you want to learn more about Biff Burger/Beef Burger, I implore you to check out C. Catherman’s site.  He truly has a love for the history of the chain, a keen eye for detail and a photographic memory about his experiences at the restaurant.

As we get closer to 10,000 hits (I know – not much for a real website, but heck…my mom would be proud if I took the time to explain to her what a blog was) I will dig out and repost some of the old stuff that I am particularly proud of and finally (I hope) finish a story I have been working on for a few months about the greatest hamburger icon of the 20th Century (seriously)!  Thanks.

Filed under: Burger, Burger Geek, Expert Opinions, Family, Fast Food Chains, Greensboro, Hamburger, Hamburger America, Marc Sanders, NC, Opportunity Of A Lifetime, Real Retro

Burger News You Can’t Use: Checkers Raises The Roast Beef Bar on Arby’s

Not ones to sit idly by and let other fast food chains monkey around with their (and our) beloved burger, the fine folks at Checkers (my vote for best guilty pleasure burger joint) have introduced the Prime Rib Burger, thus raising the ante on Arby’s recently launched RoastBurger line by doing the unthinkable – adding an actual burger to a roast beef sandwich.  We probably could have seen this coming.
Where Arby’s RoastBurger is a roast beef sandwich flavored and topped to taste like a burger, Checkers’ Prime Rib Burger takes sliced prime rib and, well…having not eaten it yet I’ll just have to trust the marketing spin from their website:

We’re talking about authentic, tender prime rib sliced right off the roast. Piled high on our big and juicy, hand-seared and seasoned burger. With grilled onions, Swiss cheese, and peppercorn mayonnaise between hot and toasted sourdough bread. It’s prime rib done delicious.

As stated previously on this website, (more) meat really is the best burger topping.  Fancy sounding peppercorn mayonnaise is intriguing, too.  If my travels take me past one of our local double drive-thru’s I’ll update with a picture and a field report.

Bonus: More news on my recent encounter with a Checkers’ Baconzilla! coming later this week.

Filed under: Big Burgers, Burger, Burger Wars, Cheeseburger, Fast Food Chains, Hamburger, Marc Sanders, Meat On Meat

I Ate It (So You Don’t Have To!): Arby’s All-American RoastBurger

Survey Says: American’s are bored with burgers.

The quick service industry’s forgotten step-child, Arby’s, commissioned a survey and found that American’s are bored with fast food burgers.  They are too greasy (55% agreed), too dry (40%) and the quality of meat is poor (45%).

Enter “RoastBurgers,” the newest sandwich additions to the Arby’s menu.

via QSR Magazine

“Roastburgers offer a tasty new way for burger lovers to satisfy their cravings while avoiding burger boredom,” says Steve Davis, Arby’s Chief Marketing Officer. “

So basically what Arby’s has done is swapped out ho-hum ground beef for the taste sensation that is their trademark roast beef.

The results…well…ummm, how do I say this…not as bad as I thought it would be.

The All-American Roast Burger I had for lunch, and it’s relatives the Bacon & Bleu Cheese and Bacon & Cheddar RoastBurgers, clearly benefit from some super-secret chemistry straight out of the flavor labs of New Jersey, because darnit…the RoastBurger actually tastes like a fast food hamburger.  Again, I am left completely frustrated by how easily my taste buds can be tricked by science, but I guess that is the point with modern day fast food.  The Oxford University Museum of Natural History bails me out a little here noting that the taste buds are easily tricked (in general, not specifically by this sandwich, but someone should definitely take this back into a lab and experiment).

More from an Arby’s Press Release:

All-American Roastburger – Features Arby’s thinly sliced, oven-roasted roast beef with fresh lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, ketchup, mustard, and a secret sauce served on a specialty roll

Here is the skinny on this “burger.”  Easily 1/4 lb of roast beef which because of its shape/folding meant the sandwich stands pretty tall and seems substantial.  Any hint of that special sauce, which someone on these here Interwebs actually compared to IN-N-OUT’s secret sauce (?), was completely overpowered by the beef flavorings sprinkled on the sandwich (the Arby’s website even features an eerie animation showing the beef fleck coating process).  Ketchup and mustard, the tried and true burger toppings, along with lettuce, tomato (very red – not always the case at fast food joints), raw onion and pickle were all present.   Even the bun was better than your average fast food vessel.  I’d compare it (favorably) to a BK Whopper.

That said, the whole concept just seems wrong to me.  A roast beef sandwich shouldn’t have to aspire to be anything more than a roast beef sandwich and a burger by its nature has no equal in the world of meat-on-bun concoctions.  But of course this is all about marketing and market share and so Arby’s, known as the #2 franchise sandwich chain in the country (behind Subway), has dipped their toes in the ultra-lucrative burger pool in launching this line.  Interestingly, they could potentially steal market share from their sister restaurant, Wendy’s, by offering a burger experience which caters to a more high-end fast food eater.

RoastBurger Pros:

• Close your eyes and it tastes like a pretty darn good fast food burger
• Really red tomato, crispy lettuce and tasty raw onions – all fine toppings which would be well placed on a burger
• Price – Arby’s is offering a free RoastBurger (with the purchase of a drink) via a coupon on their website (exp. 2/9/09)

Cons:

• Mouth-feel: The meat just disappears in your mouth, like cotton candy or those weird Japanese shrimp chips.
• The whole “better living through chemistry” vibe you get when seeing the flavor flecks and tasting the overpowering beefiness of this sandwich.

Stats:

420 calories

170 calories from fat

18g of fat

6g of saturated fat

1g of trans fat (oddly present here…Arby’s was the first chain to introduce trans-fat free fries)

40mg of cholesterol

1390mg sodium

46g carbs

2g fiber

15% of your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C (!)

Bonus feature:  Recipe to make your own Jamocha Shakes…previously the only reason anyone went to Arby’s.

Filed under: Big Burgers, Burger, Burger Geek, Burgers In The Burbs, Cheeseburger, Fast Food Chains, Hamburger, I Ate It So You Don't Have To, Marc Sanders, Mmmmm Chemicals!, Weird Burgers

Burger News You Can’t Use: Can Butterburgers Sweep The Oscars (And The Nation)?

(UPDATE: Commercial via YOUTUBE)

Interesting missive from MediaWeek today about an ad buy for this Sunday’s Academy Awards. The Midwest (and slightly beyond) chain Culver’s has bought national TV time during the February 22nd ABC broadcast.

So here’s the big question – is the nation ready for ButterBurgers (or at least ButterBurger envy since most of us don’t live anywhere near a Culver’s – East Coast Cardiologists rejoice!)?

What is a ButterBurger?

Urban Dictionary Definition: the best food in the world. … a hamburger smothered in butter… then covered with a thick slice of cheese.

According to Culver’s:

Our signature ButterBurger^® is made from fresh, never frozen, 100% U.S. raised beef and seared on a hot grill to seal in that juicy flavor.

ButterBurger stats (amazingly below 500 calories and “healthier” than a McD’s Quarter Pounder w/Cheese)

Oh my.

In a hopeful sign for the economy:

Chris Contino, vp, marketing for the chain, said in a statement: “Culver’s roots are in the Midwest, but we’re spreading across the country. We’re proof that good companies grow even in challenging times.”

And I hope they do grow.  George Motz featured the infamous ButterBurger at Solly’s in his film Hamburger America and I’ve been too scared to even try and recreate this at home.  Here’s a recipe courtesy of roadfood.com.  Proceed with caution.

I’ll be tuning in to see the spot on Sunday night.

Culver’s “I Am A Pickle” TV spot (Note: this is not the spot that will run during the Oscars)

Culver’s vs. In-N-Out Burger?

Filed under: Big Burgers, Burger, Burgernomics, Butter Burgers, Cheeseburger, Fast Food Chains, Fast Food Finance, Hamburger, Hamburger America, Marc Sanders, Recipe, Recipes

Burger News You Can’t Use: Kazakhstan To Get Carl’s Jr. Before Philadelphia

via the Marketing Daily blog (click)

From the article “Carl’s Jr. Tackles Texas” comes the distressing news that planned expansion for the west coast burger chain includes 121 more locations in Texas plus plans to open

…Carl Jr.’s first units in China, Pakistan and Kazakhstan.

In what seems like a past life (but which was only a past career) I spent the bulk of my time on the west coast, and my personal burger take is that the east coast’s best burgers are of the greasy spoon and diner variety while the west coast excels at fast-food type burgers.  Need convincing?  That’s an easy one: In-N-Out Burger.  And while I am in the majority that fawns over INO, I have to admit I always loved eating at Carl’s Jr. and to this day admire how they run and market their business (in an evil-genius sort of way).  They are 100% unashamed of how nutritionally poor their burgers are and have in fact opted to exploit the “negatives.”   In doing so they have culled a tremendous following.

Great article on Carl’s Jr. from Conde Naste’s Portfolio magazine 2/08

So I’m loading up on travel info about Kazahkstan (I promise this is the only time I will ever link to the CIA on my blog – click) in hopes of enjoying a Six Dollar Burger (or would that be a 768 Tenge Burger?) on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

And for those that might say I can just go to a Hardees (both owned by CKE Restaurants, Inc.) I would argue – it just isn’t the same.  Maybe it’s just California Dreamin’, but fast food burgers just taste better on the left coast.

Filed under: Big Burgers, Burger, Burger Geek, Burgernomics, Cheeseburger, China, Fast Food Chains, Hamburger, Kazakhstan, Marc Sanders, Pakistan, Texas