Smashburger will add 15 new locations in and near Tampa, Florida, under a recently signed Development Agreement with one of its franchisees. The agreement was reached with Jiandong “Peter” Xu of TLC Gourmet Food International, now operates two Smashburger locations in Tampa.
Xu plans to open the new locations in the west Florida counties of Charlotte, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota.
“I’m thrilled to take this next step in my journey with Smashburger,” Xu says. “It’s an exciting concept that has elevated fast-casual dining with the highest-quality food served in a fun, engaging atmosphere. I love being part of the Smashburger brand, and I can’t wait to get started bringing more of it to the Tampa area.”
Xu is one of Smashburger’s most prolific franchisees. Besides the two existing Tampa locations, he also owns five Smashburgers in the Philadelphia-area, and recently signed a Development Agreement for three more in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley.
“We are happy for Peter and delighted at this opportunity to strengthen our presence in the Florida market,” adds Carl Bachmann, president of Smashburger. “Florida is growing every day as thousands of new residents seek its relaxed lifestyle and sunny economic climate, and we are proud to grow with it.”
The agreement with Xu paves the way for Smashburger to bring more of its better burger experience to Florida, already home to seven Smashburger restaurants. Smashburger is known for its signature cooking style in which fresh – never frozen – Certified Angus Beef is “smashed” onto a hot grill in an exhibition kitchen where diners can watch their meals prepared. The company opens an average of 20 new stores every year.
