Fatburger, famous for fresh, made-to-order burgers and synonymous with the West Coast, announced the signing of an agreement with The Riese Organization to bring the brand to New York City and surrounding areas.
This franchise development will bring the burger chain to Manhattan for the first time in its 60-year history.
The first Fatburger location will open in the Murray Hill neighborhood in the spring of 2013.
As one of the largest and most successful restaurant management companies in New York City, The Riese Organization will develop and operate multiple Fatburger locations across Manhattan, as well as in the counties of Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Nassau, and Suffolk.
The Riese Organization has more than 70 years of success and experience running more than 75 restaurants across the city including brands such as: TGI Fridays, Pizza Hut, and KFC.
“We are confident that The Riese Organization will carry our brand to success in the New York City market,” says Andy Wiederhorn, CEO of Fatburger. “We waited to find the right franchise partner to strategically enter this historically difficult restaurant market and believe we have found it in The Riese Organization.
“They are legendary operators and we are delighted to have them as partners,” he adds. “We look forward to bringing our delicious burgers, which have been a staple in Hollywood, as well as elsewhere on the West Coast, to New Yorkers.”
Dennis Riese, chairman and CEO of The Riese Organization, says, “I like the idea that Fatburger has been around for a long time and has been successful in a major metropolis like Los Angeles. Appealing to the restaurateur is the myriad of possibilities to market the brand. Many celebrities often say, ‘I’ve been eating Fatburger since I was a kid.’”
Fatburger currently has more than 140 locations across the United States, Canada, Asia, and the Middle East. The brand, known for its flavorful burgers made with lean meat and available in sizes Small to XXXL, is growing at a rapid rate of both nationally and internationally in more than 27 countries.
