Burger 21

Burger 21 is an American fast-casual restaurant brand specializing in premium, chef-inspired burgers. The concept was founded in Tampa, Florida, in November 2009 by Mark and Arlene Johnston, who were also associated with the creation of The Melting Pot fondue restaurant chain. Burger 21 was developed to occupy a middle position in the burger market: it sought to offer more variety and a more polished dining experience than conventional fast-food restaurants while retaining accessible pricing and a casual service model. The brand’s central menu idea is a selection of 21 burger varieties. The lineup spans several protein and dietary formats, including beef, chicken, turkey, seafood, and vegetarian burgers. This breadth gives the chain a point of distinction beyond a conventional single-protein burger menu. Its broader offering includes fries, a sauce bar, salads, hot dogs, and milkshakes, allowing the restaurants to serve customers seeking either a full meal or a more traditional burger-and-fries combination. Burger 21 opened its first restaurant in Tampa in 2010, followed by a second location in the Carrollwood area of Florida in 2011. The company began formal franchise expansion in 2012, when it signed agreements covering three restaurants in the Orlando area. Additional franchise agreements followed for locations in Atlanta, Georgia, and Voorhees, New Jersey. This franchise-led development model enabled the brand to expand beyond its original Tampa base while relying on multi-unit operators and local market partners. Front Burner Brands, a restaurant management company based in the Westchase area of Tampa, has managed the Burger 21 concept. By 2024, the chain had locations in several U.S. states, including Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia, in addition to Florida and other markets identified in its expansion history. The available reference material describes the system as having more than a dozen locations, although a precise current unit count is not established here. Burger 21’s positioning combines menu variety, casual atmosphere, and franchisable restaurant operations. Its restaurants have traditionally been presented as casual dining or fast-casual venues, with an emphasis on customizable burgers, side dishes, shakes, and a relatively approachable customer experience. The company has also pursued nontraditional venues such as airports, food courts, and college campuses, which can extend the brand into locations with high pedestrian traffic and compact dining formats. Community participation is another part of the brand’s local-market model. Through designated-night donation programs, participating restaurants donate 10 percent of sales to selected organizations. These initiatives connect individual locations with schools, charities, and community groups, although the available material does not identify a complete list of participating organizations or the total amount donated. Burger 21 remains a U.S.-focused restaurant brand whose growth has been driven principally by franchising rather than by international expansion. Its identity rests on the “21” menu concept, variety across burger categories, accompanying sides and beverages, and a strategy of placing restaurants in both conventional retail areas and selected institutional or travel settings.

Burger 21 was established in Tampa, Florida, in November 2009 by Mark and Arlene Johnston, restaurant entrepreneurs associated with The Melting Pot fondue chain. The founders designed the concept around a premium burger experience that would remain suitable for casual, relatively accessible dining. Rather than relying on a single signature sandwich, Burger 21 organized its identity around a menu of 21 burger varieties, covering beef and several alternative proteins as well as vegetarian choices. The first Burger 21 restaurant opened in Tampa in 2010. A second Florida location followed in Carrollwood in 2011, giving the young brand an initial local operating base. In 2012, Burger 21 entered a more formal franchise-development phase by signing agreements for three restaurants in Orlando. Franchise arrangements for Atlanta, Georgia, and Voorhees, New Jersey, followed, broadening the concept beyond the Tampa area. The brand expanded under the management structure of Front Burner Brands, a restaurant management company based in Westchase, Tampa. Its operating model combined a standardized menu and recognizable burger concept with local franchise ownership and community-oriented marketing. Burger 21’s menu expanded beyond burgers to include fries, a sauce bar, salads, hot dogs, and shakes. The variety of burger categories—beef, chicken, turkey, seafood, and vegetarian—helped distinguish the chain from more narrowly focused burger restaurants. Burger 21 also developed a presence in nontraditional locations. Its expansion plans included airports, food courts, and college campuses, in addition to ordinary retail and neighborhood sites. These formats support the brand’s fast-casual orientation and provide opportunities to serve customers in high-traffic environments. By 2024, Burger 21 had expanded into several U.S. states, including Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia, alongside its Florida origins and other markets. Reference material describes the system as operating more than a dozen locations, but does not establish a definitive current unit total. The brand has remained focused on the United States and has not been documented here as having a significant international operating network. Community engagement has formed part of the local restaurant model. On designated fundraising nights, participating Burger 21 locations donate 10 percent of sales to selected organizations. This approach gives franchisees a mechanism for building relationships with local groups while supporting charitable or community causes. The available sources do not provide a consolidated record of all such campaigns or their cumulative financial results. Burger 21’s development has therefore combined a distinctive product proposition—the 21-burger menu—with franchise expansion, varied venue formats, and localized community activity. The brand’s current status, ownership details, executive structure, exact location count, and financial performance are not established by the supplied reference material.

• 2024

  Presence expands across several U.S. states

  [1]Burger 21en.wikipedia.org

  By 2024, Burger 21 had expanded to several states, including Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia, in addition to Florida and other markets.

• 2012

  Franchise expansion begins

  [1]Burger 21en.wikipedia.org

  The company signed its first franchise agreements, covering three units in the Orlando area, and subsequently added agreements for Atlanta and Voorhees.

• 2011

  Second Florida location opens

  [1]Burger 21en.wikipedia.org

  Burger 21 opened a second location in the Carrollwood area of Florida.

• 2010

  First restaurant opens

  [1]Burger 21en.wikipedia.org

  The first Burger 21 location opened in Tampa, establishing the brand’s initial operating base.

• 2009

  Burger 21 is founded

  [1]Burger 21en.wikipedia.org

  Mark and Arlene Johnston founded Burger 21 in Tampa, Florida, in November 2009 as a fast-casual concept centered on premium, chef-inspired burgers.

A premium-leaning fast-casual burger chain offering broad burger variety, chef-inspired combinations, and an accessible casual dining experience.

• Burgers · 2009

  21 burger varieties

  Burger 21’s defining menu platform consists of 21 burger varieties. The selection includes beef, chicken, turkey, seafood, and vegetarian formats, supporting a broader range of tastes and dietary preferences than a conventional burger menu. The concept emphasizes chef-inspired combinations while preserving the familiar fast-casual burger format.

• Sides

  Fries and sauce bar

  Fries are a core accompaniment to the burger menu. Burger 21 restaurants also offer a sauce bar, adding a customization element to the side-dish experience and reinforcing the brand’s casual, made-to-order positioning.

• Entrees and sides

  Salads

  Salads broaden the menu beyond burgers and provide an option for customers seeking a lighter meal or a non-burger entree within the fast-casual restaurant format.

• Casual dining entrees

  Hot dogs

  Hot dogs are part of Burger 21’s broader casual menu, complementing the burger lineup with another familiar handheld entree.

• Beverages and desserts

  Shakes

  Milkshakes provide a traditional burger-restaurant beverage and dessert pairing. They are offered alongside burgers, fries, and other casual menu items.

• Local donation nights

  Participating Burger 21 locations in the United States

  Participating restaurants designate selected evenings for local fundraising and donate 10 percent of sales to participating organizations.

  Outcome. The program supports local organizations and gives individual restaurants a community-engagement mechanism; aggregate donation results are not available in the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2012

  Adopt a franchise-led expansion strategyStrategy

  Background

  After opening company locations in Tampa and Carrollwood, Burger 21 sought to grow beyond its initial Florida base.

  Action taken

  The brand signed its first franchise agreements for three Orlando units and later pursued agreements in Atlanta and Voorhees.

  Aftermath

  Franchising became an important part of the brand’s expansion into additional U.S. states and market formats.

  Source

• Pursue nontraditional restaurant venuesStrategy

  Background

  Burger 21 sought additional channels for growth beyond conventional neighborhood and retail restaurants.

  Action taken

  The company pursued expansion opportunities in airports, food courts, and college campuses.

  Aftermath

  These formats were identified as part of the brand’s expansion approach, although the supplied material does not quantify the resulting locations.

  Source

1. 1Burger 21en.wikipedia.org