Habit Burger & Grill
Habit Burger & Grill is a United States fast-casual restaurant brand known for chargrilled hamburgers and other made-to-order American fare.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Habit Burger & Grill is a United States fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in chargrilled hamburgers, particularly its signature Charburger. The business traces its origins to November 15, 1969, when a family-owned restaurant opened in Santa Barbara, California, under the name The Hamburger Habit. The original concept was built around a straightforward American grill menu, later developing into a broader fast-casual offering that included burgers, sandwiches, salads, fries, shakes, and other prepared-to-order items. The brand’s early development was regional. In 1980, brothers Brent and Bruce Reichard purchased the original Goleta location. They later opened a second restaurant in Ventura in 1997 and expanded the Southern California business gradually. Before outside investment, the Reichards’ operation grew to 17 units. Their approach preserved the brand’s local identity while establishing the operating base for a larger chain. A major turning point came in 2007, when private-equity firm KarpReilly acquired majority ownership. KarpReilly accelerated unit growth and introduced franchising, transforming Habit from a primarily regional operator into a rapidly expanding fast-casual chain. Eight Santa Barbara County locations were excluded from that transaction and remained under the Reichard brothers’ ownership for a period. By 2014, the broader Habit system had 109 restaurants either operating or under construction, including expansion into the Seattle market. The chain was then regarded as one of the faster-growing burger brands in the United States. Habit also gained national attention for product quality. In 2014, Consumer Reports’ reader survey ranked the Charburger as the best burger in America, giving it an 8.1 out of 10 score among 53,745 participants. The recognition reinforced the brand’s positioning around chargrilling and made-to-order preparation rather than competing solely on low price or high-volume convenience. The company became publicly traded in November 2014, raising approximately $83.7 million through an initial public offering. Its share price reportedly doubled immediately after the offering, although expansion subsequently slowed as the burger category became more competitive. In 2017, the company announced plans to enter the United Kingdom with as many as 30 restaurants, but the international expansion plan did not become a defining part of the brand’s operating footprint. In March 2020, Yum! Brands acquired The Habit Burger Grill. The transaction placed the brand alongside Yum!’s larger restaurant portfolio, including KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and WingStreet. The Reichard brothers later sold their remaining restaurants to Yum! Brands in 2021 and retired; operational control of those locations shifted in March 2022. Habit therefore moved from an independently developed, publicly traded restaurant company into a corporate brand within a global quick-service and fast-casual restaurant group. In July 2024, the chain changed its fountain beverage supplier from Coca-Cola to Pepsi, reflecting its ownership under Yum! Brands. On August 28, 2024, the restaurant chain adopted the name Habit Burger & Grill. The renamed brand continues to focus on chargrilled burgers while offering a broader menu designed for dine-in, takeout, drive-through, and other fast-casual occasions. Its current identity combines a Southern California origin story, a product-led emphasis on grilling, and the resources and operating structure of Yum! Brands.
History
Habit Burger & Grill began on November 15, 1969, in Santa Barbara, California, as a family-owned restaurant called The Hamburger Habit. Its original proposition centered on hamburgers prepared on a grill, a format that later became associated with the brand’s Charburger identity. The business initially developed as a local Southern California operation rather than as a national chain. In 1980, Brent and Bruce Reichard purchased the original Goleta restaurant. Under their ownership, the business expanded carefully, opening a second location in Ventura in 1997 and eventually reaching 17 Southern California units. The Reichards’ ownership remained important to the company’s identity and continued in part after outside investment entered the business. KarpReilly, a private-equity firm, acquired majority ownership in 2007. The new ownership pursued faster growth, including franchising. Eight restaurants in Santa Barbara County were not included in the transaction and stayed with the Reichard brothers. By 2014, Habit had 109 locations either open or under construction, with expansion extending beyond Southern California to markets such as Seattle. The chain’s growth and its chargrilled product helped it gain recognition in the increasingly competitive burger segment. The company completed an initial public offering in November 2014, raising approximately $83.7 million. Its stock price reportedly doubled immediately after the offering. Growth slowed by 2016 as competition and broader conditions in the burger category became more challenging. In 2017, Habit announced a plan to expand into the United Kingdom with 30 restaurants, although the United Kingdom initiative did not become a central part of the brand’s documented long-term footprint. Yum! Brands acquired Habit in March 2020. The acquisition changed the company’s ownership and strategic context, placing a Southern California-origin burger chain within one of the world’s largest restaurant groups. The Reichard brothers sold their remaining restaurants to Yum! Brands in 2021 and retired, with operations shifting in March 2022. The brand underwent additional integration and identity changes under Yum! Brands. In July 2024, its fountain beverage relationship changed from Coca-Cola to Pepsi. On August 28, 2024, the chain adopted the name Habit Burger & Grill. The modern brand continues to operate in the fast-casual restaurant sector, with chargrilled burgers as its central product and a menu extending to chicken, sandwiches, salads, sides, desserts, and beverages.
- 2024
Brand renamed Habit Burger & Grill
[1]The restaurant chain adopts the Habit Burger & Grill name on August 28.
- 2021
Remaining Reichard-owned restaurants are sold
[1]The Reichard brothers sell their remaining restaurants to Yum! Brands and retire.
- 2020
Yum! Brands acquisition
[1]Yum! Brands acquires The Habit Burger Grill.
- 2017
United Kingdom expansion plan announced
[1]The company announces plans to expand into the United Kingdom with 30 restaurants.
- 2014
Chain reaches 109 operating or planned locations
[1]Habit reports 109 locations either operating or under construction and expands into markets including Seattle.
- 2014
Initial public offering
[1]Habit raises approximately $83.7 million in a November initial public offering.
- 2007
KarpReilly takes majority ownership
[1]Private-equity firm KarpReilly acquires majority control and accelerates expansion and franchising.
- 1997
Second restaurant opens in Ventura
[1]The company opens its second location, extending beyond its original Santa Barbara-area base.
- 1980
Reichard brothers purchase the original location
[1]Brent and Bruce Reichard acquire the original Goleta restaurant and begin developing the Southern California business.
- 1969
First restaurant opens in Santa Barbara
[1]The family-owned business opens on November 15 under the name The Hamburger Habit.
Products and positioning
A fast-casual burger brand positioned around chargrilled, made-to-order food, Southern California roots, and a broader menu than a narrowly focused hamburger chain.
Hamburger
Charburger
The Charburger is Habit’s signature hamburger and the product most closely associated with its brand identity. It is positioned around chargrilling and made-to-order preparation, distinguishing the chain from burger concepts focused primarily on standardized fried or assembly-line production. Consumer Reports ranked the Charburger first in a 2014 reader survey of American burgers.
Hamburger
Specialty burgers
Habit’s specialty burger range extends the core chargrilled format through variations such as the Double Charburger, Teriyaki Charburger, and Santa Barbara Char. These products give the chain a broader menu architecture while retaining the grill-centered preparation and burger-led positioning of the brand.
Sandwiches
Chicken and other sandwiches
The menu includes chicken sandwiches and other non-beef sandwich options. These items support group ordering and provide alternatives for customers who do not want a hamburger while remaining within the restaurant’s grilled, American fast-casual format.
Salads
Salads
Salads broaden the brand beyond burgers and fries and provide a lighter meal option. They fit Habit’s fast-casual positioning by allowing customers to choose a prepared entrée without selecting a traditional sandwich-based meal.
Sides and beverages
Sides, shakes, and beverages
Habit complements its entrées with fries and other sides, shakes, and fountain beverages. In 2024, the chain changed its fountain beverage supplier from Coca-Cola to Pepsi following its integration into Yum! Brands.
Brand decisions
2024
Refresh the chain name and beverage partnershipStrategyBackground
The brand was operating as part of Yum! Brands following the 2020 acquisition.
Action taken
Habit changed fountain beverages from Coca-Cola to Pepsi in July and renamed the chain Habit Burger & Grill on August 28.
Aftermath
The changes aligned the customer-facing identity and beverage relationship more closely with its corporate parent.
2020
Sell Habit to Yum! BrandsM&ABackground
Habit was an established publicly traded fast-casual burger chain operating in a competitive restaurant market.
Action taken
Yum! Brands acquired The Habit Burger Grill in March 2020.
Aftermath
Habit became a Yum! Brands restaurant concept alongside the group’s larger quick-service brands.
2014
Complete initial public offeringOtherBackground
Habit had become a rapidly growing burger chain with more than 100 operating or planned locations.
Action taken
The company raised approximately $83.7 million in a November initial public offering.
Aftermath
The share price reportedly doubled immediately after the offering, while growth later slowed as competition in the burger category intensified.
IPO proceeds. Approximately $83.7 million raised (November 2014)
2007
Accelerate expansion through majority investment and franchisingStrategyBackground
Habit was a regional Southern California restaurant business with 17 units under the Reichard family’s development.
Action taken
KarpReilly acquired majority ownership and pursued faster chain expansion, including franchising.
Aftermath
The chain expanded beyond its original region and reached 109 operating or planned locations by 2014.
Recent events
The Habit Burger Grill announces Porter Ranch restaurant opening[2]
Reported:
The Habit Burger Grill announced a new location in Porter Ranch, California, and said the restaurant was scheduled to open on November 10.
Yum! Brands buys The Habit Burger Grill[3]
Reported:
Yum! Brands bought The Habit Burger Grill for $375 million. The article says the sale covered nearly 300 corporate-owned and franchisee-operated Habit sites in the U.S. and China.
Sources4 sources
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