MrBeast Goes Bold By Launching 300-Unit Burger Chain Nationwide
Prolific YouTuber MrBeast is now also the owner of a burger chain that rivals In-N-Out and Shake Shack when it comes to size.
His new delivery-only concept, MrBeast Burger, marks one of the most ambitious moves a media personality has taken in the food space to date. MrBeast isn’t just committing money or a bit of ownership stake into a brand, he’s the full owner and is working with 300 different ghost kitchen locations to bring his burgers nationwide.
In comparison, Shake Shack has just under 300 locations while In-N-Out is nearing 400, putting the YouTuber’s concept on par when it comes to spread.
MrBeast, who is known for giving away absurd amounts of money in viral video challenges, has gained a ton of consumer appeal and brand recognition. As a result, on opening night for the chain, many locations had hour-long waits (and the initial drive-thru concept itself had a line miles of cars long), and even causing an app made to handle orders to crash.
To open the way he did is also a monumental challenge. Most restaurant concepts start out as a single location that specialize in a few items, become celebrated for that, then make enough money to branch out and eventually franchise. Viral success stories like Slapfish, The Halal Guys, and Afters Ice Cream are all examples of that.
Instead, MrBeast launched 300 locations from the jump, all at once, betting on his brand name and virality to carry all of the spots to financial success.
I just launched 300 restaurants nationwide! Just go on your favorite delivery app and order a MrBeast Burger! WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR FOREVER AND IM SO EXCITED! pic.twitter.com/hn7tXeWrOu
— MrBeast (@MrBeastYT) December 19, 2020
While it’s still too early to tell if all of the locations are doing well financially, we were able to sample the burgers to see what they’re like.
I managed to procure a burger the day the chain opened, and was honestly impressed at how good the quality was. MrBeast’s chain is a smashburger concept, and the patties have a great sear and solid flavor to them. The toppings and condiments are all pretty standard, but overall is a solid burger.
To be honest, I would rank these just below Shake Shack when it comes to the realm of chain restaurant burgers, although as a SoCal local, it’s not going to be beating places like Tommy’s anytime soon.
The one spot that may have some concern is that when it comes to delivery, burgers aren’t something I think of that necessarily travel well. Smashburgers, especially, are something you want to eat on the spot, scalding your tongue with beefy and cheesy goodness moments after it gets off the griddle.
Still, in the times of a pandemic, it is a consistent and reliable option that I would co-sign, and for a franchise as big as MrBeast Burger is already, that’s what they should be striving for.
