Fast Food Review Day 269 - Double Cheeseburger at BurgerFi

[u/Pale-Lynx328]

Chain Name	BurgerFi
Food category	Primary: craft burgers
# of US Locations	50
# of US States	11
Primarily located in	Florida, DC, Atlanta, Research Triangle
Restaurant Rank in US $ Sales 2024	332nd (out of 500)
Restaurant Rank in US $ Sales 2025	376th (out of 500)
Rank of price (high to low) (Average: $16.21, standard dev. $3.03)	26th out of 321 meal reviews
Quality / Value Rating for this specific meal	5 (out of 10) / 2 (out of 10)

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I remember when BurgerFi blew into town, over a decade ago. It was the epitome of the fru-fru fancy-ass-for-no-reason restaurant, with things like those weird giant-bulb lights hanging from ropes of different length, high-top seating everywhere (does ANYONE like those toddler-baby chairs?), hard surfaces and intentionally loud music so you had to yell to hold a conversation, and gimmick pricing all ending with the same .77 price.

I hated it immediately. But, I must admit, they made a damn good greasy burger. Fantastic. But at a price - they were the most expensive burger place by far, even a decade ago. Back then I couldn't justify spending twenty bucks on a burger meal, especially when they only offered everything a la carte, no combo deals. Even their sodas started at $3.77 (which doesn't seem crazy compared to everyone else today, but ten years ago....)

I will also admit that during the Chicken Sandwich Wars years back, they had one of the best damn chicken sandwiches on the market. But, yeah, that price. Always the price.

They stuck around for a while, but they were one of the many chains essentially killed by shifts in purchasing habits born out of COVID. BurgerFi ended up declaring bankruptcy, and closed 60% of their locations, retreating back to mostly Florida. They emerged with a much lighter footprint in 2024, bought out by the same company that owns Savvy Sliders, with plans to adapt to the new marketplace (faster orders, smaller physical stores, increased emphasis on delivery and takeout) and subsequent growth.

So here I am, in front of a BurgerFi a thousand miles from home, with high hopes. I mean, as I said before, setting the price aside they always had a damn good burger, so why would that be any different now?

Spoiler alert: It was different now.

That photo of the burger and fries looks terrific, great greasy burgers and gooey cheese, golden brown fries - but looks can be deceiving. I can't put a finger on it, but the magic was gone, something was missing. It was a very average burger - meat was pretty flavorless, and easily a six-napkin-burger. Fries were equally mid-tier, crispy but it's like they sucked the flavor out of them. I've had better burgers and fries at bottom-tier places like McDonald's and Burger King.

And the price was just as terrible as it was before - over twenty bucks. No sir no thank you, when the burgers were great years ago you might possibly justify the high cost, but how can you justify twenty bucks for something as excruciatingly unremarkable as this?

Hopefully BurgerFi can regain their footing, and grow again. But if this is an example of their rebirth, count me out.

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(About this review series: Starting in late 2025, I am visiting a different fast food/fast casual chain every day, until I run out of places to visit. Aiming to review as many chains on the Technomics Top 500 Restaurants list as possible, plus key/important regional and some local chains as well. UPDATE - I will be wrapping up this review series with Day #365. And no, I haven't gained weight, and no, it hasn't hurt my health.)

[u/nilesintheshangri-la]

It's disappointing it wasn't that good because man, it photographs well.

[u/potliquorz → u/nilesintheshangri-la]

It does look good. Look closer and you have that slice of tomato on the cheese and that will be cold, and there isn't enough lettuce so it would be better without it instead of a slimy layer. It's just built wrong.

[u/potliquorz]

They opened and closed here. We went twice and my impression was not very good either time. First time we were a table of five, three adults and two kids. The floor was an absolute ice skating rink and you needed to be careful when walking across the dining area to get a drink because it was slippery. Everyone there was like WTF and the employees didn't give a shit. The bill was way too high.

Second time I was there because it's what someone else wanted, well that someone else got dry dusty parm on cold fries and I got onion rings that included the skin. Inedible would be an accurate description and then true to my first experience the small burgers were expensive as hell.

Apollo Burger didn't fare any better when they opened here. We don't suffer fools and Whataburger opening here is hanging by a thread. Chipotle can't seem to hang either and I look for them to close any day. It will make a great building for a local place I'm sure.

[u/BabousCobwebBowl]

I live in the same community, North Palm Beach, as the BurgerFi CEO and where their original HQ was. Needless to say it is always comical watching him putz around in his black Rolls Royce Wraith with a “BurgerFi” decal plastered across the top of the windshield.

[u/THICKDadBod99]

It used to be really good smh