Cheeseburger Bobby’s: Little Chain, Big Plans

The “fast-casual” boom continues.  That’s restaurantspeak for that middle-ground kind of place that’s not fast food… but not an order-from-a-waiter-leave-a-tip-when-you’re-done kind of eatery.

Fuddruckers basically invented the fast casual category.  Five Guys has turned it into a phenomenon.  Maybe the concept just works better for cheeseburgers than any other cuisine.  Hoity-toity, linen-napkin establishments offer burgers, but that just feels weird, right?  Like showing up to a black-tie dinner in ripped jeans and a Van Halen T-shirt.  And when you’re in the mood to really savor a damn fine burger, most fast food offerings fall disappointingly flat.  A good fast-casual burger is the closest thing there is to pulling one off your own backyard grill.  So there’s certainly something to be said for the Fuddruckers, the Five Guys, the Smashburgers, the Counters, and the Mooyahs of the world.

In the metro Atlanta area, there’s another name that’s quickly gaining buzz among burgermeisters:

Cheeseburger Bobby’s was started in 2007 in the booming metropolis of Hiram, Georgia, about 30 miles west of downtown.  Now there are 5 stores, with plans for more.  A lot more.  Brothers Bobby and Richard Stoll hope to have 50 locations up and running by the end of 2010.

Let me tell you about Cheeseburger Bobby.  He hangs out in strip malls.  He’s big on the industrial-loft look, with brick walls and stainless steel fixtures and huge, blown-up glossy photography.  He serves up a Jr. (single patty) or a Sr. (double patty), a brilliant up-selling strategy when you consider that no self-respecting carnivore can stand there and order something called a “Junior.” Bobby has a staff member whose job it is to walk around the tiny restaurant (at just 35 seats, it always look full) and offer Starlight Mints to people who have just found a table.  After you order, Bobby gives you a coaster that lights up when your burger is ready.

Bobby’s cheeseburgers come with American, Swiss, or cheddar.  Or try a Specialty Burger: usual suspects like Black & Bleu, Mushroom & Swiss, and Chili Cheese.  The burgers come with only those things in the name; a full topping bar is around the corner.  Nice selection there for fixin’ fanatics: tomatoes, pickles, relish, 3 kinds of lettuce, 2 kinds of onions, 2 kinds of peppers.  And there are pumps of a half-dozen wet condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayo, A.1., ranch, and hot sauce.  Grab your tray and create your own masterpiece.

I got the Bacon Cheeseburger (a Sr.  Duh.)  and added lettuce and red onions.  Made for a nice photo… and a tasty lunch.  Bobby does a good burger. Like many fast casual chains, they only cook their burgs well done, and although I’m not a well done guy, this was a definite step up from fast food.

Granted, it was a touch more expensive than fast food, too.  My burger, fries, and drink cost 9 bucks.  But then again, there are free drink refills… and Bobby does a superb frozen custard, something you can’t find just anywhere.

If the 404 area code is a long-distance call for you, you may have to wait a while before Cheeseburger Bobby’s makes it to your neck of the woods.  And maybe they never will.  It’s a crowded landscape out there for the gourmet burger boutique.  But I submit to you that Bobby and his fast-casual brethren are doing it right.  These are cheeseburgers worth seeking out and worthy of your hard-earned cash.  Don’t be afraid to withhold your next contribution to the big-business war chests of the clown, the king, and the pigtailed girl.  Support a small business; eat a big-tasting burger.