Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Brad Miller's Big Burrito

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Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 04-07-2009, 04:58 PM:

A few years back Brad and a few other of you knuckleheads were talking about this incredible burrito you were getting from a local Mexican restaurant chain. I looked online at the time and there were none around me. Now that I travel occasionally for work and I might be near one I can't for the life of me remember the name of the restaurant. Can anyone help me out?

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 04-07-2009, 05:20 PM:

For the life of me, I cannot recall the name of that drive thru joint that Brad would telco me, just to chat, while he was killing time waiting in line to order the BIG ONE! Gosh! I felt important! HA! [Razz]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-07-2009, 05:22 PM:

The restaurant in question is Chipotle. Another great burrito joint (although only 2nd favorite personally) is Freebirds.

There is also Planet Burrito and Qdoba, but I don't care for those as much.

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 04-07-2009, 06:22 PM:

Brad and Dan personally introduced Beth and I to Freebirds last fall while we were in town. Pretty tastey, and I couldn't even finish mine.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 04-07-2009, 06:31 PM:

They are Good. They have Chipotle locations all over NYC. I have two locations 2 blocks from me here.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-07-2009, 06:35 PM:

Freebirds World Burrito is really good. One of their newest locations is in Norman, OK just off of the University of Oklahoma campus.

I'm hooked on Chipotle's food. The last few times I've visited family and friends in Colorado I've eaten at least once or twice at a Chipotle location while there. There's LOTS of those restaurants in Denver and Colorado Springs.

Chipotle finally started building locations in Oklahoma. The first one opened in Edmond off Broadway extension next door to a Starbucks. There's another one in Oklahoma City off Northwest Expressway across the street from Integris Medical Center. That might come in handy if you suffer a heart attack from eating all that steak. At least a handful of other Chipotle locations are planned for the Oklahoma City area.

Chipotle beat Freebirds on opening up a location in Stillwater for the Oklahoma State Univ. students.

Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 04-07-2009, 06:35 PM:

Deffinatly Freebirds over Chipotle

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-07-2009, 06:58 PM:

The Chipotle in Denver is the best one because they have pictures of it hanging in many of the other Chipotles around the country. Our Chipotles have banned any English from being used from the staff.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 04-07-2009, 07:10 PM:

Awww. Based on the thread title, I was sure I was going to find something dirty here.

And if you haven't tried Qdoba's "Mexican Gumbo", you're totally missing out.

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 04-07-2009, 07:25 PM:

What a title for a thread!

I have to make do with Qdoba, which is only 70 percent as awesome as Chipotle.

Other restaurants I miss from the civilized world, ranked in order of the magnitude by which I crave them:

In-N-Out -- Nothing compares.
Panda Express
Carl's Jr
Denny's -- Sometimes I want pancakes at 3:30 AM. Go fig.
Jack in the Box

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 04-07-2009, 08:09 PM:

Chipotle has great burritos, but why did they stop there, and make the worst chips? Those things taste like (I'll let Redifer insert something funny here) .

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-07-2009, 09:09 PM:

It may be another year or two before we get a Chipotle location in Lawton. But this place has some hamburger joints that drop-kick the shit out of the competition, including In and Out Burger (they may have a catchy sign, but so does McDonald's).

The Meers Store in the Wichita Mountains is pretty famous for its original blood line Texas Longhorn burgers. Yes, most of the original bloodline of Texas Longhorn cattle actually lives in Oklahoma on the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. The Meers Store also serves Buffalo Burgers from time to time. The restaurant looks trashy as hell from the outside. But damn, those burgers are great!

Wayne's Drive Inn and Burgess Grill also make excellent hamburgers. They're more particular about where they get their beef than most restaurants.

My cousin Tommy lives in Minneapolis. Every time he comes back to Lawton to visit his mother (who is also my Aunt), he does a burger tour. Meers, Wayne's, Burgess and then finally...yeah, Whataburger. Apparently Minneapolis, as great as it is, home of Prince (or whatever he's calling himself these days) has no Whataburger restaurants. Oh well.

Hell, I even like Sonic. But what's special about that? There's so many of them here in Lawton that if you blindfolded yourself and then threw a rock you would hit one. Sonic HQ is an hour up I-44 in Bricktown, OKC. Too bad the Seattle Supersonics changed their name to the "Thunder" when they moved to Oklahoma City. Sonic would have bought the naming rights of the Ford Center. BTW, I really HATE the Oklahoma City Thunder logo. Lame as hell.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-07-2009, 09:21 PM:

Although I have yet to try In and Out Burger, I bet Denver's own Smashburger destroys it.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-07-2009, 09:31 PM:

We have Burger Streets down here that make a pretty tasty fast food burger, but they serve caffeine free soda...the nerve of them!!!

The best burger around here is probably from Red Robin. I've eaten at a number of them though, and the one in Arlington is definitely the best. There is one on I-10 in Houston near downtown that is pretty blah. I think a lot of it is like the cinema. The average multiplex gets the same quality print and many run the exact same equipment, but the quality of the presentation ranges dramatically from one location to another. It all depends on who is in the kitchen!

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 04-07-2009, 09:42 PM:

As a lover of good Mexican food, the only Burrito I can get around here from a fast food outlet is at a Taco Bell [Frown]

-Claude

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-07-2009, 09:48 PM:

Red Robin is pretty good. I've only been to a few, but I am never sad when I have to go there.

Posted by Tyler Potts (Member # 4952) on 04-07-2009, 09:51 PM:

Rowing in Chattanooga we'd always hit Cheeburger Cheeburger, then heading home stop at Chipotle in Atlanta. I'm glad to see others are hooked as well. Visited a bud in Minneapolis and it's the first place we went to eat.

p.s. - Next burrito you get, ask them to mix it. They'll look at you funny for a second, then grab a plastic fork and mix up all the goodness. Keeps you from getting a fistful of rice at the end of the burrito.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-07-2009, 10:41 PM:

Mixing is good, but the REAL secret of Chipotle goodness is in the lemons. Seriously, squirt a ton of lemon juice into it and prepare yourself for burrito heaven.

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 04-08-2009, 06:08 AM:

Mike I know how you feel, when I moved back to Michigan from Arizona 6 years ago I was lost on what to eat. All the good stuff that is here wasn't there and still isn't there.

Chipotle is great, even if they are owned and operated by the McDonalds corporation. At least they keep their hands out of it and let it run as its own company.

The one thing that I miss out here though is the homemade breakfast joints. Back in Lake City, Michigan there is a place called the Coffee Cup that makes the best breakfast in the world. In Traverse City where Mike is, is a great place called HamBones. Great food at killer prices. mmmm breakfast

Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 04-08-2009, 07:39 AM:

For burgers in the Dallas area, Snuffers is pretty good.
For a simple buger (or cheseburger) JC's Burger House is the best. There only a few locations though, Richardson, Plano, Allen and McKinney.

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 04-08-2009, 10:41 AM:

I can't believe this topic has made it to the 2nd page without anyone mentioning 5 Guys Burgers and Fries. It's a (somewhat) fast food chain with greasy-spoon style burgers!

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-08-2009, 11:08 AM:

quote: Kurt Zupin
Chipotle is great, even if they are owned and operated by the McDonalds corporation.

I thought McDonalds spun off Chipotle in 2006.

Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 04-08-2009, 11:18 AM:

Chipotle is the one I am thinking of...in fact there is one right near the office here. I will have to give it a try.

Another great place is Desert Moon which I think is primarily in the Northeast. I would get their burrito "smothered" (in a cheese sauce). No wonder I need bariatric surgery!

quote: Christian Volpi
I can't believe this topic has made it to the 2nd page without anyone mentioning 5 Guys Burgers and Fries

Five Guys is great too. Just burgers, fries, hot dogs and sodas. Oh, and all the peanuts you can eat. Not even milkshakes. Still a great burger.

[ 04-08-2009, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Joe Tommassello ]

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-08-2009, 12:36 PM:

I've never eaten at Five Guys Burgers & Fries. I don't think Oklahoma has any locations. Dallas-Fort Worth has a couple locations. There is one in Colorado Springs near Chapel Hills Mall. If I can remember I'll try to check it out the next time I'm there.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-08-2009, 01:18 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
I've never eaten at Five Guys Burgers & Fries.

We ate at one of those in Orlando last time we were there. Very good burgers. Hand-made patties and hand-cut fries. The place was extremely busy too, underlining the popularity of the good plain old hamburger. Too bad so many places can't see that and keep piling unneeded crap on.

Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 04-08-2009, 01:38 PM:

Five Guys is freaking great! The restaurants themselves are nothing special, no attempt at decor or atmosphere whatsoever, just tile and Formica with some poster size magazine reviews on the walls, and a very limited menu. You tell them how you like your burger dressed, and then it gets fresh cooked, wrapped in foil and put into a paper bag, on top of which they shovel in a load of really good thick-cut fries (one order is big enough for two). It's real heart attack stuff, but once a month or so it's a great stop-on-the-way-home meal.

Red Robin is also OK, but Cheeseburger in Paradise, despite the stupid name, is much better. They have a Teriyaki Broccoli side dish that's outrageous and at least somewhat healthful.

I used to get to Dallas quite often, and I always went for Mexican at a place called Herrera's, on Maple Avenue, I think. Couldn't be beat, for my money. They still going?

Posted by Mike Babb (Member # 1379) on 04-08-2009, 02:02 PM:

http://yesterdog.com/index.html

Yesterdog in Grand Rapids, Michigan, made famous in American Pie even though they modified the name slightly, the writer is from here...

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-08-2009, 02:40 PM:

quote: Mark Ogden
Five Guys is freaking great! The restaurants themselves are nothing special, no attempt at decor or atmosphere whatsoever, just tile and Formica

Yeah, their signage would probably drive Bobby crazy...talk about plain! But definitely readable. http://www.fiveguys.com

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-08-2009, 06:17 PM:

Legibility is the top concern in sign design. There's nothing wrong with being understated either. I notice the Five Guys location pictured on their web site has channel letters flush mounted to the building. That sort of thing isn't cheap, certainly not as cheap as some plain box sign cabinet. Channel letters fit in with the architecture of a building much better than a sign cabinet.

Posted by Mike Babb (Member # 1379) on 04-08-2009, 06:50 PM:

Five Guys is really good I agree, especially like the cajun fries...

Posted by Tyler Potts (Member # 4952) on 04-08-2009, 08:09 PM:

What sells me... is their jalapenos. They're not pickled, but sliced fresh peppers. Hold the pickles and add jalapenos, you'll get the crunch of the pickle and the spice of a pepper.

Not feeling a burger? A theatre I was at was 30 feet from a Five Guys, try the grilled cheese with bacon. A nice late night indulgence.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-08-2009, 08:20 PM:

We just had a 5-Guys open here in Bountiful... I'd rate them as just pretty good burgers and say the fries suck big time... too many fries and way too greasy. A very inefficient way to run a fast food joint... Those that have just 30 min. for lunch are screwed if they like the place. They are also way to expensive for what it is. In the SLC area Apollo Burger, Crown Burger are still much better IMHO.

Mark

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-08-2009, 08:42 PM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
too many fries and way too greasy.

Well now Mark, nobody said you HAD to eat all of the fries! [Big Grin]

They certainly are no match for the Speedway crinkles, I will say that.

The burgers are better than the fries IMHO. Fries are one of the foods that are better if they were frozen, I think -- they're less greasy that way. Also I prefer skinless fries, I don't care if they're healthier with the skin on...if I was trying to be healthy I wouldn't be eating fries at all!

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-08-2009, 08:53 PM:

What... Is the skin supposed to cancel out the heart disease factor from their fries? I do think Speedway is much better than 5 Guys!!! And no grease!

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 04-08-2009, 11:21 PM:

Chipotle rocks, though I have to do their salads/naked borritos since flour tortilla + celiac's disease == bad times.

And with fries, there's a BBQ place next to my school that makes them out of sweet potatoes. Fucking tasty. Though since then, I've found that costco sells frozen sweet potato fries ready to bake; cheaper and far less grease.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 04-09-2009, 11:26 AM:

Surprised no-one mentioned Fatburger, it is the best fast food place I have ever been to. They just do burgers, fries and shakes but they are so good, and made to order. I wish they would open in the UK, you can get a good burger here but only in relatively expensive sit-down restaurants.

Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 04-09-2009, 11:57 AM:

Ewww, gross. I ate at a Fatburger only once - in Las Vegas. It was awful and super expensive. Granted, everything on or near the strip is expensive, so that part I understand, but I expected it to at least taste good. Maybe it was just that one store, but yuck. Oh, and some terrible customer service too.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 04-09-2009, 12:12 PM:

5 Guys just opened here a couple of months ago. They make a very very good hamburger. The line is usually long, but it moves fast, as they have a good system of preparation. Sure wouldn't like to be one of the burger cooks who just turns out burger after burger. Fries are also excellent. Food is served in a brown paper bag that has spots from the fries...somehow, that seems to make them even better.

They are going to open a 5 Guys by the OSU campus soon which should to really well. It is next to the Gateway movies, so we'll have something different to eat when we go over there.

Chipotle is all over in Central Ohio. It is especially popular around the Ohio State campus. I know of one student who went to 18 different Chipotle's on Halloween to get the free burrito to those who dress like a burrito. (No, he didn't eat them all...he planned on freezing the ones he didn't eat.)

I prefer Qdoba to Chiptole. The food is just as good, and they have a bit more variety.

Anyone tried RAISIN' CAIN'S CHICKEN FINGERS? That's all they sell...chicken pieces from fresh chicken with this amazing sauce. I tried to get some for lunch today, and the drive-through line was wrapped around the building, and there was no room to sit inside. Inexpensive and very high quality. You have to have confidence in your product when you only sell one thing.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-09-2009, 12:13 PM:

I have yet to try Fatburger but I'd like to. What I absolutely refuse to try is Carl's Jr mainly because of their nasty-ass commercials. I tried Sonic once and it tasted very bland, kind of like cardboard but even more bland.

I think we may have a 5 Guys here, not sure. Damn, I love cheeseburgers!

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 04-09-2009, 12:17 PM:

Joe, No Hardees/Carl Jr. to try around here, but that commercial with Padma Lakshmi was VERY nice. I'd eat a burger with her ANY time.

Padma Lakshmi Hamburger Commercial

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 04-09-2009, 04:01 PM:

I went to the one on the Strip, maybe you caught a bad day. As for price, it was two dollars to the pound then so everything to us was dirt cheap in Vegas.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-09-2009, 04:15 PM:

I was in L.A. during the late '70s. I remember there being a Fatburger right across the street from Universal Studios. We ate there and loved it. Haven't seen a Fatburger since though! I wonder if it's still in the same L. A. spot? Anyone?

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 04-09-2009, 04:42 PM:

Freddy's Frozen Custard (home of the original FREDDY steakburger) is the new king of burgers for me.

Freaking awesome. And yes...there's a few in the Dallas metro now.

I wasn't impressed with Smashburger. Fancy veggies and fancy buns. I'm not very damn fancy. The haystack onions were awesome, though.

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 04-09-2009, 09:54 PM:

Don't care much for Five Guys stack of thin burgers to make a big one concept. A stack of scrawny thin patties doesn't have the same flavor as a thick single patty. The thin patties cook more quickly and make service faster though. Cheeburger,Cheeburger I like better. Sonic I think is OK, nothing remarkable.
Are Hardees and Carls Jr. the same menu? No Carls around here but lots of Hardees. Looking at the Hardees menu you would think it would be pretty good but their food suffers more from terrible preparation than anywhere else. Yuk!

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 04-11-2009, 09:08 AM:

Portillo's! They are mostly in the Chicago area but they have a few random locations sprawled across the country. Check it out, enough said!

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 04-11-2009, 10:19 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
I remember there being a Fatburger right across the street from Universal Studios. We ate there and loved it. Haven't seen a Fatburger since though! I wonder if it's still in the same L. A. spot? Anyone?

As of 2004, yeah, there was a Fatburger quite close to Universal. I used to live about 10 min. from there and would drive by that Fatburger often. There was a 24 hour Subway next to it too.

I love both In-N-Out and Portillo's - both already mentioned in this thread, but as the thread is about burritos I won't comment further on them.

As for burritos, I've never been a fan of Chipotle burritos, in fact I'd go so far as to say I disliked them. I used to like LaBamba ("burritos as big as your head" was their slogan) but I haven't lived in a college town since 1998 (and I've only seen them in college towns) so I don't know if they are still ok, or if they even exist anymore.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-09-2010, 04:06 PM:

Bump.

Chipotle recently opened a new location in Norman, OK. Of all the places where they could have built the restaurant the company chose to build it on Asp Ave., right down the street from Freebirds World Burrito.
[Confused]

Yeah, 765 Asp Ave. is the address. Freebirds is at 746 Asp Ave. Both restaurants are on the Oklahoma University Campus Corner. The new Chipotle was built in what used to be the Boomer Theater, a movie theater that operated from the late 1940s to mid 1970s. Harolds Stores had the building up until recently; it was sold off when Harolds filed for bankruptcy.

Warren Theaters' 14-plex in Moore is the main attraction that gets me over to that area of metro Oklahoma City. Having a couple great burrito places within rock throwing distance of each other is a bonus.

I'm still holding out some hope Lawton may get a Chipotle sometime in the near future. The city's downtown redevelopment project finally has momentum again now that the nation's economy is in recovery mode. A Chipotle location would fit in well with what is being planned.

Posted by Bruce Hansen (Member # 281) on 04-09-2010, 08:06 PM:

I don't think a burrito should be stuffed with rice. I like the steak burrito at Fontana. It is served with cheese sauce over it, on a plate with rice and refried beens. Why do Mexican places have so much trouble frying beens, that they always have to re-fry them? They even put it on the menu, "refried beens", so you know that they got it right (the second time). [Big Grin]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 04-09-2010, 08:55 PM:

quote: Bruce Hansen
Why do Mexican places have so much trouble frying beens, that they always have to re-fry them? They even put it on the menu, "refried beens", so you know that they got it right (the second time).

Might have something to do with refried being an incorrect translation of the name for the recipe? [Razz]

The name in Spanish for it translates as "well-friend beans" rather than "twice-fried beans."

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 04-09-2010, 09:28 PM:

Best Mexican place I ever ate at was Rene's in Temple City. Really great food, a kind of small dining area but the abondigas (I don't think I spelled that right) soup was to die for!! Add some chopped cilantro to that soup and it was orgasmically good!!

Rene was a great guy and always called his customers by name and remembered what they wanted each time they came in. I always got a bowl of chopped cilantro, lots of their homemade salsa and my Pepsi without even having to ask. [Smile]

Sadly, I drove up there some months ago and discovered they were out of business... [Frown]

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 04-09-2010, 10:20 PM:

We've got quite a few Chipotle's here - I almost got hired by one of them a few weeks ago. I like their food (except for the rice inside the burritos), though the portions are way too big for me. One of their burritos is enough for three meals. For fast food, it's good stuff.

My favorites for Mexican in Vegas are still Lindo Michoacan (for nice sit-down restaurant dining), El Sombrero (I think it's the oldest extant Mexican restaurant in Vegas), and Serrano's (great little ma & pa sit-down place).

I hate it when a favorite spot closes on me unexpectedly. We lost two of my favorite Japanese quick places last year - East Boy (absolutely authentic bento boxes and bowls), and Togoshi (ramen noodle house that had recently been remodeled under new ownership). Dammit!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-10-2010, 02:40 AM:

There is a place in Plano called Mi Chula's which is AWESOME!

Apparently they only have 2 locations, but damn that place is good. Their tagline is "good mexican" and for once advertising isn't lying.

Check it out if you are in the area.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 04-10-2010, 09:01 AM:

This whole thread is disgusting, and making me hungry.

Living in the mountains, WHERE do I go to get a decent burrito?

Around here, its Taco Hell or nothing.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 04-10-2010, 09:07 AM:

If you are in New York City I swear the BEST damn Burrito I have ever had in the world is the grilled chicken burrito (im sure the steak or ground beef is just as good) from "Super Taco Express" at 225 7th Avenue right near the conrner of West 23rd street. It is a small mexican joint run by asians (I think) but they have the best food there. The burrito is as big as a pillow! I get mine with no Guacamoli and Xtra sour cream with a can of soda for 7 bucks and change which is a great deal in Manhattan!

Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 04-10-2010, 11:35 AM:

One of the best burritos I tried was from Granny's Burritos, on Fore St in Portland. Alas, they are no longer open. [Frown]

When I am craving Mexican, I opt for Pancho Villa, on Pleasant St in Brunswick.

Another local spot I heartily enjoy is Fat Boy Drive-In, on Bath Rd in Brunswick. They have excellent frappes, great onion rings, and some of the least expensive lobster rolls around! [thumbsup]

Maybe we're a little peculiar up here, but I'd not even heard of most of the chains mentioned earlier in this thread. Or maybe we're just lucky enough to have a lot of great locally owned eateries, so that there's no real need for too many chains to expand this way. [Shrug]

Posted by Adam Fraser (Member # 1074) on 04-10-2010, 05:05 PM:

Kurt,

The Coffee Cup does have the best breakfast I have ever had. I'll take one Porker Omelet please with homemade wheat toast.

The Porker has sausage, bacon, 6 or so eggs, hash browns, several kinds of cheese, along with some other unknown stuff thrown in all for under $8.00.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-10-2010, 08:17 PM:

For anyone in the Sacramento area, I recommend Dos Coyotes in Davis. It's Southwest rather than Mexican, but it's good food, large portions, at a good price. Plus they make their own salsas in about 5 different varieties.

They actually have 7 locations, but I can only vouch for the one on Covell Blvd in Davis and the one in the Arden Fair Mall.
Dos Coyotes

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 04-11-2010, 12:29 PM:

Yesterday there was a street fair going on right on 23rd street here between 8th and 9th ave's which is right in front of our theatre. It made for a confusing day even more maddening (we had both nyu's oprhans film symposium and the gen art film festival)Anyway there was a stand selling burritos so I decided instead of walking the 3 blocks to Super Taco Express I would try the stand out. It SUCKED BIG TIME!

The moral of the story: Don't Mess With Success or Street Burrito Equals Tummy Pain!

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 04-11-2010, 12:52 PM:

They have Chipotles on nearly every street corner in the Denver metro area now. I love 'em. For me it is a black bean and steak burrito with no extras except the rice and cheese. Mmmmmmmm!

I have also tried Fatburger and they are really good, but I do not approve at how they close by 8:00pm. Smashburger is still the best. 5 Guys sucks.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-11-2010, 01:38 PM:

Seems like the latest scam ploy in the restaurant business now is, they are eliminating "hamburger" from the menu and only showing "cheeseburger." Which of course costs more than a hamburger. So if you want a regular hamburger you have to order a "cheeseburger without cheese" and then you are still paying for a cheeseburger.

A similar ploy happened a few years ago: Every restaurant used to have 'hamburger' (which was a plain burger) and 'hamburger deluxe' (which had lettuce, tomato, onion etc all piled on and came with fries). Now, a "cheeseburger" comes with all that crap included by default and you can't get a regular hamburger anymore.

Posted by Robert Minichino (Member # 3495) on 04-11-2010, 02:05 PM:

There's no real difference in cost to the restaurant for burger toppings. The vast majority of the price of any menu item in a restaurant covers overhead (personnel, utilities, equipment). The cheese costs about 10 cents, and the veggies around 25 cents. So the vast price difference between a "hamburger" and a "cheeseburger deluxe" (in one local diner almost $2) is really the bigger "scam," as you're paying a lot more of the overhead for something that costs about the same. I'd look at having a minimally-priced hamburger as an option to pay less of the overhead in exchange for forgoing the toppings. Restaurant pricing is completely unintuitive, and would probably be utterly shocking if based on a fixed margin.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 04-11-2010, 03:48 PM:

'Vegas' first Smashburger just opened near where I used to live in Summerlin. They are planning 22 locations here. Will have to give them a try.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 04-11-2010, 08:08 PM:

I've never eaten at Smash Burger. Two locations recently opened in Tulsa and another is opening in Oklahoma City this Spring. I'll probably try out the one in OKC sometime soon -if I don't just visit Chipotle instead.

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 04-12-2010, 04:58 PM:

quote: Robert Minichino
There's no real difference in cost to the restaurant for burger toppings. The vast majority of the price of any menu item in a restaurant covers overhead (personnel, utilities, equipment). The cheese costs about 10 cents, and the veggies around 25 cents.

Not to knock you or anything, but I don't think you've priced cheese and produce lately. REAL cheese may cost 10 cents a slice, but you have to factor in the cost of buying that cheese, paying the kid to put the cheese on the burger, and also pay yourself. In our operation we utilize a common practice called X3 pricing. We take the actual cost of the ingredients for the burger (meat, bun, condiments, cheese, wrapper or box, etc.)and then multiply that total costs time 3. Netting a 33% food cost, 33% labor, and 33% profit. That being said, we don't have a 99 cent menu, or a $2.00 burger. Our burger is $4.00, and we sell a ton of them. I don't charge that because I'm a greedy business owner. I charge that because that's what it takes to run my business, and so I can REMAIN a business owner. Every restaurant I've ever worked at or managed used a pricing strategy similar to ours.

I've seen at McDonald's around here that the simple plain hamburgers and cheeseburgers are gone from the menu. You can still get them, but you have to know to ask for them. Speaking of McDonald's - what's the deal with 2 apple pies for a dollar or ONE for 89 cents? [Confused]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-12-2010, 05:36 PM:

quote: Barry Floyd
Our burger is $4.00

That's a good price for a burger. One of my bucket list items is to visit your drive-in some day. Not just for the movie either!

[quotew] So the vast price difference between a "hamburger" and a "cheeseburger deluxe" (in one local diner almost $2) is really the bigger "scam," as you're paying a lot more of the overhead for something that costs about the same. [/quote]
Whether that's true or not, my point was that the "regular" hamburger is slowly disappearing from existence on menus, so you're forced to order the higher priced cheeseburger deluxe.