Burger 21, a new fast casual restaurant franchise founded by the owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants, is a chef-inspired “better burger” concept with offerings that include 21 unique burger creations ranging from hand-crafted, freshly ground beef to chicken, turkey, shrimp and tuna burgers, made-to-order salads, Hebrew National hot dogs and an extensive shake bar including hand-dipped floats, malts, shakes and sundaes.

Mark Johnston, together with his wife Arlene Johnston, and his brothers, Bob and Mike Johnston, founded Burger 21 in November 2009.  The first corporate-owned Burger 21 restaurant opened in Tampa, Fla., in November 2010, and the second opened just last month.  Leveraging more than 25 years of franchising experience, the Johnston family recognized an opportunity to introduce a higher quality product in a rapidly growing foodservice category.

The sales at Burger 21’s first location in Tampa are exceeding the company’s expectations, proving that this is a unique concept well-positioned to grow across the country. To fuel Burger 21’s growth, the company is seeking single and multi-unit operators with restaurant experience. Franchisee candidates should have a minimum net worth of $500,000 and liquid assets of at least $200,000 per unit. Burger 21 is open to single-unit agreements and Area Development Agreements that require a minimum of three to five units in primary and secondary markets.

Depending on the site selected, franchisees can expect the total initial investment for one restaurant to be approximately $513,495 to $733,995. The initial franchise fee is $40,000. However, a 20 percent discount is applied to all franchises sold by June 21, 2012. Reduced franchise fees also apply for Area Development Agreements of four or more units.

Burger 21 is actively seeking qualified franchisees to fuel their expansion in Orlando, the first priority growth market for their franchise expansion.  The company will host an Executive Roundtable outlining the franchise opportunity on Tuesday, Nov. 15 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Pointe Orlando Maggiano’s located at 9101 International Drive. To register for the complimentary lunch and event, please contact Dan Stone, vice president of franchise development for Front Burner Brands at 813-425-6208 or dstone@burger21.com.