BurgerFi, a new restaurant in a chain with a national following, had lines out the door for its grand opening in Butler Plaza last weekend.
The restaurant, located at 3518 SW Archer Road, is the 42nd to open around the country, said Meha Bashi, BurgerFi marketing manager.
Bashi said one of the reasons the burger joint attracts a lot of people is because it is a greener alternative.
“The meat is all-natural, free-range beef,” she said. “It’s never frozen. There is never any additives or chemicals or hormones.”
Amara Harnish, a 21-year-old UF English junior and BurgerFi employee, said the opening day was “awesome and intense at the same time.”
She said the lines were consistently wrapped around the building throughout the day, and every table was taken.
Harnish said she thinks BurgerFi’s popularity can be attributed to the fact that everything is made fresh to order, from the burgers to the other menu items like hot dogs and sides.
The BurgerFi burger and cheeseburger cost about $7. Other burgers, like the brisket burger and veggie burger, range from about $4 to $10. The restaurant also offers hot dogs that cost roughly between $3.50 to $5. Fries cost between $2.77 to $5.77 depending on size. Customers order items a la carte, so there’s no combo price.
Robert Mossorofo, a 19-year-old UF marketing sophomore, said he enjoys eating at the restaurant because it tastes healthy.
Mossorofo said he attended the private grand opening Friday through a promotional voucher.
He said he loves going to the location back home in Fort Lauderdale, and he was excited that one opened in Butler Plaza.
“I think they’re definitely bringing quality food and great options to a town that really a bunch of fast food restaurants,” he said.
Kristin Mamula, marketing associate for Butler Enterprises, wrote in an email that BurgerFi sets itself apart from other burger restaurants with its high standard of all natural food items.
“Our customers want and deserve the best in quality, and we believe BurgerFi can withhold that high standard,” she said. “They are a great addition to our Restaurant Row along Archer Road.”
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 3/19/2014 under the headline "Butler Plaza adds chain burger joint to restaurant alley"]
