---
title: "Why the Better Burger Segment Continues Winning Over Guests and Franchisees"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/51047716-cc9f-4a2e-aea3-fb6ce5e2fffa
source: "QSR Magazine"
original_url: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/sponsored_content/why-the-better-burger-segment-continues-winning-over-guests-and-franchisees/
author: "Davina Van Buren"
category: "Burger"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Burger"
published: 2026-09-11T15:25:23.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T15:30:55.421Z
image: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Independence-MO-exterior-endcap.jpg
---

# Why the Better Burger Segment Continues Winning Over Guests and Franchisees

**TL;DR:** Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers continues to grow in the better burger segment with $2.6 million average unit volume and over 580 restaurants across North America. The brand's focus on quality food, genuine hospitality, and franchisee support has driven guest loyalty and franchise growth.

*By Davina Van Buren, originally published in QSR Magazine on 2026-09-11. [Read the original](https://www.qsrmagazine.com/sponsored_content/why-the-better-burger-segment-continues-winning-over-guests-and-franchisees/).*

## Key facts

- Freddy's average unit volume is $2.6 million
- One-third of franchisees have expanded portfolios
- Freddy's ranked No. 6 on Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers & Shakers

## Story

The restaurant industry is always evolving, but not every category grows for the same reason. The better burger segment continues to outperform because it delivers something guests consistently seek: quality food, genuine hospitality, and an experience worth returning for.

## Better burger segment growth

Those same qualities are influencing franchise development. Experienced operators are looking for brands with a clear point of difference, operational simplicity, and a model that can grow alongside them.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers offers a strong example of what that looks like in practice. For more than 24 years, the brand has focused on the fundamentals that continue driving both guest loyalty and franchise growth.

The company calls it The Freddy’s Way—a philosophy built around serving great food, treating people well, and giving franchisees the support to build businesses they’re proud to own. It’s a simple idea, but one that shapes everything from restaurant operations to guest interactions. Today, Freddy’s has grown to more than 580 restaurants across North America, with 60 openings planned this year and continued expansion across priority domestic and international markets.

Guests experience The Freddy’s Way in the details: cooked-to-order steakburgers, freshly churned frozen custard, clean restaurants, and genuine hospitality. Those aren’t one-time differentiators, but rather standards every restaurant is expected to uphold.

## Franchisee support and success

That same mindset benefits franchisees. Freddy’s combines a simple operating model with comprehensive support across real estate, construction, training, marketing, supply chain, and operations, helping owners focus on building sustainable businesses instead of navigating unnecessary complexity. As development continues, the brand also offers multiple restaurant footprints—including standalone, end-cap drive-thru, inline, and conversion opportunities—giving operators greater flexibility to grow in today’s evolving real estate environment.

Freddy’s reports an average unit volume of approximately $2.6 million*, and nearly one-third of their franchisees have expanded their portfolios by purchasing additional territory. Those numbers suggest confidence, not only in the brand, but in the system behind it.

Recognition has followed. Freddy’s was named Franchise Times’ 2025 Top QSR Burger Franchise, recognized as a 2026 Franchise Times Deal of the Year finalist, ranked No. 6 on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers, No. 7 on Yelp’s Fastest Growing Brands, and No. 85 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500.

Awards don’t build successful restaurants, but they can validate what operators already see in the field: brands with disciplined operations, strong franchisee support, and a differentiated guest experience are often the ones positioned for long-term growth.

As the better burger segment continues gaining momentum, Freddy’s remains focused on the same principles that fueled its first 24 years of growth.

In an industry that often chases what’s next, The Freddy’s Way demonstrates the value of doing the fundamentals exceptionally well and building a franchise system designed to grow for decades.

## Entities

- unit expansion (topic)
- QSR (sector)
- franchise growth (topic)
- QSR Magazine (publication)
- franchisee support (topic)
- North America (location)
- Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers (company)
- Davina Van Buren (person)
- better burger segment (topic)

---
Originally reported by Davina Van Buren, QSR Magazine (https://www.qsrmagazine.com/sponsored_content/why-the-better-burger-segment-continues-winning-over-guests-and-franchisees/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/51047716-cc9f-4a2e-aea3-fb6ce5e2fffa).