Flavor as a Fundamental

The idea of quality over quantity is far more than just a saying for Back Yard Burgers – it’s the franchise’s entire formula for success.

The brand’s commitment to serving up hot, fresh, delicious food is essential to its prosperity. In a segment that is teaming with competitors, the simple but crucial factors BYB holds dear are what allow it to stand out from the crowd.

One of the brand’s most significant differentiators is right there in its name.

“Our burgers are cooked on an open flame grill,” CEO Dave McDougall said. “It’s what gives the food its aroma, taste and flavor. It’s like it’s cooked in your very own backyard on your own grill.”

Just as important to the brand is the quality of the ingredients. That means using only the finest cuts of 100 percent Black Angus beef to make patties and insisting on the freshest veggies and sauces.

“A lot of times, when you eat a burger, you’re walking around afterward feeling like … ugh … you ate a burger, you know?” McDougall said with a laugh. “With our burgers, you don’t feel that way. There are no fillers or anything of that nature in our products. We’re very proud of that.”

And while the company is dedicated to perfecting America’s favorite food, it’s also always on the hunt for the next flavor to drive customers wild.

“We’re always out in the marketplace looking at what others are doing and checking out hot trends,” McDougall said. “We have a large database of customers that we use to help us get validation on ideas for new product concepts. We’re always looking at it from the franchise level, how to best leverage the grill space.”

From chicken sandwiches to veggie burgers, Back Yard Burgers has made sure there are options to suit every taste while keeping things simple. According to McDougall, accomplishing this was easy once the brand realized what it didn’t want to be.

“We had to ask ourselves, ‘What do we stand for?’” McDougall said. “Cutting corners to save money? No, that’s not us. We drew a line in the sand to never compromise on quality.”

It’s this dedication that has helped franchisees make a mark in their territories, as customers have come to associate Back Yard Burgers with freshness and flavor.

“Making sure the food’s right every time, backing it up with service that treats guests with kindness and respect, clean and attractive facilities, nice street appeal from the road, marketing and merchandising – all those things are important,” McDougall said. “But it always comes back to the food. Once customers taste the food, they know it’s one of the best burgers out there. I’d put our products up against anybody.”