From family legacy to Arkansas favorite, David’s Burgers demonstrates a refreshing approach to business
Founded on the knowledge, principles, and craftsmanship associated with master butcher shops, David’s Burgers provides classic hamburgers via its network of restaurants, conveniently located across Arkansas. From the freshest beef to the hand-cut fries, every item at David’s Burgers is made with passion and attention to detail, aiming to provide an extraordinary experience for customers.
“The vision for David’s Burgers started with my dad, David Bubbus Senior, who was a master butcher by the age of just 16,” opens Founder, Alan Bubbus. “He was
raised in the meat business and butcher shops in North Little Rock where he became obsessed with quality beef and went on to own and operate several restaurants. As a young kid, I was the bus boy and dishwasher, and in 2010, we opened our first David’s Burgers store in Conway, Arkansas. We wanted to provide a level of service that made people feel valued and respected, serving beef that we ground ourselves to ensure the highest possible quality.
“Fifteen years later and we’ve grown to nine – soon to be ten – locations across Arkansas, but nothing about our quality standards has changed. We still grind premium beef fresh daily, hand cut our potatoes, and we still believe that a genuine smile matters just as much as the food we serve. Our history will always be rooted in my dad’s craft and work ethic, while our future is built on serving the people and the communities we love, one burger at a time. We believe in the power of serving with humility, and we aspire to prove that there is a different way to run a business; one that results in profit but keeps its focus firmly on people and purpose.”
Freshness and quality
Beef is at the heart of David’s Burgers’ menu, and options are purposely kept simple to ensure staff can perfect every item. “Our burgers are cooked to order, and our fries are hand-cut from Idaho potatoes,” Alan says. “Our most popular items have been on the menu since day one, and we focus on delivering consistency. Customers can trust that whenever they walk into one of our stores, they are going to get the food they know and love.”
With the company’s network of restaurants continually growing, we’re keen to understand the strategy behind such expansion. “Each location is built on the same idea to treat people right and serve food we are proud of,” Alan states. “Freshness and quality aren’t just buzzwords for us, but rather the standard we work to protect every single day. However, what really sets our restaurants apart is our culture. We genuinely care about our guests from the moment they walk in. Crew members treat guests like friends, and we’ve worked hard to ensure guests receive the same experience regardless of which location they choose. Along with delicious food, our friendly service is what keeps our customers returning time and time again.
“We’re currently building an additional location, a 3600-square-foot site with a drive-thru, which will be situated within an 18,000-square-foot retail center, with the extra space leased to other businesses to help keep our occupancy costs low. Real estate development is a strength of the business, as we own the majority of our restaurants and have leveraged our local popularity to build retail strips where we can diversify our income by leasing the remaining space. Owning the real estate also enables us to design the shopping center around the needs of the restaurant.”
From ranch to plate
From ranch to plate This philosophy also applies to the company’s distribution, with most products purchased directly from the manufacturer and processed in-house. “Our distribution center is like a small factory where we grind our meat, cut all of our produce, and package items, which are then distributed to our stores with our own delivery vehicles,” Alan explains. “This process ensures that we have a consistent product, and it also limits the required training at the store level. We’ve also purchased a 200,000-square-foot warehouse, of which we occupy around 30,000 square feet and we lease the remainder.
“In 2026, we’re looking to expand our USDA-inspected operations so we can bring the same premium beef served in our restaurants directly to families, retailers, and food service partners,” he adds. “Our distribution facility already allows us to grind and package our beef, which opened the door for David’s Premium Beef and online sales, but we’re hoping to add a slaughterhouse operation so we can own more of the process from ranch to plate, rather than just further processing. This will mean sourcing more cattle from Arkansas ranchers, strengthening the local economy, and keeping our standards high at every step of the process. Four massive corporations primarily source about 80-to-85 percent of the beef in the US and have no relationship with the rancher, whereas having our own slaughterhouse will allow us to ensure the integrity of our product and the quality of the cattle.”
People development
As a family-owned business, David’s Burgers is genuinely passionate about its people. “We strive to build a family-like culture where each person is valued,” Alan states. “We want our people to leave us better than when they arrived, both personally and professionally, so we offer resources like Dale Carnegie leadership courses, Financial Peace classes, and college tuition assistance. We’ve seen firsthand how opportunity can change lives, and I could tell you dozens of stories that remind us that growth at David’s Burgers is real, not theoretical. Our restaurant staff have an average age of 19, and it’s rewarding to see these young people, many of whom lack confidence when they first join us, blossom into engaging individuals.”
From speaking with Alan, it’s clear to see his passion and determination for David’s Burgers. Rather than prioritizing growth for growth’s sake, Alan’s approach encourages quality food and meaningful opportunities for its people. “Our growth is based on opportunity, and our strategy is focused on the development of our people,” Alan concludes. “By investing in people, we build relationships and ensure we do the little things right for both employees and customers, with a heart of humble service. This business is a deeply personal endeavor, born from family values and a genuine love for hospitality, and this ethos runs through the core of David’s Burgers. As my dad often says when describing the joy he finds in the work, ‘if you shine your light on the guest, it’ll come back twice as bright.’”