From peanut butter bacon burgers to craft beer, Killer Burger revolutionizes the burger experience
Killer Burger is an American restaurant chain dedicated to serving big, juicy, and over-the-top handmade burgers, each topped with bacon and paired with a side of perfectly crispy fries. In a competitive dining landscape, the company’s innovative menu and focus on quality and indulgence truly sets it apart. With Killer Burger’s carefully curated selection of local craft beers (and shakes coming soon), customers can elevate their meals even further. The firm’s overarching ambition is to create the best burgers imaginable, blending bold flavors with classic favorites. Adam Sanders, Chief Executive Officer, talks us through Killer Burger’s unique concept and the vision driving its success. 
“Thomas Southard founded Killer Burger in 2010 in Portland, Oregon, and he is now a franchisee in Texas. Originally, he launched the brand with the vision of creating a better burger concept for Portland, before the fast-casual burger scene emerged in the area. As a child, Thomas enjoyed eating burgers in small diners with his family while traveling across the country, igniting his idea for Killer Burger. This inspiration led him to craft indulgent recipes for fancy burgers that he wanted to share with others.
From its inception to the present day, the whole idea behind Killer Burger is to be an oasis away from everyday life where customers can simply enjoy their burger and beer in peace. Our goal is to create a space where people can come as they are and feel completely comfortable. With music that is a bit louder than most typical burger joints, we aim to foster an inviting atmosphere where friends can gather and enjoy a meal together,” he opens.
Sweet and savory
Since its early days, Killer Burger has expanded beyond its original recipes, offering a rotating selection of ten craft burgers at any given time. One standout is the peanut butter pickle bacon burger, an over-the-top indulgence that perfectly balances sweet and salty flavors. To complement these unique burgers, Killer Burger is preparing to introduce milkshakes to its menu. “We started with a simple menu of burgers, beer, and fries, and over time, we have gradually expanded our offerings, but not too much as we remain committed to serving high-quality burgers. At present, our menu includes new additions like onion rings, four chicken sandwiches, soft drinks, and various craft lemonades and teas. Despite these additions, we operate a fairly limited menu to ensure we excel at what we do best.
“Recently, we began testing our shakes at one of our stores, and we plan to roll them out company-wide within the next year. Traditionally, our concept focused on burgers and beer, aligning with Portland’s craft beer scene. However, as we have grown, we have also started appealing to a wider clientele, including families and older customers. Not offering shakes has been an oversight on our part, and we are excited to correct that by making our shakes available in the coming months, as franchisees may take a bit of time to adopt new items,” Adam elaborates.
Franchising was always in the cards for Killer Burger, which currently runs an extensive franchise network alongside its corporate stores. “The first franchise was established in 2017 when a friend of the founder expressed interest in starting a restaurant. Recognizing the potential for success, they worked out a deal. When I joined four years ago, the company comprised ten corporate stores and four franchise locations. Today, we have expanded to 20 franchise stores, managed by a total of eight franchisees, alongside four corporate stores. This growth was achieved by strategically selling stores in markets where it made sense for franchisees to thrive. For instance, in our sister city of Vancouver, Washington, we initially operated one location while the franchisee had two. Realizing it did not 
make sense to compete with the franchisee, we sold him our location, allowing him to manage all three stores more effectively. From the outset, our ambition was to become a franchisor, which has accelerated our transition to this model. We have successfully sold five locations and now total 25 stores, including our concession business, with plans to open approximately seven more locations next year,” Adam continues.
Enhancing efficiency
In a bid to enhance efficiency and output, Killer Burger has been exploring a new kitchen format, which Adam tells us more about. “Historically, our kitchen layout featured a single line with grills on one side and a build line on the other. However, as some of our locations have evolved into higher-volume stores, this setup became a pinch point. To address this, we have tested a few different approaches, including one location with two full build lines. In a couple of other stores, we essentially moved the fryers to the other side to alleviate congestion. Additionally, we have reimagined kitchen workflows, optimizing staff roles and responsibilities. Beyond that, we have moved away from using grills to cook our buns, as bun toasters are much faster and more efficient. These changes contribute to reducing steps and enhancing overall workflow.
“When I joined four years ago, the average ticket time was around 15 minutes after ordering, which was not sustainable for our business model. To improve this, we transitioned away from batch cooking multiple orders together, instead starting each order as it was placed. While the batch cooking approach was efficient during rush hour, it was very inefficient for single orders. As a result, we switched the way our whole kitchens flowed and adopted what we call a ‘single ticket flow’ system, meaning each order is started as soon as it comes in. This process change included several updates to our build lines, including the integration of Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) to enhance order tracking and streamline operations. Our next step is to continually refine our kitchen processes to increase throughput over time. Under our prior system, our maximum output was around $1800 to $2000 in sales per hour. With the addition of two build lines and our revised system, we believe we can easily reach $3000 sales per hour,” he concludes.
Killer Burger’s dedication to continuously improving its processes and enhancing the quality and diversity of its offerings continues to drive its expansion and success. Crafting exceptional burgers and adapting to the demand of its clientele positions the brand for future growth, ensuring that every customer experience remains a delightful escape from the everyday.