Inside the Smashburger story: a sit-down with Thomas Prather, Chief Marketing Officer
Amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the world craved fast, convenient food. Many competitors rose to the challenge, but the need for speed often resulted in compromised flavor and repetitive recipes. Enter: Smashburger, a unique new restaurant concept that changed the game, bringing bold flavors, quality ingredients and a crave-worthy experience to the fast-casual scene.
Dawning a new era of fast-casual food, Smashburger was founded in 2007 in Denver, Colorado. As the fastest concept of its kind to hit 200+ restaurants, it quickly became known for its delicious handmade smash burgers and selection of mouthwatering milkshakes. Today, with over 240 locations worldwide, Smashburger is redefining culinary craftsmanship with a menu that oozes flavor and creativity. Whether you’re looking for a quick in-and-out meal or wanting to savor the moment, Smashburger has you covered.
As the company moves towards a prodigious future and approaches its 20th anniversary, Food Chain sat down with Thomas Prather, Chief Marketing Officer to discuss Smashburger’s past, present and future, and to learn more about the factors contributing to the restaurant’s ‘smashing’ success.
“Smashburger was founded with a vision to elevate burgers by combining bold flavors, juiciness and a unique preparation method,” Thomas begins. “Since its inception, Smashburger has focused on delivering crave-worthy burgers made to order that reflect a passion for flavor, redefining the concept of ‘better burgers’ by focusing on quality, innovation and our preparation technique that elevates the dining experience.
“At the heart of this approach is our signature ‘smash’ technique, which involves smashing fresh, never-frozen beef patties onto a hot flat-top grill. This method locks in juiciness and creates a caramelized crust, delivering bold flavors and textures that stand out from other offerings in the burger industry. Our commitment to premium ingredients, such as 100% Certified Angus Beef®, freshly cut vegetables, and Häagen-Dazs® ice cream for our milkshakes, underscores our dedication to offering the best possible taste and quality to cater to evolving guest preferences.”
Carefully curated
Smashburger’s recipe for success is grounded in four main foundations, encouraging its workforce ‘to be creative’, ‘to be a chef’, ‘to be a learner’, and ‘to be a gracious host’. These values empower employees to get excited about food, to feel invigorated and inspired to uncover new tantalizing flavors to provide guests with the best possible dining experience.
These attitudes have really paid off. Smashburger’s menu boasts a range of beef and chicken burgers all made with the highest quality ingredients. Guests can choose from a variety of classic topping favorites, such as bacon, pickles and American cheese, or experiment with more adventurous options, including sauteed crimini mushrooms, house-made truffle mayo, grilled jalapenos and freshly smashed avocado. The restaurant also provides a veggie burger, offering the same great taste and texture minus the meat.
“At Smashburger, our menu is thoughtfully crafted to highlight our expertise in burgers while offering a range of complementary sides and premium, hand-spun shakes that enhance the overall guest experience,” Thomas explains. “We recently refocused our menu to emphasize exciting, flavorful smash burgers and burger-relevant sides. By simplifying the menu, we’ve been able to streamline operations and become more intentional with each recipe and ingredient. Our burger lineup features standout options like the Bacon Stack Smash® and the upgraded Truffle Mushroom Smash, now made with a house-made truffle mayo for a fresher, vibrant taste. We’ve also fine-tuned the seasoning on our burgers and chicken tenders and enhanced our Smash Sauce® recipe for added flavor.
“In addition to our classic sides, such as rosemary-tossed SmashFries®, Smashtots and Crispy Brussels Sprouts, we offer new and enhanced options like Scorchin’ Hot Fries and Sweet Potato Waffle Fries, all designed to pair perfectly with our burgers. Additionally, our hand-spun milkshakes, made with Häagen-Dazs® ice cream, include two brand-new flavors – Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Cookie.” 
Exceptional guest experience
As a company dedicated to development, Smashburger is constantly looking for new ways to innovate and evolve. In 2024, the business underwent an exciting rebrand, proving that its commitment to freshness goes beyond food.
“Smashburger marked its 17th anniversary in 2024 with a transformative refresh, reinvigorating our brand as we enter a new phase of growth – starting in North America. This evolution strengthens our identity with a bold new visual direction, a reimagined menu, and enhanced in-restaurant experiences,” Thomas reveals. “Our refreshed look features an updated logo, a vibrant color palette, modernized packaging, and soon to come, an elevated restaurant design – all aimed to create a cohesive and dynamic brand presence that resonates with our guests. As we position ourselves for future expansion, we want people to instantly recognize Smashburger as a brand that delivers high-quality, flavor-packed experiences.”
As part of this refresh, Smashburger also launched its own mobile app. The app is designed to further enhance the guest experience, bringing the world of Smashburger into its customers’ pockets.
“Smashburger is always looking for ways to utilize technology to make the guest experience exceptional,” Thomas shares. “The app offers an engaging, seamless experience with features like real-time order tracking, improved payment options, and personalized content and notifications, and the updated SmashRewards program provides tailored rewards and exclusive deals, enhancing guest loyalty and satisfaction.”
Consumer feedback plays a key role in Smashburger’s innovation, particularly when it comes to developing new and exciting menu items that correlate with the interests of the consumer.
“At Smashburger, we actively monitor culinary and consumer dining trends through a combination of guest feedback, market research and industry insights. Staying in tune with our guests’ evolving preferences allows us to anticipate demands and introduce products that resonate with them,” Thomas says. “Our approach to innovation is centered around bold flavors and quality ingredients, always pushing the boundaries of what a burger experience can offer. For instance, the introduction of our Chicken Smash® Burger and Spicy Jalapeno Smash® came directly from recognizing the growing demand for more unique protein options and spicy flavors. This commitment to staying ahead of the curve enables us to lead in the burger segment, offering guests fresh, exciting and crave-worthy dining experiences.”
Fueling success
No matter the menu however, one thing always remains consistent: the quality of the ingredients. Smashburger’s beef burgers are made to order with Certified Angus Beef®, renowned for its juiciness and farmed with care and compassion. To provide guests with the best possible dining experience, Smashburger works closely with its supply chain, ensuring that its standards are met in a responsible and efficient manner.
“At Smashburger, we uphold the highest standards across our supply chain by partnering with trusted suppliers who share our commitment to quality and freshness. Through strong relationships and transparent communication, we ensure that ingredients like Certified Angus Beef® and farm-fresh produce consistently meet our specifications,” Thomas affirms. “Regular audits and quality checks are integral to maintaining supply chain integrity – this dedication ensures every guest experiences the flavors that define Smashburger.”
Looking to the future of Smashburger, Thomas reflects on the past year: “It’s been exciting to oversee transformative initiatives, from refreshing our menu and visual identity to launching new technology that elevates the guest experience. I’m proud of the strides we’ve made and grateful for the talented team I work with that inspires me daily. Together, we’re building on Smashburger’s legacy while setting the stage for an even brighter future.”
Evidently, Smashburger is set for another great year. In 2025, the company intends to continue to offer a superior, memorable dining experience, exploring new menu items and flavors that are sure to excite its guests.
“We envision Smashburger continuing to grow as a leading brand in the fast-casual space, with an expanded footprint both domestically and internationally,” Thomas enthuses. “Our focus will remain on delivering innovative menu offerings while upholding the exceptional quality and service that define our brand. We aim to strengthen franchise partnerships, implement more sustainable practices, and leverage technology to enhance the guest experience further. Ultimately, we hope to solidify Smashburger as the go-to destination for the best burgers, fostering lasting connections with our guests and communities worldwide.”
As our interview draws to a close, it’s evident that Smashburger will continue to delight consumers with a unique concept that separates the business from its competitors. Optimistic for the future, Thomas ends our conversation by highlighting Smashburger’s most important asset.
“We’ve touched on many exciting aspects of Smashburger’s journey, but I’d like to emphasize the heart of what drives us – our people. From our passionate team members in each restaurant to our franchisees and corporate staff, their dedication and innovation is what fuels our success. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to fostering a culture that celebrates creativity, collaboration and exceptional guest experiences. We’re grateful for the support of our guests and are excited for what the future holds as we strive to redefine the burger experience together.”