If you’re feeling the urge for a burger, Largs couple Katerina and Chris Schafferius have opened the state’s first Burger Urge at Stockland Glendale.
And it has been a long time coming. They bought the franchise three years ago when the popular Queensland burger chain had just six stores. There are now 21, and counting.
“At the time they probably weren’t ready for me to be knocking at their door, given that we’re interstate,” Mr Schafferius told Food & Wine.
“But the brand has matured and developed in that time. When I first knocked on the door Burger Urge only had bottled beer in the fridge, now we’ve got a full bar.”
Katerina will manage the store full-time. Chris, a keen triathlete, works for a US mining company as general manager of its Australian operations.
“We’ve been very patient, trying to find the right location,” Mr Schafferius said.
“A few people have mentioned that we’ve jumped on the burger bandwagon but we bought this franchise three years ago, so we were ahead of the curve when it came to dude food or whatever they are calling it.
“At Glendale everything just added up. Not only is there the cinema and the alfresco space, but there is a good gap in the market when it comes to licensed venues.”
The Burger Urge menu is divided into categories: American Style; House Specials; and Classics. There are vegetarian options, too, as well as salads and a variety of different sides to choose from.
There is even a burger called The Donald Trump with pulled beef, crispy maple bacon, melted American-style cheddar, pickles, hickory BBQ sauce, truffle mayonnaise, aioli and tomato.
Burger Urge founders – brothers Sean and Colby Carthew – are known for walking a fine line when it comes to marketing. The more offensive and attention-grabbing, the better.
As for the Big Momma’s Kentucky Fried Waffle, well, Mr Schafferius refers to it as “R rated” and “a very serious burger”.
Head of property at Burger Urge, Matt Manzie, said the Newcastle region and its “strong and diverse economy” was a “logical next step” from their Queensland base and “will be used as a stepping stone into the Sydney market”.
The second NSW store will open in Port Macquarie in June.
