What Burger Lounge does

Burger Lounge is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 2007 in San Diego, California by two entrepreneurs including co-founder, president and CEO J. Dean Loring. The company operates 25-26 restaurant locations across California, spanning Southern California (Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Inland Empire) and Northern California (Bay Area and Sacramento). Its core product is grass-fed, grass-finished beef burgers, complemented by plant-based options (Impossible Burger, Ancient Grain quinoa-veggie patty), chicken, turkey, salads, sides (tallow fries, onion rings), and beverages. Menu design emphasizes sustainability and dietary inclusivity, including keto-friendly, gluten-free, and plant-based options, plus a Kids Lounge Meal line.

The business operates a multi-channel platform combining physical dine-in restaurants, a proprietary online ordering system (ordering.burgerlounge.com), native iOS and Android mobile applications, and a dedicated catering platform (catering.burgerlounge.com). Order fulfillment and POS infrastructure is provided by third-party technology partners OLO (online ordering), Aloha (in-store POS and kiosks), and DoorDash (third-party delivery), with marketing and analytics tools including Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, AppNexus, PubMatic, and Magnite. The chain also sells a 'Lounge Box' prepare-at-home burger kit and digital/physical gift cards through a CardFoundry integration.

Revenue is generated primarily through per-transaction dine-in and takeout sales at unit pricing of $11.95 (single combo) to $15.95 (Power Protein Bowl), catering orders priced $11.95-$13.95 per person with a 10-unit minimum, DoorDash-fulfilled delivery orders, and gift card sales. Core customer segments are individual consumers, health-conscious and special-diet diners, families, event/catering organizers, and community fundraising organizations (the latter receive a 20% donation-back on event sales). Supply chain anchors include Jensen Meats (grass-fed beef), Impossible Foods (plant-based patty), Church Brothers Farms, Puritan Bakery, Batch Craft Soda, and Fry Foods, with New Leaf converting used cooking oil to biofuel as a sustainability partnership.

Name

Burger Lounge

Legal name

Burger Lounge of America, LLC

Website

https://burgerlounge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Burger Lounge is a privately held fast-casual restaurant chain operating 25-26 California locations, specializing in grass-fed beef burgers, plant-based options, and sustainably sourced ingredients, with revenue generated through dine-in, online ordering, mobile app, catering, and at-home burger kit sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast-casual burger restaurant chain

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Burger Fast Casual (THAFABAA)

Keywords

• Fast-casual burgers
• Grass-fed beef burgers
• Hamburger restaurant chain
• Catering burger boxes
• Plant-based burger menu

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices25 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dine-In and Takeout Sales: Revenue from customers dining in at one of 25+ California restaurant locations or placing takeout orders directly with the restaurant, including sales of burgers, sandwiches, salads, sides, and beverages.
2. Catering Services: Revenue from bulk catering orders for events, featuring pre-packaged burger boxes, sides, and beverages ordered through a dedicated catering platform (catering.burgerlounge.com).
3. Lounge Box At-Home Kits: Revenue from 'Prepare at Home' Lounge Burger Kits sold for at-home preparation, targeting retail/gift occasions.
4. Third-Party Delivery: Revenue from orders fulfilled through DoorDash and other third-party delivery partners, who receive order details necessary to complete delivery.
5. Gift Cards: Revenue from sale of Burger Lounge gift cards through a third-party platform (cardfoundry.com), with cards redeemable at any location.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Burger Lounge operates a fast-casual restaurant chain serving grass-fed, grass-finished beef burgers alongside plant-based options (Impossible Burger, Ancient Grain patties), chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, salads, and sides. The chain operates 25+ dine-in locations across California, complemented by an online ordering platform, a native mobile app, a dedicated catering service, and a 'Prepare at Home' Lounge Box kit.

Product overview

Burger Lounge is a fast-casual burger restaurant chain founded in 2007 in San Diego, California. The company operates a unified platform combining in-store dining, online ordering via its website and mobile app, and catering services. The core product offering centers on grass-fed, grass-finished beef burgers supplemented by plant-based options (Impossible Burger and Ancient Grain patties), chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, salads, and sides. The product portfolio includes the main online ordering platform (ordering.burgerlounge.com), a mobile app for iOS and Android, catering services for events, the Lounge Box at-home burger kit, and a fundraiser program. The company operates 26 locations across Southern California, the Bay Area, and Sacramento, with all locations offering dine-in, takeout, and delivery through third-party partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Ordering Platform Web-based ordering system enabling customers to browse menus, customize orders, and pay for pickup or delivery from any of Burger Lounge's California locations.
• Burger Lounge Mobile App (iOS & Android) Native mobile application offering online ordering, location finder, recent orders and favorites, and mobile payments for individual consumers across Burger Lounge's California footprint.
• Catering Service Bulk food ordering for events offering pre-packaged burger boxes (Lounge, Classic, Veggie Quinoa), crispy chicken tender boxes, sides, and beverages priced per person with a 10-unit minimum. A 20% donation back is offered to hosting fundraising organizations.
• Lounge Combo (Single & Double) Bundled meal deal pairing a grass-fed burger, hand-cut tallow fries, and a fountain drink, priced at $11.95 (single) and $13.95 (double).
• Power Protein Bowl High-protein salad bowl with poached chicken, five grains, baby kale, roasted corn, avocado, queso fresco, toasted pepitas, chili crisps, pickled red onion, shredded carrots, and guajillo vinaigrette, priced at $15.95.
• Lounge Box (At-Home Burger Kit) Prepare-at-home burger kit including grass-fed beef or plant-based patties, buns, toppings, and house-made sauce, targeted at retail and gifting occasions.
• Grass-Fed Beef Burgers Core burger menu including Lounge Burger, The Husky, The Classic, S.O.B., Western Burger, Truffle Mushroom-Swiss, Bacon Bleu, and California Lounge, all made with grass-fed, grass-finished beef.
• Plant-Based Menu (Impossible Burger & Ancient Grain) Plant-based offerings featuring Impossible Burger patties and Ancient Grain (quinoa/veggie) patties for vegetarian, vegan, and flexitarian customers.
• Burger Lounge Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards sold and serviced through the CardFoundry platform, redeemable at any Burger Lounge location.
• Fundraiser Program Community fundraising program where schools, nonprofits, and community groups host events at Burger Lounge locations and receive a 20% donation back from all event sales.
• Tallow Fries and Sides Hand-cut Belgian-style fries fried in beef tallow, available as standalone fries, onion rings, or a half-and-half combination, paired with house-made dipping sauces.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 70% of Burger Lounge Managers were promoted internally, indicating strong talent development and retention.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jensen MeatscoreOthersJensen Meats supplies Burger Lounge with grass-fed, grass-finished beef raised without antibiotics or hormones. The cattle roam free and the beef is higher in Omega 3s and lower in calories. This is a core supply chain partnership supporting Burger Lounge's primary product differentiation.
• Impossible FoodscoreOthersImpossible Foods supplies the Impossible Burger plant-based patty used in Burger Lounge's Impossible Lounge Burger and other plant-based menu items. The Impossible Burger is made from plants, cooks like ground beef, and is marketed as better for consumers and the planet.
• Puritan BakeryminorOthersPuritan Bakery supplies burger buns made from a mix of white and wheat flour with blackstrap molasses, delivered fresh daily to Burger Lounge locations from local bakeries.
• Church Brothers FarmsminorOthersChurch Brothers Farms supplies fresh iceberg lettuce, which is shredded in-store at Burger Lounge locations. Church Brothers is a family-owned company in Northern California focused on high-quality cruciferous vegetables.
• Batch Craft SodaminorOthersBatch Craft Soda supplies all-natural craft sodas for Burger Lounge, with flavors including lemon lime and Shirley Temple, offered with free refills.
• New LeafminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Leaf converts Burger Lounge's used cooking oil into biofuel, which is then used to power diesel engines in delivery trucks and school buses — a key sustainability partnership supporting Burger Lounge's environmental ethos.
• MY Studio IDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMY Studio ID designs Burger Lounge restaurants using sustainable design principles, sourcing tabletops made from recycled water bottles and other eco-friendly elements for a stylish and environmentally responsible restaurant setting.
• Fry FoodsminorOthersFry Foods supplies panko breading for Burger Lounge's onion rings, which feature a light and crispy texture paired with house-made dipping sauces.
• OLOcoreTechnology or IntegrationOLO provides online ordering technology integrated into Burger Lounge's website and mobile app. OLO's platform enables menu management, order routing, and fulfillment for digital orders placed through Burger Lounge's digital channels.
• AlohacoreTechnology or IntegrationAloha provides POS (point-of-sale) and in-store ordering technology for Burger Lounge's physical locations, including kiosks and in-store systems that collect transaction data and support order processing.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDoorDash is a third-party delivery partner that fulfills online and mobile orders for delivery to customers. DoorDash receives order details (name, order details, delivery address, contact info) necessary to complete delivery and processes this data per its own privacy policy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shake Shack: Public fast-casual chain built on premium burgers, hot dogs, and shakes with similar premium positioning and digital/app ecosystem. Most directly comparable to Burger Lounge in concept, target customer (urban, health-conscious, willing-to-pay-more), and unit economics.
• Habit Burger Grill: California-born charburger concept that scaled to a national chain (acquired by Yum! Brands in 2020). Direct comparable: Southern California origin, premium-burger positioning, similar dine-in/takeout model.
• Umami Burger: LA-based premium burger concept known for chef-driven, ingredient-led burgers. Directly comparable in California fast-casual premium-burger positioning with a comparable ingredient story (truffle, shiitake, etc.).
• Five Guys: National fast-casual burger chain competing for the same 'premium burger' customer but with a more traditional/customizable model. Same product category and price point; much larger scale.
• Hopdoddy Burger Bar: Austin-based fast-casual chain emphasizing fresh, high-quality burgers with craft beer and salads. Comparable in concept, premium positioning, and Texas/California expansion footprint.
• Super Duper Burgers: Bay Area fast-casual burger chain using grass-fed beef and a similar 'better fast food' ethos. Most comparable on California geography, sourcing claims, and price points to Burger Lounge.

Regional players

• Farmer Boys: Southern California-based burger chain with broader American menu (burgers, breakfast). Comparable regional California footprint and dine-in casual model, though broader menu than Burger Lounge.
• In-N-Out Burger: Iconic California-based regional burger chain. Peer on California geography and burger-only menu focus, though operating at significantly larger scale and lower price point; represents the strongest local competitive gravity.

Broad incumbents

• Wendy's: National QSR burger incumbent with elevated 'fresh, never frozen' beef positioning. Competes for the same burger occasion across price tiers and geographies; relevant as the broad-incumbent benchmark.

Emerging players

• Bareburger: Smaller emerging fast-casual chain built on organic, sustainable, and plant-based burgers. Comparable on the better-for-you, sustainability-led brand narrative and on including plant-based patties as core menu.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BurgerLounge
• Instagraminstagram.com/burgerlounge
• Xx.com/Burger_Lounge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burgerlounge

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Burger Lounge