The Habit Burger Grill

Name

The Habit Burger Grill

Legal name

The Habit Restaurants, LLC

Website

https://habitburger.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast-Casual Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Burger Fast Casual (THAFABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty & Dietary Catering (Vegan, Kosher, Halal, Allergy-Friendly) (HSACAGAH)

Keywords

• Fast-casual dining
• Chargrilled burgers
• Restaurant franchising
• Mobile ordering
• Catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue stream from sale of charburgers, sandwiches, salads, sides, and beverages through company-owned and franchise restaurant locations. Revenue generated through dine-in, takeout, drive-thru, and delivery orders.
2. Franchise and Licensing Fees: Revenue from franchising opportunities, including initial franchise fees and ongoing royalty payments from franchise operators.
3. Catering Services: Corporate catering programs through ezCater partnership and dedicated catering truck service for events, generating revenue from large group orders.
4. Digital Ordering and Delivery: Revenue from online and mobile app orders, with delivery fees charged through third-party aggregators (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates).
5. Gift Card Sales: Sale of physical and e-gift cards with values from $10 to $100, generating float revenue and encouraging repeat visits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Habit Burger Grill operates a fast-casual restaurant chain of nearly 400 company-owned and franchised U.S. locations selling charcoal-grilled charburgers (e.g., the Santa Barbara Char), signature sandwiches, fresh salads, sides, frozen treats/shakes, and value meal deals. Customers order via dine-in, takeout, drive-thru (select locations), website, mobile app, self-service kiosks, third-party delivery aggregators, and a dedicated catering truck, while franchise and licensing fees generate a parallel revenue stream.

Product overview

The Habit Burger Grill is a California-based fast-casual restaurant chain with nearly 400 locations offering charcoal-grilled burgers and sandwiches. The core product portfolio centers on Charburgers (featuring the signature Santa Barbara Char), Signature Sandwiches, Fresh Salads, and Frozen Treats including shakes. Value offerings include Gotta Habit Meal Deals ($6/$8/$10) and Gotta Habit Wraps ($5 each/$10 meal). Digital services encompass a Mobile App for ordering and loyalty (MyHabit/CharClub program), while Catering and Catering Truck services support group events. The company operates under parent Yum! Brands and leverages the Byte by Yum AI platform for operational optimization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Habit Restaurants Foundation: The charitable arm of Habit Burger & Grill, formed in 2017, dedicated to giving back to team members and communities through donations and The Habit Caring Hearts And Relief (CHAR) Fund.
• CharClub

Products and services

• Charburgers The Habit Burger Grill's signature charcoal-grilled burger line anchored by the Santa Barbara Char, made with fresh, never-frozen beef cooked over an open flame for individual consumers at fast-casual locations.
• Signature Sandwiches Non-burger sandwich offerings including Grilled Chicken and Veggie Burger with Cheese, sold alongside charburgers for individual consumers at fast-casual locations.
• Fresh Salads Fresh salad offerings including the Santa Barbara Cobb salad, featuring fresh ingredients and housemade dressings for individual consumers seeking lighter options.
• Gotta Habit Meal Deals Value-oriented meal combos featuring half-portions of signature sandwiches with a side and drink at $6, $8, and $10 tiers for value-conscious fast-casual diners.
• Gotta Habit Wraps Wrap-style sandwiches in three varieties (BBQ Chicken, Chicken Caesar, Avocado Ranch Chicken), priced at $5 each or $10 as a meal deal, launched as a limited-time offer for fast-casual diners.
• Family CharBox Bulk family-style meal option featuring charburgers in a convenient box format, sold at fast-casual locations for group and household dining.
• Frozen Treats / Shakes Frozen desserts including shakes such as Blue Wave Shake, Salted Caramel, Orange Dreamsicle, Peppermint Bark Shake, and limited-time seasonal offerings.
• The Habit Mobile App (iOS and Android) The Habit Mobile App for iOS and Android enabling online ordering, mobile payment, exclusive offers, birthday rewards, and access to the CharClub/MyHabit loyalty program for individual consumers.
• MyHabit / CharClub Loyalty Program Habit Burger's customer loyalty program offering exclusive deals, free menu items for first-time registrants, birthday rewards, and access to promotional events for individual consumers.
• Catering Full-service catering for events and groups, with ordering available through the website and the ezCater platform, for business and group occasions.
• Catering Truck Mobile catering truck service available for on-site event catering in select markets (Arizona and California), featuring a dedicated truck menu for group and event buyers.
• Gift Cards Physical and e-gift cards with denominations from $10 to $100, sold for gift purchases and to drive repeat visits to Habit Burger locations.
• Franchise Program Franchising program offering franchise opportunities domestically and in select international markets, generating initial franchise fees and ongoing royalty revenue from franchise operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5% same-store sales growth in Q1 2026
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Los Angeles DodgersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Multi-year partnership making Habit the official burger of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Includes in-stadium presence at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers x Habit Home Base activation in Los Angeles, special promotional Charboxes, and cross-promotional activities. Ian Bohen from Yellowstone serves as the official 'Habit Rancher' for experiential events.
• Muscle MilkminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 October 2025Product innovation partnership testing limited-time Pumpkin Spice Protein Shake featuring Muscle Milk at a single California restaurant location to gauge guest response.
• No Kid HungrycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational charitable partnership since 2015 to end childhood hunger in America. Habit has raised over $3.2 million through customer donations, Good Habits Day events, and round-up programs. Celebrated with free Double Charburger promotions for donors.
• ProStart / California Restaurant FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Sponsor of Arizona ProStart Invitational, National Team Sponsor for California teams, and Fresh Burger Battle competition sponsor. Has contributed $90,000 since 2021 to support culinary education programs and competitions.
• Blessings in a BackpackminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational nonprofit mobilizing communities to provide food on weekends for school-aged children. Habit participated in Community Impact Month volunteer events packing over 2,000 meal bags for local Orange County students.
• A Walk on WaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit providing surf therapy to children with unique needs and their families. Habit provided lunch for over 250 attendees at Huntington Beach event and supported beach operations.
• The Giving Farm / CAP OCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFarm-to-food bank program at Westminster High School delivering over 200,000 pounds of produce annually to local charities. Habit team members harvested over 7,600 pounds of watermelon for the OC Food Bank.
• ezCatercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party catering platform partnership enabling corporate catering orders for business events and large group dining through ezCater's B2B marketplace.
• DoorDash, Uber Eats, PostmatescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery aggregators fulfilling delivery orders placed through their respective apps and websites. Habit also offers direct delivery through DoorDash via its own mobile app.
• Working WardrobesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit helping young adults step into the workforce. Habit sponsored lunch with its catering truck at the Suit Up for Success event, serving over 100 donors and attendees.
• Taco Bell (Yum! Brands)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-brand collaboration within Yum! Brands portfolio. Taco Bell shared value strategy expertise including Luxe Box platform insights to help Habit develop Gotta Habit Meal Deals at $6, $8, and $10 price points. Joint Spark of Love Toy Drive charity event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• In-N-Out Burger: In-N-Out is a privately held, West Coast-focused burger chain with a cult following and a focus on fresh, never-frozen beef — directly comparable to Habit's chargrilled, never-frozen proposition wherever their geographies overlap.
• Whataburger: Whataburger is a Texas-rooted regional burger chain with a loyal following, fresh-beef menu, and growing multi-state presence, analogous to Habit's Western US stronghold and franchise expansion playbook.

Direct peers

• Culver's: Culver's is a Midwest-rooted fast-casual chain best known for ButterBurgers and frozen custard, with a similar dine-in and drive-thru service model. The menu breadth and family/regional loyalty parallel Habit's positioning.
• Five Guys: Five Guys is the closest direct peer to The Habit — a fast-casual chain selling made-to-order burgers with fresh beef and customizable toppings in a counter-service environment. Both compete for the same quality-seeking burger diner away from the value QSRs.
• Shake Shack: Shake Shack operates fast-casual burger restaurants with a similarly premium-but-accessible price point, an emphasis on fresh ingredients, and a strong urban/suburban footprint. It mirrors Habit's positioning as a "better burger" alternative to QSR majors.
• Smashburger: Smashburger is a fast-casual chain built around a distinctive burger preparation method, similar in scale and multi-state presence to Habit. Both compete for the same casual-dining burger occasion with a step up from QSR on quality.
• FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands parent of Fatburger: FAT Brands operates multiple burger concepts including Fatburger and Bobby's Burger Palace — both fast-casual, made-to-order burger brands that overlap with Habit's quality-burger positioning and franchise model.

Broad incumbents

• Wendy's: Wendy's is a national burger QSR whose fresh-never-frozen beef proposition historically overlaps with Habit's premium-burger positioning. It's the most direct mainstream incumbent that Habit must differentiate against.
• McDonald's: McDonald's is the dominant burger QSR and the dominant benchmark for fast-food value meals. While much larger and value-oriented, it directly competes for the same burger-eating occasions and sets the price floor that Habit must respond to.

Emerging players

• Wayback Burgers: Wayback Burgers is a smaller, growing fast-casual chain concentrating on fresh-cooked burgers and milkshakes. Slightly more sub-scale than Habit but directly comparable in format and target diner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/habitburger
• Instagraminstagram.com/habitburgerandgrill
• TikToktiktok.com/@habitburgerandgrill
• Xx.com/habitburger
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-habit-burger-grill

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 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 The Habit Burger Grill