Smashburger was founded in 2007 by Tom Ryan and Rick Schaden, and a little help from Consumer Capital Partners. Ryan had been in the restaurant business for many years, first working with McDonald’s and later, he helped Quizno’s roll out some of the most iconic sandwiches ever! What most people are unaware of is that Ryan has a PhD in flavor and fragrance. Using this knowledge, Ryan created a burger unlike any other.
The company began with one location in Denver, Colorado. Today, the company has more than 350 locations in 8 countries, as well as the US. The secret behind Smashburger is in the name. Each burger flavor has its own list of ingredients and is made the same way each time. An Angus chuck steak is ground down to a particular consistency, placed beneath a weight (smashed) and set on the griddle for 10 seconds. The weight is then removed and in another 90 seconds, the burger is done.
Besides smashing burgers, the company is perhaps best known for localized burger flavor that pertains to the region where the restaurant is located; Windy City Burgers and Sin City Burgers, for example. In addition to burgers, the company offers chicken sandwiches, milkshakes, fries, onion rings, and fried pickles. Beer and alcohol are also sold in most locations.
In 2015, Philipino based fast-food operator Jollibee Foods Corporation stated that they had acquired a 40% interest in the company for $335 million.
In early 2017, there was a shakeup in the executive structure of the company. At least 40 persons have been fired or asked to resign, including the CEO Michael Nolan and CFO Dennis Smythe. Reasons for the removal and change in management remains unclear.
A Las Vegas, Nevada, Smashburger location demanded that a child’s service dog be removed from the building in June 2019. The corporate office for Smashburger stated that they are investigating the incident.
Smashburger
Smashburger was founded in 2007 by Tom Ryan and Rick Schaden, and a little help from Consumer Capital Partners. Ryan had been in the restaurant business for many years, first working with McDonald’s and later, he helped Quizno’s roll out some of the most iconic sandwiches ever! What most people are unaware of is that Ryan has a PhD in flavor and fragrance. Using this knowledge, Ryan created a burger unlike any other.
The company began with one location in Denver, Colorado. Today, the company has more than 350 locations in 8 countries, as well as the US. The secret behind Smashburger is in the name. Each burger flavor has its own list of ingredients and is made the same way each time. An Angus chuck steak is ground down to a particular consistency, placed beneath a weight (smashed) and set on the griddle for 10 seconds. The weight is then removed and in another 90 seconds, the burger is done.
History
Besides smashing burgers, the company is perhaps best known for localized burger flavor that pertains to the region where the restaurant is located; Windy City Burgers and Sin City Burgers, for example. In addition to burgers, the company offers chicken sandwiches, milkshakes, fries, onion rings, and fried pickles. Beer and alcohol are also sold in most locations.
In 2015, Philipino based fast-food operator Jollibee Foods Corporation stated that they had acquired a 40% interest in the company for $335 million.
In early 2017, there was a shakeup in the executive structure of the company. At least 40 persons have been fired or asked to resign, including the CEO Michael Nolan and CFO Dennis Smythe. Reasons for the removal and change in management remains unclear.
A Las Vegas, Nevada, Smashburger location demanded that a child’s service dog be removed from the building in June 2019. The corporate office for Smashburger stated that they are investigating the incident.
Today, starving with no food all day, at 6:40pm my daughter and I went to the new Maspeth, NY location on a quiet and unbusy Sunday. One person a head of us. An Uber driver was waiting and one customer was waiting for their order. Nobody came to take our order, so we just stood and waited. Then the manager comes out, a lady; and barks at us that HER KITCHEN is backed up and she is not taking no more orders for 15 minutes and walked away. We were stunned. No people skills. No Customer Service. No Professionalism. Shocked, the 3 of us left. I am 60 years old and never in my life has any establishment that I went to acted in this manner, had this type of tone and had such an excuse to not take any further orders for 15 minutes. Is this how Smash Burger’s Management acts. What a great way to show your young team how to deal with paying customers. It was totally unacceptable and I will not patronize this establishment again. Get a new manager because she is for the STREETS, not a restaurant, not dealing with people and not being in charge of anyone because she lacks everything! Any customers who came after use, probably got ignored or worst. Cannot stay in business with someone in charge like that. Get someone in there who can run a restaurant and not have orders backed up and who knows who to handle pressure!!! She clearly is not the one.
To whom it may concern,
On Sunday August 13, 2023, at 11:15 am I entered a Smashburger restaurant (#1058), which I have been to many times in the past. I could see there was only one couple (patrons) seated at a table, one employee (male) seated at a table and on his phone, one employee at the service window facing away from me and watching a football game on his phone (he did not respond to me entering the restaurant and walk up to the register to order). I stood at the register for several minutes, before he put down his phone with the football game on and approached to take my order. I ordered Haystack Onions (order #10005) only. The order was placed at 11:21 am according to the receipt. I stood by and waited for my order.
While waiting for over 10 minutes, where all I saw were the cooks in the back just talking and joking around, apparently working on the order for the couple waiting at the table, when two others came in the restaurant to order. After a few minutes, the order was complete and another person came into the restaurant and stood at the register waiting to order, while I stood by and waited for my order. I saw that the couple at the table had received their order.
The second couple that came into the restaurant was having their order and a phone order was being processed, but nothing for me after ordering 15+ minutes earlier.
I observed the order (which contained Haystack Onions) for the second couple had been completed and was being brought to their table. I inquired about my order. The male who took my order called back to the two guys cooking and again asked about my order. They stated that they had to put them in to cook. I eventually received my order, 20 + minutes after the initial order, and 25 minutes after I entered the restaurant.
I would normally not complain about something like this, however, this is the second time I have complained about something regarding to your company. The first time was an incorrect order. This time, I could understand it taking so long if they were busy, but they were not busy at the time. There were only three of us in the restaurant. They were just too busy messing around and not paying attention to the customer. Because of this, I highly doubt I will ever go back to store #1058.
Thank you,
Rob Knudson
Boise, Idaho
The Smashburger in TROY MICHIGAN is ridiculous. The dining room is closed indefinitely. The menu is only half available because “they are waiting on a truck” they have ZERO chicken. They have carry-outs only and that’s if you are willing to wait 40 minutes for your burger. They say it’s because “We don’t have the staff”. I have news, pay better and you WILL have the staff. You’ve lost me & my 3 sons as customers permanently.
I went into the Westwood store today 1-20 around 4 and slipped on the wet floor at the entrance way. I hurt myself and asked the manager to put something down on the floor so no one else would slip. His response was apathetic and unprofessional. I really hurt myself and frankly his response or unresponsiveness was absolutely unacceptable. I had to sit him down after complaining a few times that he should offered me at least a free hamburger. I’m still limping a bit. Jerk.
STOP MISHANDLING OTHERS. WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS TOO!!!
Just when I thought the store manager lack customer service skills I found out so does the corporate representative. This organization customer care feels like a prank. This can’t be real!
I sooooo agree with you I been trying to get my refund on something I order online and they still giving me the run around!!!
So sadden by the trend of poor customer service!
I visited store #1577 with my son yesterday evening (10/23/22) at approximately 7:00pm. When I walked in I noticed all the chairs were on the table minus a few tables customers were using. When I asked were they closing the lady stated they are open until 9pm. When it was time to place my order I was advised that I could only purchase to go after being asked was this dine in or takeoue. When I questioned why my son and I could not dine in I was advised that there was no one to bring us our meat. I stated I will wait at the front for it. Then I was told there’s no one to clean after us. I began to look confused so the lady stated “ok you can stay”. After her statement a lady walked from the back and stated “no she cannot not”. When I questioned why she stated no one will clean up after us. I stated I will clean up after myself. Keep in mind I drove 20 mintues to enjoy dinner with my son. As I scanned the resturant I questioned what made me different from the customers who are already eating. She then stated they were here first and the tables in use was the only tables the staff will be made to clean. I was baffled! I looked around and there were 6-7 employees watching the interaction slightly amused knowing I wasn’t going to win this battled. When I asked the woman who she was she stated the store manager (Lameesha). I advised her I will be reaching out to corporate and she replied “go ahead” as if she knew there will be no consequences. Because my son was hungry and tired I decided to order his dinner (in which he ate on the long drive home) and I exited the store. Being in leadship myself it was disappointing to see such a poor representation of management from a company who has great food. This is not over. I will be calling corporate and willing to go as far as contacting Tom Ryan if neccessary.
I was at Smash Burger waiting in line momentarily at approximately 8:59 and they shut the sliding doors almost in my face. So, I never got a chance to order. They were extremely rude about it as well.
Today 10/30 I went to smashaburger store #1019 7392 Olympia Ave, Tulsa OK at 1:54pm. My sister and I had lunch and ordered a double smash classic burger and a double bacon smash burger. To our horror the cashier was handling the food and cleaning the restaurant he was mopping and with those same hands served our food without washing them. When I got hone my stomach was hurting and my sister experienced the same thing. I have had several trips of diarreah. I am very upset as I believe it was all the cross contamination he was all iver the place handling the food, cleaning the tables and hadling money. I would like my money back. 25.54 for all my suffering. Thank ypu. Evelyn Caruso email carusovangalia@ gmail.com
There was HAIR IN MY SAUCE @ CLT Douglas Airport. NO COMPENSATION.
Channel 9 News On my side is NEXT
Your New York, Waterloo/Seneca Falls/deLago casino has one worker doing cooking and counter work making it real slow to order. ten min. or more You need a new manager This has been going on for month please fix
My family and I went to the Smashburger location in Queen Creek, AZ tonight (06-24-2021), and I sadly want to say this will be the last time I ever go to that location ever again. Based on how poorly we were treated I might never go to another Smashburger location ever again. Upon entering the business we approached the register to place our order and were completely ignored by the female working the front of the house. After standing at the register for almost five minutes and multiple times making eye contact with the female employee she finally walked over to us and said is this for here or to go. When I said for here she sighed and had a look of disgust, unfortunately I did not get her name, but she had multiple facial piercings and looked as if she was probably on a narcotic due to the size of her pupils (mitosis) and physical appearance.
She then proceed to say “what do you want” with such attitude. I started to place my youngest child’s order she was acting if not paying attention. She then looked back in the kitchen area to talk to one of the cooks about something completely unrelated to our order. At this point I saw both of the male employees making the food eating while they were cooking other orders…total violation of food handler training and Dept of Health Services. I then quickly started to have second thoughts about eating at the restaurant and told the female the second order of the four we were planning to get, but I asked for it to be “to go” versus dine in. She replied “really!!!” and then turned to yell at the eating cooks, “hey they changed their mind, the want it to go no”…with lots of attitude.
We ultimately canceled our order and walked out of the almost completely empty restaurant to take our business elsewhere. I can tell you I now completely understand why the place was empty after being exposed to that crew of employees. I will not ever eat at that location again, and I feel sorry for the Smashburger name, because I do not know of any business that would want to be represented in that manner.
Just spoke to your manager Wyatt on the phone as you did as well so you know the situation.
We ate at your restaurant yesterday and my wife lost her purse. Before we left she asked in the back if someone gave them a purse. Sure your employees had her purse.
This all happened yesterday between the hours of 11 and 1 pm. My wife checked her purse and her money was there and license so she thought nothing of it and thought a good person must of turned it in and did the right thing.
Today however she realizes she is missing her debit card and a few other credit cards. Sure enough we look at our banking statement and we are missing 470 dollars out of our account from a frys grocery store!
I call Wyatt and ask him for the video footage from 11-1 yesterday and he reaches out to you. He also informs me that he is missing 5 employees that quit yesterday.
I asked him if your company runs background checks before hiring your staff and he says no. He gives me an example of how your company has hired felons in the past that have done similar things.
If I find out that one of your employees stole our money out of account because of your incompetence we are going to have a legal problem. I suggest you fix this!
Please advise on next steps? I have already reached out to the grocery store to get footage there as well.
Call me at +1660537XXXX
As a former employee I have being treated extremely disrespectfully especially throughout this pandemic! They require employees to spend their own money without any reimbursements. If we do not we are punished with cut hours and rude comments. Employees are racially profiled constantly. Young adults in high school and college or working class immigrants are the only ones being hired to be taken advantaged of. Social distancing and mask wearing rules are not being followed by employees in the back as well. There is a huge rodent infestation issue that as yet to be resolved which effects the food that is prepared. WHITE PLAINS, NY SMASHBURGER
RIP OFF SCAMMERS!!! I had a horrible experience at the Lakewood, CO location, tried to cancel my order, was rudely laughed at and told the only way I could would be through corporate, but they couldn’t tell me how or where, kept getting hung up on and laughed at. Finally found a corporate phone number searching Google (it’s not listed on their site, of course), but go figure, all you can do is leave a voice mail!!! It has been a week now, I’ve left about 5 messages, no call back, no refund. They’re stealing my money for an order I NEVER received! I am so irate about this! It was bad enough I was treated so horribly by the people at the store, but to be completely dismissed and have them just keep MY MONEY, is beyond awful. This is a totally untrustworthy company, do not give them a DIME!
I recently was fired for being over labor when my district manager Marco told me I can be over labor for SOS and training, autoclockouts when I had no autoclockouts and they were simply someone forgot to clock out for break, and refunds?. If a guest did not like something or online ordering didn’t get sandwich in correctly how is that my fault?. There was little and no support. Lack of leadership and consistency.
Gwendale the a District Leader in Phoenix Fired my daughter after years of working for the company. I planned a trip for her to come and visit me in
August, It was all approved before I booked flights, now December 1st two
Days before she is suppose to leave he told her it’s her job or trip, who In the hell does that . What kind of people do u have in upper management. A bunch of idiots
If u ask me, This is a wrongful termination lawsuit, I’m in management and I know the process and it wasn’t followed here.
I expect someone from HR to check into this. Gwendale is the one that needs fired
Thanks Karen Parr
I have been trying to contact you for two weeks. Your phone number says the customer service person is busy on another call. This cannot be true, since I have been trying for two weeks at all different times. I then tried emailing you per your website and it says there is no such email address. How come you are making it so hard for one of your customers to reach you?
I want to talk to someone and not email back and forth
I would like someone to call me at 516 318-XXXX. I do not think I have ever had such a hard time contacting someone at a major, which I assume you are, corporation. Today is Monday, 6/3/19. Let’s see if you answer this via a phone call to me. Believe me, frustrated customers are not good for business!
I went almost a month after emailing them through the “Contact Us” link on their website with no response. I started messaging them through Facebook…got a response almost right away.
Tried to submit a complaint and it kicked me out. Please contact me at the above email.
I have already left a comment but have not received a reply.
The Customer Service office is NEVER available!!
I want to register my receipt from last Friday BUT there is NO BAR CODE to scan.
How do I register it on line????? Please give me a call at 843-834-XXXX
Thank you.
Excellent service and staff!!! Dawn does a amazing job… store 1183 way to go!!!
also I forgot to mention that we do like the burgers
#1591,normally the service is good, but today I waited in line about 25 min, being the 7 th person in line, with one person at register and one runner, 3 at grill including the manager, the person at register and he had to make 8 milkshakes, which takes forever to make because he has to weigh out ice cream for each and ice cream was solid in tub,there must be a better way, if I did not have 2 smashpasses, I would have left. I know now not to go at dinner time,but really this is the time my wife and I go to eat out
Usually we love Smashburgers, but today the torch went out and it was bad. 1> the person behind the cash register (Robert) his clothes were so dirty, he looked like he had not taken a shower for more than a week. 2> We ordered crispy Brussel Sprouts, when we got them, they were swimming in grease and very soggy, like mush. 3> We had a coupon for $5.00 off and we were told that they would not except it, because it had expired. We had to tell him to look at the coupon again, as it was still good for two more days. He just did not know how to use the register properly, so we and everybody in line behind us had to wait about 10 minutes while he tried to work it out. 4> Tough luck, if I have a coupon, I am going to use it. Maybe the CEO of the company should start reading so of these emails and put some of the company profit into customer service, because the people in his corporate offices are doing a rotten job, or just cannot be bothered.
The Smashburger in Louisville on 4th Street is horrible. We just visited tonight and the lady that checked us out named LaMonica was so rude and obviously didn’t want to be there. The food wasn’t good either. We will never go back!
We ate there last nite, took 35 minutes to get the food which was delicious but the wait was ridiculous and to top it off the person working on the floor could care less. He claimed they were understaffed and what did I want him to do. But when people come in after you and are served first something sure is wrong. I will never go back again.
Ramsey location has the best staff. The manager runs a great staff. Amanda , Brayden, Jennifer and Lauren go above and beyond expectations; just to mention a few. The food and service is consistently superior to other places of its kind. Keep up the good work!!
I’ve called Smashburger’s support line 4 times and everytime I call it says it is busy but doesn’t give me the option of even leaving a message. I cant get ahold of the support line
I will never visit a Smash Burger restaurant again. Smash Burger will never receive another cent of my family’s money. I will also tell everyone I come in contact with about the poorly cooked food (served cold), the employees (4 including the general mgr) playing like children behind the grill area, the purported gm being insulent and condescending to my wife (talking back like a smart a** after each comment). After informing Lonnie (gm) that the quality of both food and service were far far better under the previous managers reign, he stated to entire establishment that that man was fired for theft. That shows a total lack of qualifications for his position, possibly illegal to disclose that type of information. I would think that an investigation into the conduct and practices of Smashburger store#1227, GM “Lonnie” as well as the rude employee Sonya should be conducted as soon as possible.
As for me and my family, we never asked for a refund, replacement of product, nothing at all. This is just to inform corporate management that “what you don’t know will put this particular location out of business.” There are many, many other food establishments that we can spend our money at, and trust that Smashburger will get none of ours.
Bruce Byrd
I visited your store #1163 on 6/13/2018 (1:37PM) and left terribly disappointed.First I had a valid coupon with an expiration date 6/30/2018 coupon # DMB927427349 which was buy one sandwich and get another free and I was told by the manager that is was not valid.I showed him the coupon but to no avail.so I was stuck ordering the chicken sandwich only and when I got home it was burnt and had no flavor and I tossed it
I want my card charge credited #6670 for the $6.88 and I would like a gift coupon for the chicken sandwich and the double burger I had ordered.
Why did the manager refuse to honor your coupon? He was particularly offensive in his treatment of me.
Charles Edkins
Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503
616-828-XXXXX
My experience on 5/7/18 at 2805 Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale,Arizona.
* Order placed over phone
* I arrived & went to the front counter. A girl operating the cash register asked if I was here for a pick up order & when I said yes she said they only had1 register open & I would have to get in line behind 7 people.
* What is the point of calling in an order to then have to wait in line to pick up cooled food that had been sitting on the counter for too long. No consideration or apology.
* Not a very smart way to handle this situation. I will return to this business.
We always order through postmates normally never have a problem. We placed our order and they gave me a burger instead of a Sandwhich, fries were missing and we were willing to ignore that since we know this can happen with delivery.
We placed another order for the same chicken sandwich and said screw the fries. I had a feeling To call the store to make sure…
manager said that she received the order and would send the fries missing and that I was received a bbq smash burger instead of the bbq sandwich.
I told her that’s not what we ordered and she insisted that we did.. she didn’t want to understand nor did she care what I had to say. She insisted on showing me pictures.
So I drove to smash burger
What she had her employee show me on there tablet was a bbq sandwich (no where does it say burger and my receipt said sandwich)
.
Didn’t care about seeing what we ordered on our receipt she insisted we were wrong and we didn’t order correctly.
Mind you we ordered the same way before.
She went to the kitchen and completely ignored me and left her employee to handle the problem.. then a male and a female came out cause she didn’t want to talk to me (went to call someone).
Then a man and a women came to the front and asked the manager if they wanted to escort me and the manager said no, because I’m no where near a threat..so I left… I couldn’t help but to start crying.. at a time like this people still want to be cruel.
zero professionalism, I felt attacked , I never experienced such customer service at a restaurant
basically long story short, they made me feel like a horrible person when I only wanted a chicken sandwich… we were even willing to pay the extra fees I don’t understand what went wrong