Rolls

Rolls began in August 1988 as a grill kiosk on Kauppakatu in Seinäjoki, in the Ostrobothnia region of western Finland, founded by Jouko Huumo and Soile Ojala. It spread first around Ostrobothnia, then opened its first branch outside the region in Kuusamo, far to the north-east, and started franchising in 1993. There were 72 restaurants in 2012 and more than a hundred by 2018.

Most Rolls outlets are not stand-alone restaurants but counters inside other businesses, above all petrol stations and shopping centres, which fits its slogan “Matkasi varrella” (“along your way”). Franchisees pay no joining fee, just a share of turnover. The chain has a food truck called Rolls on Wheels and its own promotional cover band, Rock & Rolls, in which the founder sings and plays bass. It carries the Finnish Key Flag, a mark for products and services made in Finland.

Every burger comes in a soft potato bun from a Finnish bakery, and the beef patties, made in Finland, are seasoned with the chain’s own spice mix of paprika, pepper, garlic, chilli, cumin and oregano. The family of MaMa, PaPa and BaBy has been on the menu since the early days; the PaPa, with ham and a pineapple ring, is billed as a grill classic done the Rolls way. The kebab burger, with kebab meat, garlic sauce and pepperoncini, is the other local touch. Each item’s full ingredients and calories are on the website.

More than a hundred outlets across Finland, many inside petrol stations and shopping centres.

• Goody’s Burger House (Greece, since 1973). Greece’s biggest fast-food chain, from Thessaloniki, with burgers built on a Greek-style biftéki patty. Also built on pork, beef and cheese.
• VICIO (Spain, since 2020). Spain’s delivery-born smash-burger brand, started in the pandemic by a MasterChef winner. Also built on pork, beef and cheese.
• Gourmet Burger Kitchen (United Kingdom, since 2001). Three New Zealanders brought the gourmet burger to London in 2001. Also built on beef, pineapple and cheese.
• Big Fernand (France, since 2011). The Paris chain that calls its burgers “Hamburgés” and fills them with French cheese. Also built on pork and beef.