Smashburger
A whole chain built on pressing a ball of beef flat on a hot griddle.
About Smashburger
Smashburger opened in Denver, Colorado, in 2007 with one technique as its entire identity: a ball of Certified Angus Beef is pressed hard onto a hot griddle with a heavy tool, so it spreads thin and forms a deep brown crust in seconds. Home cooks and food writers had long loved the method; Smashburger was one of the first chains to build a brand around it.
The chain grew fast, then slowed down, and was bought in stages by Jollibee Foods, the Philippine fast-food giant. By the 2020s smash burgers had become the trendiest style in America, and the place that helped popularise them found itself competing with everyone who copied the idea.
Around 200 restaurants, mostly in the US. Owned by the Philippine company behind Jollibee.
Burger menu
Signature burgers first. Only burgers and sandwiches, no sides.
Where to find Smashburger
206 locations on the map in 7 countries. Tap a pin for directions.Loading the map…
- United States 188
- United Kingdom 6
- Canada 4
- El Salvador 1
- Costa Rica 1
- Brazil 1
- Panama 1
Locations as mapped by OpenStreetMap volunteers, updated October 2026. The count can trail the chain’s own figures; check the chain’s store finder before you travel. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Smashburger on YouTube
Copycats, taste tests and challenges from the channels in the encyclopedia.
If you like Smashburger
Chains whose signature burgers are built the same way.- Wahlburgers (United States, since 2011). The burger bar run by Mark and Donnie Wahlberg’s chef brother, famous from its own TV show. Also built on beef and cheese.
- Burger King (United States, since 1953). Flame-grilled since the 1950s, and still defined by one burger. Also built on beef and cheese.
- A&W Restaurants (United States, since 1919). America’s oldest drive-in chain, and the burger that lost to bad maths. Also built on beef and cheese.
- Braum's (United States, since 1968). An Oklahoma burger and ice cream chain that milks its own cows and bakes its own buns. Also built on beef and cheese.
Not affiliated with Smashburger. Trademarks and logos belong to their owners. Descriptions are my own; nutrition figures come from the chain’s published information, checked September 2026.