Elevation Burger is an American hamburger fast-casual restaurant chain. The company is well known for its burgers made from sustainable, organic, and fresh ingredients.

Elevation Burger’s primary office is at 2447 North Harrison Street, Arlington, VA 22207. The company transitioned from private equity ownership into an acquired brand after it started gaining significant traction in the market.

From its origins in Falls Church, Virginia, the restaurant chain has expanded to over 40 locations operating in the US, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. Let’s dive into the company’s history, unique commitment to organic ingredients, menu, and trademarks.

Elevation Burger Company History

Hans Hess, founder and owner of Elevation Burger first came up with the idea of a fast-casual restaurant in 2002. Three years later, in September 2005, he opened his first restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia. Saveur Magazine named it the first organic burger joint, as the beef used by the restaurant for non-vegetarian burgers was USDA-certified, organic, free-range, grass-fed beef.

In Spring 2008, about three years after first opening its doors to the public, Elevation Burger started expanding through franchising with the help of Fransmart. Fransmart, a franchise development company is most known for its successful franchising development of Five Guys and Qdoba Mexican Grill.

In April 2008, after securing the expansion contract with Fransmart, Elevation Burger announced franchising deals in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Other locations that followed that year include Baltimore, Maryland, in September, Austin, Texas, in October, and Montclair, New Jersey, in November.

In 2009, Elevation Burger franchised new locations in Florida (March), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (May), New York City (May), and Dallas, Texas (June). The Florida, Michigan, and Texas stores closed eventually.

In June 2009 The Wall Street Journal published a story about trademark infringement on Twitter. In the article, they discussed how there was a fraudulent Elevation Burger Twitter account, which was set up by the company’s rival, Z Burger. The account was used to promote Z Burger but was suspended once Twitter was informed of the trademark infringement.

On June 20, 2019, Fat Brands acquired Elevation Burger for $10 million.

After the pandemic hit, Elevation Burger, like many other restaurants, closed its indoor dine-ins in mid-March 2020. Customers can now only place orders through pick-up service, drive-thru, or take-away.

Elevation Burger’s Ingredients and Design Commitments

Elevation Burger is famed for its unique ingredient commitments that touch on the needs of health-conscious clients. The restaurant also receives praise for its high food quality.

The company views itself as a premium organic burger chain with elevated standards, sourcing only the highest-quality ingredients for its burgers. These include 100% grass-fed organic beef patties, cage-free chicken, and fries cooked in heart-healthy olive oil.

This commitment stems from the personal search for organic and healthy fast food that pushed founder, Hans Hess to make a better burger and start his organic fast casual food business.

The restaurant also makes everything to order, ensuring customers get fresh burgers at an accessible price.

Elevation Burger also stretches its sustainability commitments to the restaurant’s design, incorporating unique design elements such as energy-efficient lighting, economic appliances, fixtures, equipment, and sustainably sourced products when available.

Elevation Burger’s Vegetarian Menu Options

Elevation Burger started its business by selling burgers with 100% USDA-certified organic beef. However, the business has also had a long-running vegan menu option, consisting of two signature burgers, Veggie Burger #1 and Veggie Burger #2.

Veggie Burger #1 consists of onions, button mushrooms, portabella mushrooms, crimini mushrooms, rolled oats, cooked brown rice, bulgur, water, parsley, and cheddar cheese. It contains 2% or less of yeast extract, modified vegetable gum, natural flavor, mushroom extract, salt, garlic powder, spices, autolyzed yeast extract, citric acid, natural butter flavor, malted barley, dehydrated onion, whey, dehydrated mushrooms, annatto, guar gum, turmeric, natural smoke flavor, and soy lecithin.

Veggie Burger #2 ingredients include water, organic cooked brown rice, organic carrots, organic corn, organic green peppers, organic onions, organic red bell peppers, organic rolled oats, organic canola oil, organic soy protein isolate, and organic high oleic sunflower oil. It contains 2% or less of broccoli, carrageenan, sea salt, organic onion powder, organic soy sauce, organic garlic powder, konjac four, and organic spices.

The restaurant serves all vegan burgers in a potato roll or iceberg lettuce.

Elevation Burger’s Trademarks

Elevation Burger has sought or obtained federal trademark registration for about five trademarks. These include “INGREDIENTS MATTER,” “ELEVATION BURGER,” and “ORGANICALLY DELICIOUS.”

On August 31, 2010, Elevation Burger obtained federal trademark registration for “INGREDIENTS MATTER.” The company uses the trademark for its restaurant services, including sit-down and take-out restaurant services.

Elevation Burger obtained federal trademark registration for “ELEVATION BURGER” in January 2007 and uses the trademark for its restaurant services.

In July 2015, Elevation Burger obtained federal trademark registration for “ORGANICALLY DELICIOUS” and uses the trademark for its restaurant services featuring organic foods.