Fresh Stack Burger opened the doors to its third location last month in Oak Brook. The fast-casual dining restaurant welcomed customers for the first time on Oct. 19 where free milkshakes were made available, according to a news release.
"We feel it's really important to get involved in the community and give back to have that relationship and localize the brand to the neighborhood," said Sean Thomas, co-founder and CEO of Fresh Stack Burger. "We feel like the way to connect with the community and get involved is to get their feedback and build relationships. Really try to serve a need, so when they're looking for their next burger or milkshake they think of us."
The new location is at 3041 Butterfield Road, Suite 111, Oak Brook, IL 60523.
Unlike other places to eat, Fresh Stack Burger focuses on creating a "better burger" for customers, said Thomas, grandson of Wendy's founder Dave Thomas. He opened the first Fresh Stack Burger in 2020 with partner Fabio Viviani of Fabio Viviani Hospitality Group, and other industry veterans, including Mookie Lee and Patrick Wartan, What Now Chicago reported.
Customers can dine at Fresh Stack Burger where they are able to enjoy "high-quality, fresh meats, local produce, fresh baked buns and GMO-free dairy," according to the company's website.
The conception of fast-casual Fresh Stack Burger began with Thomas meeting now-partner Viviani for the first time in Philadelphia while both were in attendance of an event in search of a quality burger concept. Not able to find a satisfying choice, the two began brainstorming a concept worthy of combining Thomas’ quick-service experience with Vivani’s full-service culinary expertise.
"I spent the years kind of specializing in developing where I wanted to take my career out of the restaurant business," Thomas said. "Then I met Fabio Viviani back in 2010 or so and really blossomed into that great friendship with my close friend, as well as a fine chef. I come from a fast-food background, that casual background. It's more of a full-service, fine-dining background. So we felt like there was an opportunity for us to have that same casual, counter-service experience with more full-service quality."
Mookie Lee, owner of Poke Bowl Co., and Patrick Wartan, a partner and chair of the Food and Beverage Practice Group at Taft Stettinius & Hollister, both later came onto Fresh Stack Burger as partners, QSR Magazine reported.
"I try and wish to carry on my grandfather's and my family's legacy," Thomas said. "He was obviously a very big believer and one of the first ones in the fast food industry to be offering fresh food. At the time when he started, when there are a lot of frozen products out there, he saw an opportunity to serve fresh, fresh meat, not frozen products."
Thomas said Fresh Stack Burger isn't in the same exact category as fast food.
"We're a little higher price point, which we think the quality really, really justifies," he said.
Being a part of the community is important to Fresh Stack Burger, which is why the restaurant localized menu items and welcomes feedback from the community on menu items within reason, Thomas said. Customers can also come in and enjoy music, live sports and entertainment while dining.
Fresh Stack Burger does plan to continue growing with new locations, but like the new Oak Brook location, growth will be planned carefully to make sure new locations and Fresh Stack Burger's mission fit well in the community, Thomas said.
"It's really got to check the box," he said. "You can't just have, you know, a need for another burger joint in this community. We see ourselves wanting to be around for a long time because the community and we are similar in our core business mission and values."
Oak Brook's Fresh Stack Burger is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.