Smashburger Brings Bliss to Burger Buffs, Opens Second Triangle Location in Raleigh Dec. 17

RALEIGH, N.C. - Dec. 8, 2014 - PRLog -- – Smashburger (http://www.smashburger.com/), the nation’s fastest growing “better burger” restaurant, is gearing up to open its second Triangle location Wednesday, Dec. 17 in the Shops at Falls Village (6679 Falls of Neuse Rd.) in North Raleigh. The community is invited to opening day for a first-hand taste of the smashingly fresh food, fun onsite activities and a celebration for the season of giving by helping raise money for Communities in Schools of Wake County. The local restaurant owners are donating 10 percent of total proceeds from opening day through Friday, Dec. 19 to the local nonprofit.

“We’re thrilled to be opening our second location in the Triangle and continue expanding our footprint in such a booming area,” says Smashburger Founder and Chief Concept Officer Tom Ryan. “Smashburger has been well-received by North Carolina burger lovers, and we’re proud to introduce our delicious menu items to foodies in the capital city.”

At Smashburger, the secret is in the smash. It starts with 100-percent fresh, never frozen Certified Angus Beef that is smashed on a 400-degree flat grill to sear in the juicy flavor. To further the “better burger” experience, the delicious burgers are served on toasted artisan buns (including gluten-free buns) and topped with a selection of the freshest produce, real cheeses and highest quality condiments.

Smashburger has over 290 restaurant locations and serves more than just burgers. Guests can also enjoy a selection of tender marinated grilled or crispy chicken sandwiches, black bean burgers, and fresh-tossed signature salads, along with a variety of irresistible sides including rosemary and garlic-seasoned Smashfries, Haystack Onions and Veggie Frites (flash-fried and seasoned carrot sticks and green beans). The restaurant will also serve a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages ranging from handspun shakes, root beer floats in frosted mugs and beer, including local craft brews.

The new Smashburger in Raleigh will feature a menu created with regional flavors and tastes in mind. The local menu includes the Carolina Chili Smashburger and Smashchicken sandwich, which are topped with layers of melted American cheese, beefy chili, chopped yellow onion, Duke’s® mayo and coleslaw on a pretzel bun.

Continuing to support the local community, Triangle franchise owners and local residents for more than 28 years, Ketan and Jayshri Patel, chose Communities In Schools of Wake County (http://ciswake.org/) as the grand opening beneficiary because of its impressive impact as the area’s largest dropout prevention agency and devotion to preserving the future of education. Donations from the grand opening will benefit the organization’s mission to reduce the Wake County Public School System dropout rate and prepare students for post-secondary education and careers, while also building a sustainable support network to ensure students’ success for years to come.

“We are dedicated to supporting the education cause and honored to be working with Communities In Schools of Wake County for the Raleigh Smashburger grand opening,” says co-owner Jayshri Patel. “As parents ourselves, we understand education is one of the most important things we can give our children. We are proud to give back to Communities in Schools of Wake County as we open our Raleigh location and we will continue our support for education through various initiatives in the future. We welcome education related institutions to connect with us for fundraising opportunities."

The 2,400-square-foot Raleigh Smashburger has dining room seating for 83 guests and patio seating for 36. Regular restaurant hours will be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For holiday hours, please call the restaurant directly at (919) 870-9230.

Local fans are also encouraged to join Smashburger’s Smash Club. Members receive the latest news, tastiest promotions and exclusive coupons. For more information on Smashburger, please visit www.smashburger.com or check us out on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/smashburger) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/smashburger).

About Smashburger

Smashburger is a leading fast casual “better burger” restaurant with more than 290 corporate and franchise restaurants operating in 32 states and in five international countries. The company began in 2007 with the vision of Rick Schaden and funding by Consumer Capital Partners—the private equity firm that he and his father Richard own. By offering fresh, premium “smashed to order” burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, signature side items and hand-spun shakes, Smashburger has modernized the way people think about burgers. Known for localizing its menu in every market with regionally inspired burgers, side items and local craft beers, Smashburger has received numerous awards, including topping Fast Casual’s 2012 Top Mover & Shakers list, America’s Most Promising Company by Forbes magazine, INC. 500’s List of America’s Fastest Growing Companies and INC’s #9 Hire Power Award winner, as well as regularly receiving “best burger” awards in cities around the world. To learn more, visit www.smashburger.com.

About Consumer Capital Partners

Consumer Capital Partners is an innovative investment and operating company, focused on starting up, operating and investing in consumer, franchising and lifestyle brands. Consumer Capital Partners also engages in modern channels of giving across a broad spectrum of contemporary causes. To learn more about CCP, please visit www.consumercp.com.

About Communities In Schools of Wake County

CIS Wake helps schools remove the barriers that put students at risk of wasting their potential by surrounding students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. As the area’s largest dropout prevention agency, they serve more than 2,200 students at four after-school community-based learning centers and within 16 Wake County public school sites. Their goal is to reduce the Wake County Public School System dropout rate and prepare students for post-secondary education and careers. They achieve this by providing individualized case management that tracks and increases student performance in attendance, behavior and course work success. For more information, please visit www.ciswake.org.