A taste of mindful eating at Epic Burger
If there is a big city in America that is synonymous with beef, that city is arguably Chicago, which after the Civil War became America’s meatpacking capital because of its proximity to all the farms in the Midwest and its significance as a railway hub.
Chicagoans take their meat-eating very seriously, and the burger wars here are hotly contested. So, to be a standout on the burger scene with any sense of longevity is a major accomplishment, as is the case with Epic Burger, which is attempting to redefine how Chicagoans view the fast-casual dining experience. At the helm of Epic Burger is a man who has a vision for a better and “A More Mindful Burger,” President and CEO David Grossman.
“Epic Burger is a delicious, fast-casual burger joint, serving the finest hamburgers, turkey burgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries, and milkshakes in town,” David explained during an at-length interview at Epic’s Skokie location at Old Orchard Mall.
David Grossman is not new to the restaurant industry and, in fact, got his start in this business as a teenager.
An epic history
“When I was 16 years old, I worked at a local pizza place in my hometown in Northbrook, Illinois,” David said. “I (then) helped a buddy open a Chicago-style hot dog stand in Lawrence, Kansas, while attending college at the University of Kansas.”
That experience then led David to Subway where he worked with the sandwich chain’s development department to open roughly 150 Subways in Chicagoland.
“Seeing people open up their first (Subway) store was amazing. It was their lifelong dream to own a business as was mine. Then, when they opened up their second store and their third store, and they were really able to build something special, I felt great. I felt like this sense of accomplishment in my life, seeing them, helping them find some great real estate and help them fulfill these great dreams,” David stated.
It’s an opportunity he hopes to replicate with Epic Burger, noting that he is interested to start to franchise his business within the next year or so.
“That will allow me to bring other partners into my business and see them grow, see them have the ability to own their own business and do things in life that they dreamed of doing, whether it’s taking vacations or buying a new car or doing things for their children,” David said. “That will give me a tremendous amount of satisfaction.”
An epic renaissance
Epic Burger first opened on State Street in Chicago in 2008. David Grossman did not become owner of the chain until 2020, but he was very familiar with the business, and actually attended the Grand Opening of Epic Burger Store # 2 at Clinton and Adams in Chicago. His early connection with Epic Burger turned out to be crucial in the years to come.
“When Epic Burger approached me about getting involved, I was very familiar with it. I knew that Epic Burger was once a really successful chain,” David explained while noting that the business was in serious need of a shot-in-the-arm.
“When I came in, I recognized that store fronts weren’t activated. There were no umbrellas, no flowers, no patio seating. I saw that the burger had shrunk. I saw that the bun had changed. I saw they quit putting whipped cream on milkshakes. These changes had taken a toll on the brand’s once-stellar reputation,” David stated.
But where others might have seen insurmountable challenges, David saw an opportunity as juicy as the Creekstone Farms Black Angus Patties used by Epic Burger for its burger menu.
“I knew I could fix it. I knew I could bring it back to the way it was because it was once great, and I made it great again,” David said confidently. “It all starts with the food. Your food has to be great. People are not gonna come back if your food isn’t great.”
David also prioritized service as a leading feature at Epic Burger with a new approach that was hands-on and customer-focused.
“I wanna be the type of CEO that comes into a restaurant. I’m not afraid to pick up a rag and wipe down some tables. I’m not afraid to take some trash off the table,” David explained. “I want to talk to my employees. I want to encourage my employees to learn and to ask questions. I love to talk to my guests. I want feedback. I don’t wanna hear just the good things. I wanna hear the bad things.”
David’s leadership style is also about improving the guest experience and learning from mistakes.
“I know there are a thousand things that go on every single day, and I know we’re going do 990 of those things right every day. We’re going to make some mistakes, and that’s okay,” David said. “As long as we learn from those mistakes, and we don’t make them again and again and again, it’s all good.”
The Epic approach: More than just burgers
At Epic Burger, David created a company-wide commitment to being what he calls “A More Mindful Burger,” and that commitment extends to the menu and beyond.
“’A More Mindful Burger’ is something that defines us as a business. It’s really how we source our food. It’s how we build our stores. It’s how we hire, train, and promote our staff. And it’s how we get involved in the community,” David explained.
Case in point is an emphasis to make the experience fun and memorable from start to finish. Consider the Epic Burger: “Epic AF Challenge.”
“I started the Epic AF Challenge (Epic About Food) about three years ago to bring fun back into the restaurants,” David said with a mischievous laugh. “Basically, it is a food challenge. It’s two bacon double cheeseburgers, two orders of french fries, some sweet potato fries, a milkshake, three chicken tenders. You have to finish that in 20 minutes and eight seconds. (2008 was the year that Epic was started.) If you finish that in 20 minutes and eight seconds, you become an Epic AF member of our Hall of Fame and get this really cool T-shirt.”
Although it is evident in every aspect of the business at Epic Burger, “mindfulness” clearly starts with the food.
“We serve only halal beef and chicken,” David proudly stated. “Halal is a more mindful way of raising and processing animals. It’s a great certification, and it’s a premium standard. And that (more mindful way of doing business) is something that we want to focus on not only with our beef, but with our buns, with our ice cream, with our milk, with our eggs, with our bacon. Everything we serve is of the highest quality.”
Ironically, David does not want his customers eating burgers as a nutritional mainstay. He believes in promoting a balanced diet.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea for people to eat that much red meat every single day,” David said.
Instead, David lets customers know there are a variety of options to try day-to-day, including grilled chicken and turkey burgers This focus on customer health might seem unusual for a burger joint, but for David, life is all about balance and longevity.
“Obviously I want my customers to live longer,” David said with a smile. “The longer they live, the more they’re going to come to Epic Burger. I do try to eat relatively healthy. I do love a cheeseburger, but I can’t eat those every day. So. I want to try to offer a variety, offer some options and give people different choices.”
David said he is also keenly aware that eating fast-casual food can get expensive, so he said Epic Burger makes a dual commitment to excellence but also to affordability.
“We want to try to find that right balance,” David explained “Our food is…certainly priced much higher than some of our competitors. So, with regards to our price point, we try to maintain a 33% food cost. That’s kind of a standard in the business. Certainly some of our competitors, some of the bigger chains, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s will sell their burgers for substantially less. Their quality is likely significantly inferior to ours. Our food is quality and we’re going to pay a little bit more for it. Maybe some other places try to maintain a lower food cost to make more money, and that’s why they charge more. We want to try to offer that balance where we offer quality and still make it affordable for people to come in and get a great meal.”
Top-tier service
The Epic Burger experience, as delicious as it is, seems to get its true traction with its top-tier service. It’s a commitment that David calls “positively outrageous service.”
“People can go anywhere. Food is good in a number of different places, but if we can separate ourselves from the competition by giving what I call positively outrageous service, that’s a game changer,” David explained as he lit up with a smile. “Every day you’re on stage. Every day we host a party. And if the party’s fun, people are going to want to come back to that party again and again and again.”
“We train our employees to have 5 points of contact with every single guest. First point is when they walk in: greet them and say hello. Second point is, we bring their food to the table and make sure everything is made accurately and exactly how they wanted it. Third point is what we call the two-bite rule. After two bites, go check on them. Make sure everything is perfect. Everything is the way they want it and do they want anything else. Fourth point is when they wave the white flag, and we’ve seen they’ve thrown some napkins on their plate. They surrender, and we clean up after them, take everything away, and wipe up their table. The fifth point is to say thank you, have a great day and say goodbye.”
Epic Burger’s dedication to its employees is downright impressive. David boats proudly that he is passionate about promoting from within and developing talent.
“I want to grow this into something truly special,” David said. “I want to go from 11 locations to 111 locations to 311 locations, and I can’t do it myself. I need to do it with great people.”
His approach has led to success stories such as Arisbeth Martinez, who rose from an hourly employee to become an Epic Burger Store Manager, and her son Zoil, who is now an Epic Burger General Manager.
“Retail does not have to be viewed as a minimum wage job,” David explained. “It is certainly an entry point, and I certainly encourage people to go work in a retail store. Find out what drives you. Find out what you’re passionate about. Ultimately, that could become a career.”
Chicagoland commitment
A commitment to Chicagoland is synonymous with the DNA at Epic Burger. For example, the burger chain gives out certificates to the Epic Player of the Game in local sport’s leagues and park districts to recognize local athletes who receive a free burger, fries, and milkshake from Epic as a reward.
“It’s not necessarily the best athlete,” David explained. “It’s not the person who scores the most goals or hits the most home runs. It’s someone who helps the coach or doesn’t argue with the referee.”
David Grossman has a commitment to the underdog. Whether it’s an Epic Burger employee who starts as an hourly employee or an Epic Player of the Game, his commitment stems in large part from his personal journey. His daughter, Hallie, died in March 2023 from a very rare form of cancer. To honor her memory, David and his family launched The Hallie225 Foundation.
“She was born on February 25th at 2.25 p.m. and she lived until she was 25. So, with this charity, we want to give scholarships to kids. Epic Burger is going to get involved and become a partner with Hallie 225. My daughter loved helping the underdog. She loved finding a way to get involved and help those who needed help. As a way to honor her and remember her, we want to get Epic Burger involved and offer scholarships to students who are in need.”
Why he loves retail
It is obvious from the moment you meet David that leading Epic Burger is much more than his job, that this is his passion, and that he wants Epic Burger to be known for more than being just a “great burger joint.”
“The secret sauce of my success is really being passionate and believing in what I’m doing,” David said. “If I didn’t believe in it, you know, I wouldn’t be able to sleep well at night. Really, nothing keeps me up at night. I love coming into my restaurants. I love seeing my employees. I love developing my people. I love motivating my people. I love doing deals. I love going out and finding new sites, negotiating a lease, designing a store, building a store, looking at some new light fixtures, looking at some new graphics on the wall. I really get excited about improving my spaces, developing my people, introducing a new menu item. There’re so many things that get me excited to be the CEO of this company. The list is endless.”
Some epic advice
And what gems of wisdom does Grossman have for others who want to become retail business owners?
“To own your own business, there are always going be challenges. There are always going to be obstacles. There are always going to be issues,” David stated. “But if it’s something that you’re passionate about, if it’s something that you love to do, it’s not really work. And I really mean that.”
