Smashburger: History, Key Facts and Reviews

2007-2014: a smashed burger from Denver

Smashburger opened its first restaurant in Denver, Colorado, in June 2007 (Wikipedia). Its founders were Rick Schaden, a former owner of Quiznos, and Tom Ryan, a former Pizza Hut and McDonald’s executive who had helped develop Pizza Hut’s stuffed crust pizza. The concept rests on one technique: a ball of Angus beef pressed onto a griddle heated to 385°F for about 10 seconds, so the patty forms a browned crust, then cooked in around three minutes. The chain grew fast, to 143 locations in 2011 and 256 in 2014, and added regional burgers such as the Colorado, with green chiles.

2015-2018: Jollibee buys Smashburger in three steps

Jollibee Foods Corporation, the Philippine group behind the Jollibee chain, took over Smashburger between 2015 and 2018. It bought 40% for $100 million in October 2015, raised its stake to 85% for another $100 million in February 2018, and acquired the rest for $10 million in December 2018. In mid-2017 Smashburger counted 380 locations in 38 US states and nine countries. Abroad it had gone to Canada, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, and to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama in Central America.

2017-2026: closures and a value turnaround

Smashburger has roughly halved in size since 2017. It had 204 locations in August 2025 and 180 at the end of June 2026, 112 company-owned and 68 franchised (Jollibee, Q2 2026 report). At the end of 2025, 172 of its restaurants were in the United States. Jim Sullivan, president since February 2025, became CEO that August (PR Newswire) and bet on menu and price: the “Summer of Smash” campaign, the return of the Colorado Smashburger and a wider $4.99 value menu in October 2025. Same-store sales rose 7.0% in the second quarter of 2026, and Jollibee plans 10 to 12 openings this year, five of them in airports and one on a university campus. On National Cheeseburger Day 2026 the chain sold any single burger for $1 to loyalty members, as our roundup of the deals by chain recorded.

Key dates

• 2007: the first Smashburger opens in Denver in June.
• 2011: the chain reaches 143 locations.
• 2015: Jollibee buys 40% of Smashburger for $100 million.
• 2017: 380 locations in 38 states and nine countries.
• 2018: Jollibee takes full ownership in December.
• 2025: Jim Sullivan becomes CEO; the $4.99 value menu is expanded.
• 2026: 180 restaurants at the end of June and 10 to 12 openings planned.