A Beijing burger restaurant will soon open its doors in New York City, the birthplace of better-burger heavyweight Shake Shack.
The burger joint called Uncle Sam's will open its first U.S. location near the Empire State Building with a menu crafted by a consulting team led by a James Beard Award-winning chef. Opening May 18, the flagship location will join the company's two other locations in Beijing and sells burgers in the $6 to $15 range.
The East-meets-West menu includes an K-Town burger (Galbi beef, kimchi, fermented black bean), a Beijing chicken sandwich (sliced cucumber, hoisin glaze, scallions) and an 888 Burger (shumai patty, ham, char-siu bacon, sriracha mayo).
"What we've found through our research is that true passion for delicious flavors and taste is universal," said Zhiming Bai, a Chinese entrepreneur in financing and Uncle Sam's owner, in a release. "Between our fresh, versatile menu, inviting decor and warm hospitality, we are confident that Americans will enjoy this new take on American classics."
The move comes on the heels of a banner year for the humble hamburger in the U.S.
Hamburger servings ordered at U.S. restaurants and foodservice rose 3 percent last year to 9 billion, according to data from The NPD Group, a market research firm. This outpaced overall foodservice traffic growth, which was flat for the foodservice industry.
On Wall Street, investors have piled into the better burger segment. Shake Shack stock is up about 270 percent from its IPO price while The Habit Burger Grill's shares are roughly 110 percent higher from its initial pricing.