Burgermeister has put its planned expansion into the United States on hold after founder Cebrail Karabelli returned to lead the Berlin-based burger chain. Robert Fügert, who had been chief executive, left the position in September after disagreements over the pace and direction of the company’s growth.
Fügert had previously discussed preparing Burgermeister’s entry into England and opening the chain’s first US restaurant in 2028. Karabelli, however, says the company must first consolidate its existing business and open new restaurants more cautiously. He has not ruled out appointing a successor, but any future chief executive would need to support his strategic approach.
Burgermeister reported net revenue of almost €60 million last year, representing growth of 60 percent compared with 2024. Karabelli wants to prioritize what he describes as healthy growth before accelerating expansion again. Fourteen planned openings are expected to be completed by early next year, including the company’s first restaurants in Vienna and further locations in Erfurt, Ulm, Bonn and Bochum.
The company is also considering restaurants in Copenhagen, Antwerp and Brussels. The Netherlands could follow if those openings perform well. Karabelli continues to see the United Kingdom as a target, but says he wants to enter the market with a partner who has not yet been found.
Burgermeister’s menu and production model remain central to its identity. The company makes its own ingredients, including patties and buns, at a production facility in Berlin-Tempelhof. Karabelli shares Fügert’s emphasis on freshness and consistency. Burgermeister aims to offer a product positioned between McDonald’s and Five Guys, with hamburgers priced at around six euros at its Frankfurt restaurant and a deliberately limited selection of eight burgers, including one vegetarian option.
Karabelli says McDonald’s remains an important benchmark despite the fundamental differences in their approach to freshness. Burgermeister generated an average annual revenue of €3.25 million per location excluding VAT in 2024, according to the company. Only McDonald’s ranked higher in the quick-service segment in Foodservice’s comparison cited by the report. Karabelli says he wants Burgermeister’s burgers to taste the same wherever they are sold.
The chain began in 2003 when Karabelli sought permission to turn a green-painted toilet building near Berlin’s Schlesisches Tor underground station into a snack bar. After three years of dealing with the authorities, he obtained approval and opened Burgermeister in time for the 2006 football World Cup.
Delivery has since become a major part of the business. Burgermeister says it handled around 1.2 million orders in 2025, more than 55 percent above the previous year. Delivery accounted for 40 percent of sales. The company says a prepared burger should not wait more than ten minutes before collection; if a driver arrives too late, the order is prepared again.
Some customers have criticized the chain’s rapid expansion, higher prices and declining service on Reddit and other online platforms. One commenter compared the newer experience with McDonald’s and said the original location at Schlesisches Tor had offered something different. Karabelli called this an individual opinion but said he takes such criticism seriously. He is also considering a new production facility because the current one may soon be unable to keep pace with demand.
Burgermeister says its beef comes from Ireland, although Karabelli has not disclosed the supplier. Organic beef and additional vegetarian options are not currently planned. The company is instead preparing new sales channels, including a strategic partnership with Deutsche Bahn. Karabelli says a Burgermeister location is scheduled to open at Berlin’s Friedrichstraße station in the second quarter of 2027, and that a drive-through format is also planned.
According to the report, Burgermeister recorded a net profit of €512,720 in 2024 based on figures in Germany’s Federal Gazette. Fügert had referred to a profit of €6 million for the following year, but Karabelli declined to comment on the company’s current net profit.
Sources: FAZ.