The Simon’s Burger Success Story: How Budapest’s Most Popular Hamburger was Born

A hamburger restaurant that has revolutionized Budapest’s gastronomic scene in just a few years and is now also successful in America: introducing Simon’s Burger, which grew from a Hungarian idea into an international success. 

Simon's Burger is now one of Budapest's most popular fast food chains, founded by two brothers from Budapest, Simon Tóth and Máté Tóth. The business burst onto the domestic gastronomic scene at an astonishing pace: a few months after the opening of their first restaurant, everyone was talking about them, and they generated billions in turnover in their first year. The brand's popularity is partly due to the fact that they introduced guests to the smash burger, which was previously unknown in Budapest, and partly due to the infinitely honest and no-nonsense attitude that defines their entire story. But to better understand exactly what lies behind their success, we need to go back a few years in time.

The beginnings: a guy named Simon and his dream

The story of Simon's was not born among investors, business plans, or long Excel spreadsheets. It started with a guy from Budapest, Simon Tóth, who had been baking, experimenting, and raving about cooking in his mother's kitchen since childhood. He also appeared on the gastro-reality show Konyhafőnök (Head Chef), where he became known to the whole country as "the hamburger guy." 

When he failed to earn enough credits in the marketing program at BGE University, he had to decide what to do next. He had no capital and no plan, just his passion and the idea of opening a small burger joint where he would stand behind the grill for the rest of his life, grilling meat, and thus earning enough money to pay his rent.

With eight million forints collected from his friends, he opened his first restaurant on Október 6. Street, where, to his great surprise, there was enormous interest from the very first days. Within a few days, waiting times of three to four hours had developed.

What could be the secret? Simon's guests were introduced to the smash burger, which was accompanied by such cool marketing—free burgers, great prizes—that the small burger joint became a gastronomic phenomenon in no time.

 

 

 

 

 

A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simon’s Burger (@simonsburgerhu) által megosztott bejegyzés

Rushing ahead to success

Interest was so great that the brothers had to keep moving their burger restaurant to bigger and better locations. However, Simon's growth was never the result of well-planned business decisions, but rather a constant rush ahead. As their PR manager puts it, if they hadn't acted immediately, the huge influx of customers would have caused the business to collapse. 

Growth has not stopped since then: there are now 26 Simon's Burgers in Hungary, and three or four new restaurants will open this year. And the expansion is no longer limited to within the country's borders. The first international Simon's Burger is opening in Slovakia, and even more significantly, their Smashy restaurant is already operating in Manhattan, New York, and is performing much better than expected.

 

The American dream: a Hungarian brand in the heart of New York

Opening a restaurant in the US was not a planned, rational business decision, but rather the fulfillment of a childhood dream. Simon and Máté have been traveling to the US for inspiration for years, they love the atmosphere of New York burger joints, and have always wanted to have their own restaurant there. When their company became strong enough and they had the necessary capital, they decided to go for it. Smashy Burger opened in Manhattan's Union Square. Needless to say, it wasn't easy for two twenty-something guys from Eastern Europe to enter a completely new market, but the project ultimately exceeded all their expectations: their American restaurant is doing very well and proving to them that the concept works on an international level.

Simon's Burger: the Hungarian Five Guys?

Simon's Burger is often referred to as "the Hungarian Five Guys," partly because of its minimalist approach and partly because of its rapid success and stylistic similarities. The brothers consider this an honor, as Five Guys is one of the best in its genre and, in many ways, laid the foundations for smash burgers worldwide. However, they now believe that the similarity is mainly due to the limited product range and the clean interior design. 

Where burgers take center stage

Simon's Burger's menu is very simple. When you walk in, you won't find a complicated menu with mysterious dishes or ingredients. Just what the whole brand is built on: two types of burgers—a hamburger and a cheeseburger—french fries, and milkshakes. 

They offer few products, but they want to prepare them perfectly every time – their goal is to make guests want to come back for more. And it looks like they've got it right.

 

American dream, Hungarian brand 

While Simon's Burger restaurants clearly evoke the American lifestyle with their music, style, and atmosphere, it is important to the brothers that everyone knows that this is a Hungarian brand that started in Budapest and competes even with the largest franchise networks. Their story proves that with commitment, passion, and a lot of hard work, it is possible to dream big in Budapest and build an international brand from a small hamburger joint.

Article by Mia Balogh 

Photos: Simon's Burger Facebook page