Launching a successful fast food chain is nearly impossible. That’s because the incumbents have such a massive advantage.
McDonald’s and Burger King not only have a huge name recognition advantage over any rival, they also have a pricing and supply chain edge. They can buy potatoes, ground beef, produce, chicken, and anything else they need at far superior prices.
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Since they are buying so much, they can literally dictate the terms and, in some cases, control a huge part of the global supply.
But even without pricing issues, it’s a real challenge to get people to try something new. Traditionally, the most successful rivals in traditional fast food spaces have been companies that do something familiar with a twist.
Five Guys, for example, offers a fairly familiar menu but does a fancier take on it. Consumers will theoretically pay more because it’s a better product.
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This has worked in that one particular example, but history is littered with burger chains that tried to be better than McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King.
People like what they like, and a big part of fast food is familiarity. That makes it an incredibly difficult market to break into, and one company that seemed to have an interesting take on the space has hit a bit of a roadblock.
Healthy burger chain closes all restaurants
One of the hardest things to sell in the fast food space is healthy food. People like the idea of healthy, which is something that’s certainly helped Chipotle. It does offer higher-quality foods, although not necessarily healthy ones.
In the burger space, however, consumers have largely rejected healthy. McDonald’s failed mightily with the McPlant plant-based burger and literally no longer offers salads.
Wendy’s has done a bit better, as some of its seasonal salads are popular. But it’s fair to say that nobody goes to Burger King, McDonald’s, or Wendy’s as their first choice because they’re trying to be healthy.
Some people who find themselves, often through no choice of their own, at these restaurants will make the healthiest possible choices.
So a burger and hotdog chain that sells healthier versions of those two American classics seems like a reasonable proposition. It’s easy to see how it could work.
Healthy burger chain closes locations
Evos had a noble mission.
“There are a lot of food options out there. But none as unique as Evos. Evos is delicious all-American food, but without the guilt and regret. Because EVOS airbakes instead of deep-frying, sealing in flavor without the excess fat and calories,” it shared on on its website. “We select only humanely and naturally raised beef and chicken because we know you’ll taste the difference.”
The chain has been very successful, but it appears to have hit a bump in the road. Locations in three Florida cities — Carrollwood, St. Petersburg, and South Tampa — all closed abruptly.
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No reason was given, but co-owner Michael Jeffers shared a statement.
“We’ve enjoyed this chapter of our lives immensely, but all good things come to an end. We have no regrets and we leave having taken steps to secure jobs and futures for our valued team. We’re thankful for the opportunity to serve our community, which has rewarded us many times over,” he wrote.
Those three locations comprise the entire chain, according to its website.
