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Habit Burger & Grill facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Habit Burger & Grill
Formerly
 The Habit Burger Grill
Subsidiary
Traded as NASDAQ: HABT
Industry Fast casual restaurant
Founded November 15, 1969; 55 years ago (1969-11-15)
Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Headquarters
Irvine, California, U.S.
Number of locations
 372
Area served
 United States, Cambodia, China, United Arab Emirates
Key people
 Shannon Hennessy (CEO)
Tiffany Furman (CFO)
Products
  • Chargrilled Burgers
  • sandwiches
  • salads
  • kids meals
  • frozen desserts
  • beverages
Revenue Increase US$402 million (2021)
Number of employees
 6,093 (2021)
Parent Yum! Brands
The Habit Burger Grill - Goleta California (2015-11-26) 02
The very first Habit Burger Grill restaurant in Goleta, California, which opened in 1969.
Habit Burger Grill Charburger with Cheese (29483116130)
A tasty Charburger with Cheese from Habit Burger Grill.
Habit Burger - Ahi Tuna Filet sandwich
The Ahi Tuna Filet sandwich, another popular item at Habit Burger.

Habit Burger & Grill is a popular restaurant chain from California. It used to be called The Habit Burger Grill. This restaurant is famous for its delicious chargrilled hamburgers. They also serve other tasty fast-casual food. The first Habit Burger opened in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969. Today, its main office is in Irvine, California.

In March 2020, a big company called Yum! Brands bought The Habit Burger Grill. Yum! Brands also owns other well-known restaurants like KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.

History of Habit Burger

How it All Started

The Habit Burger Grill began on November 15, 1969. It started as a small, family-owned business in Santa Barbara County, California. Back then, it was known as The Hamburger Habit.

In 1980, two brothers, Brent and Bruce Reichard, bought the very first restaurant in Goleta. They worked hard to grow the business. In 1997, they opened a second location in Ventura. Slowly, they expanded the chain to 17 restaurants across Southern California.

Growing Bigger

In 2007, a company called KarpReilly bought most of The Habit Burger Grill. This helped the chain grow much faster. They started opening new restaurants and even allowed others to open Habit Burger locations as franchises. The eight restaurants in Santa Barbara County, however, stayed with the Reichard brothers.

By 2014, Habit Burger had 109 restaurants open or being built. They even expanded into new areas like Seattle. At this time, it was one of the fastest-growing fast-food chains in the United States.

Joining Yum! Brands

In March 2020, Yum! Brands officially bought The Habit Burger Grill. This was a big step for the company. The Reichard brothers decided to retire and sold their remaining restaurants to Yum! Brands in 2021. The change in operations happened in March 2022.

In July 2024, Habit Burger restaurants switched their soft drinks. Because Yum! Brands owns them, they now serve Pepsi products instead of Coca-Cola. On August 28, 2024, the company changed its name to Habit Burger & Grill.

Caring for Animals

Yum! Brands, which owns Habit Burger & Grill, has many restaurants around the world. In 2021, they announced an important plan. They decided that by 2026, most of their restaurants would use only eggs from cage-free chickens. Their goal is to use 100% cage-free eggs globally by 2030. This shows their commitment to animal welfare.

See also

  • List of hamburger restaurants