Has the burger bubble burst in Bethesda? The Washington Business Journal reports that the Bethesda Row Kraze Burgers restaurant has just filed for bankruptcy. Among its creditors, they say, is Montgomery County.
This was the very first U.S. location for the South Korean-based burger chain. Newer locations at Westfield Montgomery Mall and elsewhere do not appear to be affected by the Bethesda Row Kraze Burgers Chapter 11 filing.
Kraze Burgers is the second Bethesda burger spot to go bankrupt in the last 9 months; Hamburger Hamlet eventually closed in December at the Georgetown Square shopping center. A bankruptcy filing doesn't necessarily mean Kraze Burgers will close, however.
Is this a sign that the burger fad is winding down? I don't believe so, as burgers have been an American favorite for decades before the "upscale burger" craze. Several rapidly-expanding chains like Shake Shack and Steak and Shake have yet to arrive in Bethesda; Bobby's Burger Palace and Smashburger just arrived. We could also use Wendy's, Burger King, and Hardees, to name a few.
6 comments:
Kraze is in an inconvenient location, not in high traffic location nor with any convenient parking
That spot was really popular when it was haagen dazs.
Perhaps Bethesda Row visitors prefered the existing Five Guys?
I like this place. It's the only hamburger restaurant where the burger you get looks like what's on the menu board :)
The landlord at that building is not tenant friendly, it wouldn't surprise me if that has something to do with this.
Definitely! It made for great photos of the actual order.
Didn't you report on them being temporarily closed a few months ago? I remember positing in the comments that they were in financial trouble -- one of their creditors likely shut them off. Perhaps I was indeed correct.
I like their burger, but they never seem to have many customers there when I walk by. My current favorite is Bobby's Burger Palace in Mont Mall, followed by Five Guys.
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