So long The Habit Burger Grill. The awkwardly named brand is completely reinventing itself with a new moniker, the company said Wednesday.
Now it will be called Habit Burger & Grill.
Yes, the California-born chain is willingly becoming an “ampersand brand,” said Chief Marketing Officer Jack Hinchliffe, who contends the ampersand has always been at the heart of the brand’s identity.
It’s also taking the bold step of dropping that pesky extraneous “the,” which has long been a bane to copy editors and headline writers everywhere.
“We’re not changing—we’re just embracing what we’ve always been—an ‘&’ brand,” he said in a statement. “This simple rebrand is a celebration of our diverse menu, our commitment to fresh, high-quality ingredients, and the connections we’ve built with our customers and communities over the years.”
It’s true that it's never been clear whether to call the brand "The Habit" or "Habit Burger" or "The Habit Burger."
It was founded in 1969 in Goleta, Calif., by brothers Brent and Bruce Reichard, who bought the first location that was originally called Hamburger Habit.
They grew the chain as The Habit Burger to about 24 units, then sold most units to the private-equity firm KarpReilly. The brothers kept a handful of units around Santa Barbara to operate (and later went on to launch another brand called Hook Burger).
KarpReilly took Habit Burger public in 2014, and then Yum Brands bought Habit Burger in early 2020. The Reichard brothers sold their last eight locations to Yum in 2021.
Back in the day, however, the brand was often confused with Hamburger Hamlet, another California-born chain (now defunct).
Californians tend to call the chain simply “The Habit,” though “Habit Burger” has become more commonly used as the 380-unit chain has grown, perhaps reflecting a growing antipathy toward the “the.”
Officials said the goal is to highlight the now-dubbed Habit Burger & Grill’s dedication to variety, innovation and the warm Southern Californian hospitality. Known for its charbroiled burgers, the menu also includes sandwiches like crispy chicken and grilled ahi tuna filet, as well as salads and sides like tempura green beans.
Habit Burger's chicken club sandwich. | Photo courtesy of Habit Burger & Grill.
The rebrand will roll out across all marketing materials, packaging and digital platforms, starting Wednesday.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
