Burger 21 goes west for the first time

TAMPA—Tampa-based Burger 21, created by the owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc., signed its first franchise agreement in Chandler, Ariz. The agreement will be the chain's first in the West. Burger 21 operates in a total of nine states, has nine open locations and 17 franchises in development across the country.

Dan Lenhauser, a multiunit Subway franchisee with 15 years of experience in the Phoenix market, will open the Chandler restaurant in 2014. Over the next several years he plans to open a second store.

"It's exciting to be the first franchisee to bring Burger 21 out west, and I know that Chandler residents will appreciate the brand's diverse menu and 'beyond the better burger' experience that is truly unlike any other in town," Lenhauser says in a news release.