Grabbing a burger and a beer with an idol is a dream for many. Luckily for the folks of Orlando and Kissimmee, that dream is about to come true! Legendary Miami Dolphins Coach Don Shula is celebrating another milestone in his storied career – the opening of the fifth Shula Burger location in Kissimmee's Rolling Oaks Plaza (8124 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway).
Dolphins fans and food lovers alike can get a taste of Shula Burger’s extensive menu and meet the legendary Coach when he’s in store on Nov. 12 from 11:30-1:30 p.m. and Nov. 13 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Guests will have the chance to sample some of the coach’s favorite menu items and chat with Don Shula, Shula team members and new Kissimmee Shula Burger owner, Kevin Gowen.
“I’m thrilled to be bringing the Shula name and all it stands for to the greater Orlando area,” said Gowen, a lifelong Florida resident. “I loved watching Coach Shula on the sidelines as a kid and I am excited to join a Shula Burger team that possesses the same pillars of greatness as his Dolphins’ teams. We can’t wait to have Coach at the store to welcome customers to Shula Burger this month as local fans get their first taste of our burgers.”
Free Burgers for a Year
In addition to talking food and football, Coach Shula will be taking part in a variety of fun and engaging events with store visitors. These events include a ribbon cutting ceremony, visits from local celebrities, like Dolphins legend Nat Moore (a favorite wide receiver target of both Bob Griese and Dan Marino), and daily customer appreciation giveaways. The big surprise, however, is that the FIRST TEN CUSTOMERS who join Coach Shula for lunch on Nov. 13 will take home grand prizes of one free burger a week for an entire year.
“We want to make a statement as we enter the Orlando area and what better way to do so than offering up a chance to win delicious free food and a chance to interact with Coach Shula and other local celebrities,” said Coach Shula’s son and Shula Burger President, Dave Shula. “We’re excited to offer Orlando and Kissimmee residents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Coach while getting their first bite of our burgers made from the Best Beef Money can Buy.”
Other customers coming to the store on Nov. 12th and Nov. 13th won’t be left hanging, either. The NEXT TWENTY CUSTOMERS who follow the first ten on Nov. 13 will be awarded with one free burger a month for an entire year. Additionally, Coach Shula will be signing autographs, raffling off free Orlando magic tickets and giving away signed football memorabilia during lunch on both days.
A Growing Trend
The Kissimmee Shula Burger location opened in late October and is the second independently owned Shula Burger franchise. Store owner and Kissimmee resident, Kevin Gowen, is a career entrepreneur who has spent the last twenty plus years building AmeriFactors Financial Group, headquartered in Kissimmee, into a thriving business.
Last year, Gowen, a lifelong fan of Shula’s Steak Houses and the legendary coach, scored an invite through an Orlando hotel to visit with Don Shula in honor of the perfect 1972 season. As luck would have it, he was seated next to Dave Shula, president of Shula’s Restaurants, and they got to talking about bringing Shula Burger to Kissimmee.
“It intrigued me when Dave started talking about the burgers because I knew many competitors have joined the fold in the thriving fast casual restaurant segment,” said Gowen. “And when I started looking at the numbers after our first meeting, I discovered Shula Burger was poised for long term success and it was impossible to turn down an offer to join Coach, Dave and the team.”
A trip to Miami a few months later, and Gowen was the proud owner of the Kissimmee Shula Burger as well as a deal to develop five more restaurants in the greater Orlando area.
“We knew Kevin was the right man for the job based on decades of experience building successful businesses,” said Dave Shula. “His enthusiasm and passion for Shula Burger and the Shula brand really stood out as well, making him a perfect fit for the Shula’s family. We’re thrilled to have him on board and believe he will do a wonderful job growing the Shula Burger concept in the greater Orlando area.”
On the Menu
While the extensive Shula Burger menu has something for everyone, Gowen’s son and head chef Peter Ferrand were the brains behind one particular Kissimmee-specific menu addition, “The Big O.” Each Shula Burger location has its own specialty burger custom-built for the local residents and the Kissimmee location is no different. Gowen is confident that “The Big O,” a pulled pork topped burger masterpiece, is the right fit for Kissimmee’s new Shula Burger.
“The ‘Big O’ is a burger unique to the Kissimmee location,” said Gowen. “The burger is topped with pulled pork, barbecue sauce, orange coleslaw and an onion ring. It’s hard not to lick your fingers when you’re done with ‘The Big O.’”
The menu also features such standouts as Coach Shula’s favorite, “The Don,” an all-American combination of a burger and a hotdog; the Wine Country burger topped with roasted peppers, fresh goat cheese, balsamic greens and roasted tomatoes; and Shula's "Southwest" burger with roasted corn and black bean salsa, charred red onion, pepper jack cheese, topped with a delicious chipotle spread.
On the lighter side, the menu offers chicken breast sandwiches, veggie burgers and fresh green salads. Standout sides include sea salt and sweet potato fries and crispy onion rings.
Burger Fast Facts:
- Inc. Magazine recently dubbed fast casual dining one of the "best industries for starting a business right now." And Forbes Magazine agrees - recently naming the "burger joint" as "America's Most Promising Company" with the fast-casual industry poised for remarkable growth this year.
- 2013 is being called the "Year of the Bun" – Shula Burger is already on top of that trend with its special "Shula" bun branding (Burger Business)!
- 91% of U.S. consumers say they eat a burger at least once a month – 44% say they eat a burger at least once a week (QSR). 69% say they've eaten a burger with gourmet ingredients.
- 85% of consumers say they eat at fast-casual restaurants at least once a month (Nation's Restaurant News).
- Consumers rank quality of meat as the first or second most important attribute in choosing a burger (Technomic study) – Shula Steak House, LLLP brands are known for the Shula Cut® – center cuts of premium Black Angus beef.
Sources: National Restaurant Association, Zagat Burger Survey (2012), Center for Women’s Business Research, Technomic Study (food industry consulting firm), National Federation of Independent Business, QSR Magazine, Aaron Allen & Associates, a global restaurant consultancy, fastcasual.com
For more information about Shula Burger, please visit www.shulaburger.com.
For more information on Don Shula and Shula Burger parent company, Shula's Steak Houses, LLLP, please visit www.donshula.com.
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