‘Better burger’ brand Smashburger has opened its first international restaurant location in Kuwait.

Located at The Village, Abu Al Hasaniya, it is the first of 23 franchise locations planned for the area by regional franchise partner, Georgetown Advisors, an independent, Kuwaiti-owned boutique commercial development firm specialising in culinary concepts.

The opening represents US-based Smashburger’s first international location, which will be followed by new restaurant openings in Canada and Latin America later this year.

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Smashburger chairman and CEO, Dave Prokupek said the company was “very proud to announce the opening of our first international location in Kuwait”.

“It represents an important milestone for the brand, demonstrating that there is a true global demand for what Smashburger offers: premium products in a convenient setting at an attractive price point," he asserted.

"We’re also very excited to unveil our Kuwait Burger, which we believe provides a nice blend of local ingredients with what Smashburger is known for, our premium smashed fresh, served delicious burgers and our tender marinated grilled and crispy chicken sandwiches.”

To celebrate the opening, Smashburger unveiled its locally-inspired Kuwait burger — a 100% certified halal Angus beef burger topped with hot pepper cheese, grilled jalapenos, labneh, baby spinach, tomato and cucumber on a spicy chipotle bun.

Another specialised dish is the Kuwait Fries, a side of shoe string cut russet potatoes seasoned with spices and cilantro.
Franchise owner Yousef Al Essa commented: "We are proud to have our first location open and are looking forward to growing the Smashburger brand with additional openings in Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf over the coming few years."

The CEO of Georgetown Advisors in Kuwait, Khalid Hajjar, said the company was “privileged” to be the first international franchise group to debut Smashburger outside the United States.
“We believe in, and will follow, Smashburger’s guiding principles for quality, service and innovation, and we are confident the concept will be well received by consumers in our region,” he asserted.