Former Burgerim Franchisee Rebrands to iniBurger

Abdul Popal estimates he and his wife sunk $1.2 million into the buildout of three Burgerim locations, as well as franchising fees and other costs. Burgerim, as is now well-known, was a fast-growing franchisor that stopped paying employees and closed its headquarters in 2019, leaving franchisees in debt and with restaurants with no corporate backing.

So, Popal has rebranded two of his former Bay Area Burgerim locations as a new concept—iniBurger—one he hopes to start franchising in the coming months. Much like Burgerim, the restaurant offers patties in a variety of proteins, including beef, chicken and veggie, as well as selling two-ounce burgers, which he calls M’ini Burgers. A four-ounce patty is called a B’igi Burger. Also, like Burgerim, all of the meat at iniBurger is Halal-certified.

"Now we’re in a place where what we have is the right model. We got away from the complexities and focused on the brand experience and food costs."

Abdul Popal, Co-Founder

Instead of relying on a dozen different proteins, iniBurger uses an assortment of toppings to create different taste profiles. A recent new menu item, for example, features a Nashville hot chicken patty topped with an attention-grabbing scoop of vanilla ice cream. "The sweetness of the ice cream balances out the chicken. We’re having fun by creating unique menu items," Popal said.

Popal said his rebranded burger restaurants have seen strong sales amid the pandemic and that he has already heard interest from prospective franchisees. "I don’t want to rush into anything," he said. "I want to have the right infrastructure and team in place. I don’t want that individual to be in the same position I was in."