Make It a Habit - Habit Burger Grill is More Than You'd Expect

You’ve never heard of The Habit Burger Grill? Don’t worry – I hadn’t heard of it either until this new burger place opened up in a small strip mall that I drive by quite frequently. But I still didn’t know anything about it, and I’m not really a “burger” person. So I didn’t think much of it. Soon I started to hear people talk about how it was more than just burgers – and that they were good. My family & I gave it a try one night – and we all really liked it! I was impressed with the fact I could order any sandwich off the menu with a bun, or with a lettuce bun, or bread or even on a salad! I ordered the grilled chicken on a lettuce bun, which really hit that late night I-want-food-but-nothing-overwhelming desire. My Neurotic Disney Kid(NDK) ordered the char-burger with cheese. She was happily surprised that she could add grilled onions at no additional charge, and substitute fried green beans for french fries! Between my sandwich, her kids meal, drinks and the side of green beans, we spent under $20. It was really good food at a great price – and I knew I wanted to know more.

Recently I was invited to sit down with the regional manager for Central Florida’s The Habit Burger Grill. I’ll be honest, there was a lot of great food shared with me – along with a few stories about why The Habit Burger Grill is still around almost 50 years after they first opened. If you are wondering why I am sharing this with you (I know – it’s a Disney site), Orlando is an important part of a Disney lifestyle. We live here… we work here…we eat here. It is good to know what is around town, especially if you are deciding to move here! Even if you do not live here, chances are good(if you are reading this) that you will visit here. You will need to eat – and sometimes not every meal is consumed on Disney property. You need to know where to go. I am sharing real photos that I took of food served to me. These are not press release images. I will warn you, if you are hungry, you may not want to look at these photos.

The Habit Burger Grill was started in 1969 by two California brothers on a mission – to provide a good burger at a great price. With borrowed money from their mother, they bought a small restaurant on the beach in Santa Barbara, CA. They used fresh baked bread, partnered with California farmers for fresh produce, and grilled up burgers that were fresh. Back in 1969, these cost $.24/each.

The Habit Burger Grill is still around today – but they are expanding! Not only in California, they are now located in many states on both coasts, as well as China and Dubai! Florida is lucky to have ten locations, three of them in Central Florida. Their standards still hold true today – a great burger at a great price.

I don’t know about you, but after a long day shuttling back and forth various kid activities, the last thing I want to think about is what am I making for dinner. It’s just one of those “I guess we are eating out” situations. And then you stop to think about what you actually would be eating, depending on where you stop. This is where you can rest easy knowing that The Habit Burger Grill offers only fresh food – trucks come in almost daily. They even make their own ranch dressing (which I highly recommend!) But it’s not just the food that will make you a fan – they have great customer service too.

From their website:

The Habit Burger Grill is a burger-centric, fast casual restaurant concept that specializes in preparing fresh, made-to-order chargrilled burgers and sandwiches featuring USDA choice tri-tip steak, grilled chicken and sushi-grade ahi tuna cooked over an open flame. In addition, it features fresh made-to-order salads and an appealing selection of sides, shakes and malts. The Habit was named the “best tasting burger in America” in July 2014 in a comprehensive survey conducted by one of America’s leading consumer magazines. The first Habit opened in Santa Barbara, California in 1969. The Habit has since grown to over 220 restaurants in 11 states throughout California, Arizona, Utah, New Jersey, Florida, Idaho, Virginia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Washington and Maryland as well as three international locations. More information is available at www.habitburger.com.

Disclosure: I was invited to The Habit Burger Grill to learn more about the restaurant. I received free food to try with no anticipation of a review. This review is based solely on my opinion and no other compensation was received.

Maria H. (ndm#130)

A Disney blooded, crafty, fun-lovin’ wife/mom/organizer/planner, etc who is obsessed with all things Disney 🙂 Maria grew up with the Magic Kingdom and has loved watching WDW evolve into what it is today. A firm believer in the Power of Pixie Dust, she is the owner of The Disney Driven Life – A Community for Neurotic Disney People & a d.i.y. crafty blog, Carousel of Projects – create~inspire~share.

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