A 14-branch burger chain in decline, unable to match low-cost copycat carts
A chain that sparked Dhaka's burger craze a decade ago opened 14 branches and one in Sri Lanka, but lost ground in Dhaka to copycats, lost student locations and shifting tastes; Chattogram still does well.
A little over a decade ago, long queues formed in front of a small burger stall in the food court of a Dhaka shopping mall; a generation was charmed by spicy burgers with a Bangladeshi taste. The stall grew and opened about 14 branches in the country, and in 2017 one in the capital of Sri Lanka as well. But The Business Standard wrote in 2025 that those golden days are gone — there is no longer an hour's wait at the outlets.
The co-founder and managing director gives several reasons. First, as soon as any dish becomes popular, copycat shops spring up; recipes have no legal protection. In his words, street carts running on minimal costs sell similar burgers at much lower prices — competing with them is not possible; and copycat restaurants with big capital have also arrived. Second, the branches were near educational institutions; as some institutions moved away, they lost the student crowds. Third, decor and seating ambience now draw people more than the food.
He also admits that with online delivery a burger does not taste right after 40 minutes. However, the Chattogram branch, opened in 2021, is still visited mostly by students, and its customers are more loyal. In Dhaka their customers are now mainly families and corporate employees.
Lessons
- 1.You can't stop recipes being copied; don't rely on one dish — build brand, service and location.
- 2.If the crowd you located for (e.g. students) moves, rethink your locations too.
- 3.The same product can fade in one city and thrive in another — track each branch separately.
We published this with the person's permission, without revealing who they are.
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