Invercargill, meet Mikey!

Tell us a bit about you and your story, what’s your background, where did you grow up etc?

I’m just a guy from Cambridge, who decided to go up to Auckland after high school to study Physics and Chemistry. Classic story of getting a part time job at BurgerFuel (in Parnell) and then loving it so much I went full time and moved up through the ranks. From Crew to Shift Manager to Store Manager and now im taking on BurgerFuel Invercargill as their new Franchisee.

What drew you to the brand and made you want to be a part of the BurgerFuel family?

BurgerFuel has always had a reputation to me as a higher end fast food restaurant. Admittedly, at the point when I found the job opportunity, I’d probably only had it once before (that was all I needed) but when that listing came up on Student Job Search, I applied immediately.

What do you love about BurgerFuel?

We have an epic culture that’s pushed all the way from Head Office down to the stores, giving even the soldiers on the ground a sense of purpose, and motivation to be the best. We have a beautiful menu to work with and some pretty awesome designs in our marketing and even in the stores. Especially with the food we make, I like to use BurgerFuel as a platform to make what I have coined as #burgerart; essentially just bloody beautiful burgers.

Is there anything you can tell us about your local community and how important it is to be a part of for you as a BurgerFuel franchisee?

 I can already tell how community-driven the city is, and how I can make myself a new home just with the people who come into the store, let alone those we will meet in other social adventures. While I was running the store in Parnell, it was always very important to me to get familiar with the regulars (I’d say that out of any customer who walks through those door, I know about a fifth of them by name), so I will continue this mindset in Invercargill.

Other than your store, what’s your favourite place to go in your community? (doesn’t have to be food related)

We are still pretty fresh to the area, so we are on the lookout for the best spots in town (if you want to help us out with some pointers)! You should expect to see us at the local tavern from time to time. From the sounds of it, there is plenty to see outdoors so we’re looking forward to getting our boots dirty.

What’s your favourite BurgerFuel burger (including any modifiers)?

My signature burger is the C N Cheese, with a flavour hit of Bacon and Sriracha. If you haven’t had this already, this is your sign that it’s time.

What is your best BurgerFuel hack?

Slamming a few fries in the middle of the burger for a little extra “Oomph” in each bite.

Do you own a BurgerFuel machine? If so, what is it?

Not yet, but we would be silly to run our car-themed store in the Classic Motoring Capital of the country without one, so here’s to a future with a loud engine in it.

Random fact about yourself? (Anything weird, wonderful or interesting that we can add to the story)!

I have represented BurgerFuel across a few platforms, including brand features on Facebook and Instagram, a quick spot on Country Calendar, and most recently the BurgerFuel TikTok page.