Harlem Shake Franchise^® News

Southern Hospitality: Harlem Shake® Announces 1st Franchise Opening in South Carolina New York, NY– The award-winning and critically acclaimed Harlem Shake® welcomes its first location to the South – Columbia, SC, aka “Soda City”, owned by new South Carolina resident Dietrich Williams.  Dietrich Williams is the fourth franchisee of the fast-casual restaurant group, a retired New York City public servant with 30 years of service and a native New Yorker born and raised in Brooklyn,...

Harlem Shake® and the Fast-Casual Restaurant Trends We’re Focusing On in 2026 The fast-casual restaurant segment continues to be one of the most dynamic and resilient corners of the foodservice industry, balancing quality, speed, and experience in ways that traditional fast food and full-service dining simply can’t match. As we move into 2026, a new wave of fast-casual trends is driving growth, and Harlem Shake® is uniquely positioned as a franchise opportunity built to benefit from each of them.  2026 Fast-Casual Restaurant Trends 1....

Brooklyn’s About to Get Even Tastier: Announcing Harlem Shake®‘s Newest Franchise Location Harlem Shake®, the award-winning, critically acclaimed fast-casual burger and shake brand, announced today that it has signed its third franchisee, Cody S., who will develop the brand’s first franchise location in Brooklyn, New York, targeted to open in summer 2026.  Cody, a finance professional who relocated to New York City nearly a decade ago and now lives in Bedford–Stuyvesant,...

Stacking Up Success: How Harlem Shake® Is Powering Growth Through Innovation  Big news – the Harlem Shake® app is officially here, powering growth through innovation! Our new app is designed to make ordering your favorite burgers, shakes, and fries easier, faster, and more rewarding than ever.  Whether you’re a longtime fan and New York native, a first-time customer, or part of our growing franchise family, the app brings the Harlem Shake experience straight to your phone. You can order ahead,...

Why Harlem Shake® is the Perfect Brand for Multi-Unit Franchise Owners  In today’s competitive QSR (quick-service restaurant) landscape, multi-unit franchise operators are seeking more than just a recognizable name, they’re looking for strong unit economics, operational simplicity, brand authenticity, and scalable systems. Harlem Shake® checks all those boxes and then some.  A Brand That’s Bigger Than the Bun Since opening its doors in the heart of Harlem, Harlem Shake has...

How Harlem Shake® Drives Community Impact Through Locally Rooted Events Every June, Harlem Shake® turns up the energy on Lenox Avenue with one of its most beloved traditions: the Mr/Miss Harlem Shake® competition. This year’s event was no exception! It brought out the very best of Harlem, from stylish self-expression and good vibes to a crowd full of love for their neighbors, all fueled by burgers, shakes, and community pride. ...

Harlem Shake® Is Expanding — Meet Our Newest Franchisee, Chris Noel We’re fired up to share some big news! Harlem Shake® is expanding and we’re beyond excited to welcome Chris Noel as the newest member of the Harlem Shake® franchise family – and our very first franchisee from Harlem! This opening is about more than just great food. It’s about community, purpose, and coming full circle. Chris has spent his...

Harlem Shake Partners with QSR and R, LLC for Franchise Expansion Harlem Shake, the iconic fast-casual restaurant inspired by the rich culture and vibrant flavors of Harlem, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with QSR and R, LLC, a leading design and build firm specializing in quick-service restaurant concepts. This collaboration marks a key milestone in Harlem Shake’s national franchise expansion efforts.  Founded to celebrate the spirit of Harlem...

Celebrating Women’s History Month with Harlem Shake®: Honoring Women Who Inspire Change  This Women’s History Month, we’re excited to celebrate the incredible women who have shaped our communities in profound ways. From trailblazers in entertainment and politics to everyday heroes making a difference, women continue to inspire change and push boundaries in every field imaginable.  As we reflect on the power of women throughout history, we also recognize the importance...

The Benefits of Opening a Fast-Casual Franchise in 2025 As we enter into the first few months of 2025, there is no better time than the present to start taking on your ambitious dreams. So why wait to take that leap into entrepreneurship when Harlem Shake offers the chance to build a thriving business while giving you the tools you need to succeed? The start of the year is the...

The Hot Mess burger from Harlem Shake Harlem Shake Jelena Pasic, a New York City transplant from Croatia, and Harlem resident DarDra Coaxum founded this old-fashioned burger shop, which opened in 2013 at West 124th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard in central Harlem. Harlem Shake, named after the dance created by Al B. (Albert Boyce), features an homage-to-Harlem atmosphere and a menu designed by chef and food writer J. Kenji...

Fast-Casual Restaurant Franchising Made Simple: The Harlem Shake Advantage  The food industry is continuing to grow at an astronomical rate, which means there is no better time to open a fast-casual franchise. Harlem Shake offers a unique opportunity to be a part of this booming market combining a unique retro vibe with the appeal of classic American favorites— burgers, hot dogs, fries, and shakes.  No matter where you go, a...

From The Page to Profit: Why Your Burger Franchise Menu Matters When you open a restaurant you dream of all sorts of things. How will it look? How will your staff dress? What kind of music are you going to play? What is the vibe you are trying to project? There are a million things to consider. One of the most important and ever-evolving decisions you will make is what...

Why Harlem Shake Stands Out Among Top Burger Chains Top Burger Chains and the Unique Charm of Harlem Shake’s Nostalgic Appeal The neighborhood burger joint is a staple of every community. It is a destination for first dates., or a heart-to-heart. It is a place to visit when the family is in from out of town. It’s a place where teenagers can go hang-out. It is a place where everyone...

  Burger Franchise Cooking Up the American Dream: Owning a Harlem Shake® When we conjure the idea of the quintessential American cuisine, there are few menu items that come to mind more abundantly than the burger. Let’s face it, a burger usually comes with fries and no classic American burger meal would be complete without a delicious milkshake. This is why the burger franchise has become an iconic representation of...

Looking Beyond the Restaurant Franchise for Sale: Why Support Matters Researching a restaurant franchise for sale and taking the first steps toward ownership can be exciting. However, before teaming with a brand, a potential owner should look closely at the franchise’s approach toward support and how they work to back their owners. Support that begins on day one Buildout assistance to get the owner up and operating Seasoned support, with...

Starting a Business in New York: The Facts Starting a business in New York can be an exciting moment for a new franchise owner, allowing them to turn their dreams of being their own boss into reality. It can place their product or service in front of millions of potential buyers and elevate their brand. To give a new franchise its best chance when starting a business in New York,...

Finding the Top Franchise Opportunities in NY: A Guide New York is famous for its business environment and boundless energy, and that helps make franchise opportunities in NY an appealing option for a potential owner. The city has long been the nation’s center of commerce and has helped launch some of the most enduring brands on the scene. It can be easier than you might think to identify the ideal...

The Hard Facts About Owning the Best Hamburger Franchise The ‘Hamburger Franchise’ sector stands out as one of the most dynamic and promising domains for aspiring franchise owners to kickstart their journey. In this ever-evolving landscape, Hamburger Franchise opportunities offer a compelling and potentially lucrative path to success. From classic brands like In-N-Out Burger, Farmer Boys, Jack in the Box, and Burger King to newer burger chains like Mooyah Burgers...

How to Build the Best Burger Franchise Harlem Shake® opened our first location a little over a decade ago, and in that time, we’ve developed a reputation as one of the best burger franchises around wherever we set up shop. Customers love the Harlem Shake® experience from start to finish and come back with their friends to enjoy it again. It’s all part of our plan for the future at...