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Five Guys, Swensons won't be only foes by July 18-19
By Lisa Abraham
Beacon Journal food writer
Published on Wednesday, Jun 03, 2009
If you've noticed that very large Swensons billboard hanging over the Five Guys Burgers and Fries location in Montrose, you may be wondering, as I have, if there is a burger war brewing.
When I questioned Swensons marketing director Patty Palmer about the sign's location, she laughed, ''Isn't that a coincidence?''
Well no, I don't think it was, actually.
Neither did the owner of Five Guys, who was taking her competitor's marketing maneuver in stride.
''We had a big chuckle over it. The first time we heard about it was from some of our customers,'' said Raji Sankar, co-CEO of Wholesome Burger, which owns the local franchise. ''We are quite flattered.''
Both burgers have quite a pedigree.
As Sankar pointed out, Five Guys, which originated in Arlington, Va., has been voted best burger in every community where it has located. ''Our guests and our staff are our walking billboards,'' she said.
Palmer noted Swensons' own claim to fame — a 1999 Forbes magazine article by the late New York Times food critic R.W. Apple, which proclaimed Swensons ''America's best cheeseburger,'' and one of the 35 best restaurants in America.
''We really do think that R.W. Apple, the Akron native, clearly painted the picture of the burger battle in Akron,'' she said.
Soon Swensons and Five Guys won't be the only burger battle brewing in the area, because it's almost time for the Fourth Annual National Hamburger Festival in downtown Akron on July 18 and 19.
Restaurants can battle it out for the best burger title, and for amateur cooks there is the Beacon's Best Burger Contest.
If you think you've got a recipe for a prize-winning burger, make sure you enter.
There are two categories: traditional beef burger, and non-traditional burger made from anything else — veggie, turkey, sausage, bison — be as creative as you want.
The Beacon Journal will select a group of finalists in each category whose recipes will be printed in the Beacon Journal's Food Section on July 15.
The finalists will compete in a cook-off on Sunday afternoon, July 19, live on stage at Lock 3 Park. A panel of professional chefs will put them to the taste test and select a winner in each division.
Winners will receive $100, a plaque, and of course, best burger bragging rights.
When submitting your recipe, make sure to list all ingredients (right down to the salt and pepper) as well as instructions on how to prepare the burger. Be specific, especially when it comes to the type of meat you are using and what percentage of fat it is. If you were a winner or finalist in prior years, you can enter again with a different recipe than you used before.
Entries are limited to one per person per category.
All entries must be received by 5 p.m. July 3. Finalists will be notified by phone on July 6 and 7, and must make themselves available to have their photo taken at the Beacon Journal on July 8 or 9.
And please, don't enter if you can't be at the cook-off on July 19.
There are three ways to submit an entry:
• Mail it to Burger Contest, c/o Lisa Abraham, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640.
• Drop it off at the office, 44 E. Exchange St., Akron, addressed to Burger Contest, c/o Lisa Abraham.
• Or send it by e-mail tolabraham@thebeaconjournal.com, with ''Burger Contest'' in the subject line. We cannot guarantee that we will receive entries sent by e-mail through the Hamburger Festival's Web site.
When preparing an entry, list your full name, address and daytime telephone number, and indicate which category you are entering. Entries without this information won't be considered.
Remember, this contest is for nonprofessional cooks only. There is a separate contest for restaurants and chefs. For details on that competition, visit http://www.hamburgerfestival.com.
Until next week, have fun in the kitchen preparing for your own upcoming burger battles.
Lisa A. Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or labraham@thebeaconjournal.com.
If you've noticed that very large Swensons billboard hanging over the Five Guys Burgers and Fries location in Montrose, you may be wondering, as I have, if there is a burger war brewing.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 03:59 PM, 06/02/2009
five guys does have a pretty good burger with TONS of fries, but nothing beats a galley boy :)
a, o
Posted 04:25 PM, 06/02/2009
Swensons, hands down!!
akron, oh
Posted 04:32 PM, 06/02/2009
anything on the pretzel bun from metroburger!!
medina, oh
Posted 04:46 PM, 06/02/2009
My rating as if anybody cares
Five Guy's 10
Sky Hi at Sky way 8
Swenson's Galley Boy 7.9
Metro Burger 1.0...right about McDonalds
Akron, OH
Posted 05:57 PM, 06/02/2009
Dilly Burger
Jackson, Wi
Posted 10:41 PM, 06/02/2009
We have Five Guys in Wisconsin and they are pretty good. But they can't compete with Swenson's. We don't have Swenson's in Wisconsin. We always stop at Swenson's for a burger when we are back in town. In fact this summer we are modifying our vacation route to Virginia this year to pass through Akron so we can have a Swenson's burger for dinner!
akron, oh
Posted 10:45 PM, 06/02/2009
I dont see that Swensons, Five Guys or Skyway are competing - but maybe they dont have anything to prove.
GO SWENSONS!
Akron, Oh
Posted 11:22 PM, 06/02/2009
I loved Swensons until I tried Metro Burger.
Posted 01:09 AM, 06/03/2009
Swensons & Louie's on North Hill are the best. Metroburger is 3rd. I wasn't impressed with Five Guys at all.
somewhere near you, US
Posted 01:33 AM, 06/03/2009
Swensons has absolutely nothing to worry about with 5 guys.
Posted 05:24 AM, 06/03/2009
$- I agree Louie's freakin' rocks for the burgers.
Canton, OH
Posted 12:13 AM, 06/07/2009
Lindy's in Wadsworth use to have the BEST BURGERS. . .
akron, oh
Posted 05:15 AM, 06/14/2009
Wisconsin has the butter burger at Culvers they are really good!!!!
Akron, OH
Posted 11:08 PM, 06/16/2009
Five Guys is good but it's a smaller Fuddruckers (remember them? . . they closed in this area) at too high prices.
Swensons is the very best, hands down.
