Burger time: Food festival brings booming business to Moncton restaurant industry
It's been a very busy week at Cheers Beverage Room in Moncton.
Hundreds of patties have been slapped on the grill and served up for the fifth annual Moncton Burger Festival.
With close to 50 restaurants participating this year and 47 different burgers available, the beef bonanza is bigger than ever.
"It's something amazing," said Jennifer Somers, co-owner of Cheers. "It's something spectacular where the whole community comes together and they just thrive on burgers for 17 days. It's so awesome. It brings new people in, it brings regulars in, they're excited for the new burgers that people are putting out."
Festival organizer and Tide & Boar owner Chad Steeves started it all as way for eateries in town to make extra money during the slowest time of the year for the industry.
His inspiration came from seeing other cities in the Maritimes holding similar festivals.
The secret to the festival's success is a great meal, a good time with friends, and something pretty simple.
"You know, it's the old school advertising," said Steeves. "You open up that burger map and you just sit there and you go 'whoa!' You see all these burgers all in one spot. People get really excited. Plus, burgers are one of the most popular foods in North America."
But it's not just a fun time for foodies. It also helps keep staff members busy and doors open during a bleak time of year.
Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton CEO John Wishart said it brings people out in the middle of winter.
"We heard of one restaurant that sold 200 burgers in the first day of the festival. So 200 burgers times 20 bucks a burger, that's $4,000 in the till in a single day. That's a huge difference," said Wishart.
Steeves said the festival even saved businesses during the pandemic when restaurants weren't allowed to have patrons inside, but could still do take-out.
"Those three weeks of the festival during the pandemic it was like, we weren't closed down, it was all to-go. It was a whole new sector to us. We were packed and slammed and giving people hours paying bills we weren't sure we were going to be able to pay," said Steeves.
Lunchtime customers at Cheers weighed in on what makes a good burger.
"The cheese, the bun, if it's all quality it's good," said Lawren Campbell. "But if you're gonna start to combine a bunch of stuff it's got to be the right blend of those flavours. A little bit of sweet with that savory."
Kenny McKeigan thinks it's the juiciness of the burger.
"The quality of the meat with the juice in the burger. That's what makes a good quality burger," said McKeigan.
Adam Craig said he prefers to keep it simple.
"Meat, cheese and a bun and if they're good enough it doesn't need anything else," said Craig.
Somers said it all starts with a good patty.
"You've got to have good meat. Good meat, good sauce, good bun and a little bit of a crunch," said Somers.
The Moncton Burger Festival runs until Jan. 28.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.