Only in New York can you get an epic burger for less than the cost of a subway ride.
A recent episode of the Munchies show Word of Mouth takes viewers inside Jubilee Marketplace in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The craft and trade grocery store also houses a café called 20 Grams, home of the $2.55 cheeseburger.
Word about the cheap eats got out after Righteous Eats posted a video about the steal, which quickly went viral.
“The next day, we had so many customers come to support,” owner Young Kim told VICE. “I was very grateful and overwhelmed and overworked. Just in a weekend, I think we did close to 4,000 burgers.”
Now, the restaurant has served upwards of 100,000 burgers to rave reviews. One local called the burger “a steal,” while a French tourist noted that he traveled from Manhattan just to try the “really tasty” sandwich.
So what makes it so great?
“It’s really like the old school cheeseburger that they used to make, but with our twist,” Kim said. “We use Martin potato buns, we use local beef that’s grass-fed, just high quality ingredients. Within that patty, we put garlic confit made in-house, our special sauce, and American cheese with thinly sliced onions and pickles that we get locally from Jersey.”
Samantha Casale gave a cheeseburger-making tutorial, explaining that each sandwich is cooked for four minutes, shaped with a cast iron smash, and topped with plenty of salt.
As for whether 20 Grams makes money on the inexpensive fare, the answer is both yes and no. The cheeseburger costs $1.92 to produce, but the business only nets 5 cents per sandwich, with rent and labor costs factored in.
“We don’t need to make money on every single item in the store,” Kim said. “If it’s a feel-good item where everyone can enjoy, why not? Customers, while they’re waiting for their burger after they’ve placed their order they’ll come down and shop at our market downstairs, grab a soda or beverage on their way out.
If burgers aren’t your thing, at 20 Grams, you can snag a $3 bacon egg and cheese sandwich, 20 different types of ramen, or an order of wings.
“It’s perfect for the kids after school stopping by or the construction guys that are working nearby,” Kim said. “I just wanted it to be a space for everybody.”
The post Mind-Blowing Cheeseburgers at this NYC Restaurant Are Just $2.55 appeared first on VICE.
The post Mind-Blowing Cheeseburgers at this NYC Restaurant Are Just $2.55 appeared first on VICE.
