Simon's Burger

Simon's Burger
TypePrivate
IndustryFast-food restaurants
Founded1 September 2022; 4 years ago (2022-09-01) in Budapest, Hungary
Founders
  • Simon Tóth
  • Máté Tóth
HeadquartersSzervita tér 8,
Budapest
,
Hungary
Number of locations
29 (as of 2026)
Area served
Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Austria, United States
Key peopleSimon Tóth and Máté Tóth (co-CEOs)
ProductsHamburgers, French fries, milkshakes
Number of employees
c. 450
Websitesimonsburger.hu
A Simon's Burger restaurant in Budapest

Simon's Burger is a Hungarian fast-food restaurant chain specialising in smash burgers. It was founded in 2022 by brothers Simon Tóth and Máté Tóth, and is named after the former. As of 2026, the chain operates 29 restaurants in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Austria.

History

According to the founders, they first encountered the smash burger technique during a trip to the United States. The company was established on 1 September 2022, and its first restaurant opened on 23 October 2022 on Október 6 Street in Budapest. The company later began to expand through franchising.

In 2023, the founders appeared on the Hungarian version of Shark Tank (Cápák között), broadcast by RTL.

The company subsequently expanded to other European markets. Under the name Smashy, it opened a restaurant in New York City.

On 14 June 2026, the company opened its first drive-through restaurant in Mohács.

On 12 September 2026, Simon's Burger opened its first restaurant in Romania, in Cluj-Napoca.

The menu consists mainly of smash burgers, French fries and milkshakes. For the burgers, the patties are pressed flat on a griddle during cooking, which produces a browned crust.

Locations

As of 2026, Simon's Burger operates 26 restaurants in Hungary, including 11 in Budapest and its agglomeration and others in cities such as Debrecen, Győr, Pécs, Szeged and Miskolc. Outside Hungary, it has one restaurant each in Košice (Slovakia), Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Parndorf (Austria).

Marketing

The company uses social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok for marketing. It uses a mascot named Jimmy Jam, which appears at restaurant openings and in social media content.

Hungarian media have compared the chain's branding to that of the American chain Five Guys; Five Guys uses a predominantly red-and-white colour scheme, whereas Simon's Burger uses green and white.

Recognition

In 2025, Forbes Hungary featured the founders on its cover. Simon Tóth received the Future Manager Special Award for 2024 from the Hungarian National Association of Managers and the Foxconn Group.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Five Guys Budapesten? A Simon's Burger hozott egy kis Amerikát" [Five Guys in Budapest? Simon's Burger brought a bit of America]. Bphirek.hu (in Hungarian). 29 October 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  2. ↑ ""Mint Puskás vagy Rubik" – New Yorkba tart a magyar burger" ["Like Puskás or Rubik" – the Hungarian burger is heading to New York]. RTL.hu (in Hungarian). 30 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  3. ↑ Szabó, Gyula (28 February 2025). "Bejelentést tettek a Simon's Burger tulajdonosai, irány New York" [Simon's Burger owners make an announcement: next stop New York]. Index.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Ács, Gábor (6 September 2025). "New Yorkban már idén meglesz az egymillió dollár, egy lapon említenek minket a konkurenciával" [In New York we will reach one million dollars this year, and we are mentioned alongside the competition]. Forbes Hungary (in Hungarian). Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  5. ↑ S., Bence (24 January 2026). "Mohácson nyithatja meg első autós éttermét a Simon's Burger" [Simon's Burger may open its first drive-through restaurant in Mohács]. 7300.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  6. ↑ Tet, Ana (12 September 2026). "1.000 de cheeseburgeri gratis la Cluj: rivalul McDonald's pentru care clienții au stat la coadă de la 1:30 noaptea a deschis primul restaurant din România" [1,000 free cheeseburgers in Cluj: the McDonald's rival that customers queued for from 1:30 a.m. has opened its first restaurant in Romania]. Libertatea (in Romanian). Retrieved 13 September 2026.
  7. ↑ "Új szintre lépett a magyar gyorsétteremlánc – itthon nem lesz konkurenciájuk" [The Hungarian fast-food chain has reached a new level – it will have no competition at home]. Világgazdaság (in Hungarian). 8 November 2025. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  8. ↑ Kis, Judit (3 September 2025). "Simonék egy fagyis triciklivel indultak, ma övék a legnagyobb magyar burgerlánc, és nem tudnak mellélőni" [Simon and his brother started with an ice cream tricycle; today they own the largest Hungarian burger chain and can't go wrong]. Forbes Hungary (in Hungarian). Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "A Menedzserszövetség és a Foxconn Csoport közös Jövő Menedzsere Különdíj 2024. évi kitüntetettje: Tóth Simon, a Simon's Burger alapító, tulajdonosa" [The recipient of the 2024 "Future Manager" Special Award, presented jointly by the Association of Managers and the Foxconn Group, is Simon Tóth, founder and owner of Simon’s Burger] (in Hungarian). Remind.hu. 5 July 2025. Retrieved 5 October 2026.