b. good

b. good is a fast casual restaurant concept that serves burgers, grain bowls, salads and smoothies, with an emphasis on simple ingredients and a mix of healthier choices alongside familiar comfort food. The brand often works with local and regional suppliers and keeps its menu focused on items that perform well for both on-premise dining and digital orders. As of October 2022, the chain operated about 25 company and franchise locations in the Northeastern United States and select Canadian markets, reflecting a smaller, more concentrated footprint than in prior years.

The company was founded in 2004 by childhood friends Anthony Ackil and Jon Olinto, who opened the first restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts. Their idea was to create a more transparent, “better-for-you” take on the classic burger spot at a time when that positioning was still relatively new. Early growth centered on Greater Boston and other New England markets, where the brand built awareness around its burgers and sides and its partnerships with nearby farms and producers.

Over time, b. good expanded beyond its original burger focus. By the late 2010s it had grown to roughly 70 locations across multiple U.S. states and Canada. During this period the menu broadened to include grain bowls, salads and seasonal vegetable-forward offerings, allowing the chain to appeal to lunch, dinner and snack occasions and to attract guests looking for both indulgent and lighter options. This evolution helped position b. good as a flexible fast casual tenant that can draw traffic throughout the day rather than relying solely on a single meal period.

A notable milestone came in 2018, when Canadian multi-brand franchisor MTY Food Group Inc. acquired b. good and folded it into its larger portfolio of restaurant concepts. Under MTY’s ownership, the brand entered a period of operational streamlining. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift away from broad, multi-state expansion toward a more selective approach. Many underperforming or non-core locations were closed, and the chain retrenched around markets where it had the strongest recognition, particularly in New England and in a handful of Canadian provinces. As of October 2022, MTY reported that approximately 25 b. good restaurants remained open systemwide, a significant reduction from the pre-pandemic peak but a more manageable base for focused operations.

In the last five years, the brand’s evolution has been less about planting flags in new markets and more about refining its existing platform. The current strategy emphasizes maintaining profitable core units, supporting digital ordering and off-premise sales through a streamlined menu, and making selective real estate decisions that align with MTY’s broader portfolio strategy. New unit activity appears opportunistic rather than aggressive, with particular attention to sites in Greater Boston, other New England urban and suburban areas, and those Canadian regions where the brand already operates.

For landlords, brokers and developers, b. good represents a smaller but established fast casual player with name recognition in its core territories and experience operating in both dense urban neighborhoods and high-traffic suburban centers. Typical locations fit within inline and end-cap restaurant space that can benefit from strong daytime populations, nearby offices, medical facilities or universities, and a consumer base that is receptive to health-leaning but approachable dining. The brand’s reset to a tighter, more rationalized footprint under a large, experienced parent company positions it as a disciplined, stability-focused tenant that is more likely to pursue selective, well-matched sites than broad, speculative rollouts.