Back Yard Burgers

Back Yard Burgers is a regional quick-service burger concept centered on flame-grilled burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, baked potatoes, salads, and classic sides. Its restaurants lean into a backyard cookout feel, with burgers cooked over an open flame, specialty toppings, hand-dipped milkshakes, and rotating limited-time flavors that help the brand stand out from larger national competitors. Most locations are designed for convenience and speed, with drive-thru service and a menu that supports steady traffic from lunch through dinner.

The company was founded in 1987 by Lattimore Michael, who opened the first Back Yard Burgers in Cleveland, Mississippi. From that single store, the concept grew through franchising across the Mid-South and Southeast during the late 1980s and 1990s. A notable milestone came in 2007, when private equity firm BBAC LLC acquired Back Yard Burgers and pushed further franchise growth. The brand later entered Chapter 11 in 2012 and emerged with a smaller, more focused system, concentrating on markets where it already had a loyal following.

As of February 2024, Back Yard Burgers operates 36 locations across several Southern states, including Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and North Carolina, with a strong presence in and around Memphis and other mid-sized markets. The system includes both franchised and company-operated restaurants, typically in free-standing or endcap units with drive-thru lanes, and in some cases co-located with convenience or travel centers. This scale and format make the brand a familiar presence in secondary and tertiary markets where drive-thru demand is high and regional operators play a central role in the retail mix.

Over roughly the last five years, Back Yard Burgers has focused less on broad national expansion and more on strengthening its core footprint. Following its restructuring, the company has invested in menu updates, refreshed branding, and store-level remodeling to keep the concept current while preserving its regional identity. Growth has been selective and franchise-led, with operators adding units in markets where Back Yard Burgers already has awareness and repeat customers. As of February 2024, the brand is selectively expanding within its Southern base, prioritizing Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, North Carolina, and adjacent Southeastern states, with an emphasis on infill and disciplined, market-by-market development.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, Back Yard Burgers represents a long-standing regional tenant with nearly four decades of operating history, a drive-thru-centric format, and a measured approach to growth. Its current strategy favors markets where the brand is already known, which can support stable performance in established trade areas while still offering room for new units in underserved pockets of its core region.