Amid backlash, BurgerIM opens Oak Park location Monday with free burger offer

A fast-growing burger chain will open another metro area location on Monday, even as controversy continues over its roots.

BurgerIM, a nationwide chain known for its gourmet mini burgers, will open a location in Oak Park owned by a local franchisee. The burgers are slightly larger than a slider burger with a build-your-own concept.

Located at 24740 Greenfield Road, the Oak Park restaurant will open at 11 a.m. and is celebrating with a buy-one-get-one offer. It’s available all day for the chain's classic burger.

A grand reopening of the renovated Bingham Farms shop at 30754 Telegraph Road takes places Oct. 21, with the same buy-one-get-one offering of its classic burgers — the 3 ounce slider size. 

And that’s not all. From Oct. 14-Oct. 21, customers who join their rewards program or current rewards program members have a chance to enter to win free burgers for a year at Bingham Farms, Livonia, Oak Park and Royal Oak locations. One winner will receive one burger (either a one-third or one-quarter pound burger or a duo) a month for free. 

All four locations are all certified halal, which is the Arabic word meaning “permitted” and, with food, it also refers to Islamic dietary laws requiring a prescribed method of slaughter. 

Franchisee Sam Zahr said the Oak Park location will also offer Unbun Foods, grain-free, keto-friendly buns as an option. Oak Park will be the first Michigan location to have them. The buns are a low-carb alternative with 5 grams of net carbs and 12 grams of fiber.

Hours for BurgerIM in Oak Park are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.  

BurgerIM, which translates to "many burgers" in Hebrew, specializes in mini, quarter and third-pound  burgers. According to the online menu, other offerings are grilled or crispy chicken, Hawaiian salmon, falafel and Greek lamb.

Among the side selections are BurgerIM fries that are shaped more like a thick potato chip and sweet potato fries. 

BurgerIM is headquartered in Encino, California, but was founded in Israel and its first location opened in 2011 in Tel Aviv.

BurgerIM refers to themselves as “an American-based build-your-own-burger," but the company's Israeli roots have caused controversy in recent months.

Zahr, a Lebanese-American who lives in Dearborn, is also the franchisee of the Bingham Farms and Royal Oak locations. His Redford Township location is expected to open sometime in November. Plans are for that location to be open 24 hours, drive-thru and offer breakfast. 

Zahr had a Dearborn location in the works, but eventually decided against it because of a boycott opposing its opening in that community, which has a large Muslim population.

Amer Zahr — who has no relationship to Sam Zahr — led the Dearborn boycott. He wrote that BurgerIM is "supported by the same state that is responsible for millions of Palestinian refugees, daily home demolitions, the denial of civil rights to non-Jews, indiscriminate bombings of Palestinian neighborhoods, the jailing of Palestinian children, and more.”

Janae Gilliam, executive vice president at BurgerIM, said in an statement that BurgerIM is "an inclusive brand, with a team comprised of all kinds of cultures." 

"In Dearborn, this American dream was threatened because of misinformation about our company's roots. We are a U.S.-based company with no ties to Israel today, and we are committed to serving diverse neighborhoods throughout the U.S., including Southeast Michigan, in the months and years to come."

Although the Dearborn location never opened, Sam Zahr said he is still feeling the pain of the boycott. He is still paying for the lease on the Dearborn location but is trying to work something out with the building owner. In addition, he's already had all the contract work such as plumbing and electrical done in Dearborn and pulled city permits. Zahr estimates he's lost about $170,000 on the Dearborn location. 

“I am facing an organized campaign against us,” he said. “They are giving us bad reviews even on places that are not even open yet. We feel like it is a hate crime.”

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Contact food writer Susan Selasky at 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.