CaliBurger’s the new kid in town

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Photo by Paige Bush
Photo by Paige Bush

A nice burger when youโ€™re a little hungover or havenโ€™t gotten enough sleep is the perfect meal to usher you into your midday nap. At least, that was my plan as I walked over to University Commons Plaza, right across from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Ironically, the first ever CaliBurger in Canada has taken the place of what was formerly โ€œRunnerโ€™s Choice,โ€ a symbolic reminder Iโ€™d spent more time on the north side of University and King eating rather than in the gym running.

Snapping me out of my contemplation, I was welcomed by a manager who immediately started telling me about the CaliBurger franchise.

Aware of the demographic around University and King, Caliburgerโ€™s marketers reached out to The Advertising Project, Lazaridis Studentsโ€™ Societyโ€™s student-run advertising club, to assist in developing promotional material for their opening. The club had experience dealing with small business and non-profits, but they were excited to work with a larger franchise.

I sat down with Ryan Price, vice-president of accounts at The Advertisement Project and the main contact with the marketing group for CaliBurger.

โ€œThey thought, which I agree with, that the best way to reach students is through other students,โ€ said Price.

A logical move that made me wonder why other restaurants hadnโ€™t done the same thing.

โ€œTo be honest, I think companies either donโ€™t believe in the capabilities of students or that something like The Advertisement Project even exists. I think a lot of companies forget that theyโ€™re around two universities that have thousands and thousands of students,โ€ said Price.

The partnership is intended to be beneficial for both sides. CaliBurger will get The Advertisement Projectโ€™s expertise free of charge, while members of the club receive valuable experience and the opportunity to help the community.

โ€œWe donโ€™t do it to make money,โ€ said Price. โ€œWe do it for experience like this. So students can put it on their resumes to help them get to where they want to be.โ€

cali burger 2 (Paige Bush) online
Photo by Paige Bush

While in CaliBurger, I took a look at what they could offer the Laurier demographic. What stuck out was their emphasis on technology.

By downloading the CaliBurger smartphone application, youโ€™re able to play games and compete with other customers on a massive television screen.

As I went to place my order, the price was displayed on an iPad. A couple people were using portable chargers given out at the front desk. This is all part of a strategy to brand the store as being โ€œwith the times.โ€

Yet, the University Commons location does a good job of balancing out all the electronics. A spacious layout invites eaters to dine in and the light-brown wood table offsets all the electronic screens.

In terms of the food itself, CaliBurger knows that itโ€™s a fast food burger spot and doesnโ€™t pretend not to be. They donโ€™t offer insane twists nor do they provide many healthy alternatives.ย  The menu is straightforward, with four highlighted combos. I rolled with the first one โ€” the CaliDouble.

My CaliDouble featured two juicy patties resting on a satisfying amount of fresh lettuce and tomatoes. Yet, itโ€™s the nuances that made it above average. The โ€œCali Sauceโ€ was tasty and didnโ€™t overwhelm the meat, my personal favorite touch was an onion cushioned between the patties, ensuring I got all the flavors with every bite. Extra points for a burger that ensures the last bite has everything you tasted in your first bite.

CaliBurger serves long and skinny fries that arenโ€™t spectacular. In order to add some flare, they offer them in โ€œCali Style,โ€ which includes a couple slices of cheese and grilled onions on top. The main attraction is definitely the burger, albeit, at the price of around $14 for a combo.

Overall, the whole dine-in experience was satisfying. Fueled by the anticipation of their opening, the managers and employees were talking to everybody at the event trying to get feedback. They seemed to understand that in the food business, first impressions are everything.


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Serving the Waterloo campus, The Cord seeks to provide students with relevant, up to date stories. Weโ€™re always interested in having more volunteer writers, photographers and graphic designers.