S03.E14: Showdown At Standard Burger

[Tara Ariano]

A return to a burger joint in Staten Island reveals that Marcus' systems have been abandoned and the partners are feuding again, making him wonder if this is an investment worth saving.

[Cranky One]

I think Joe had a bit of 'roid rage going on. He also had a dumb haircut and probably waited for Nicky to hit the age of consent before trying to tap that ass. He's lucky her dad didn't kick the shit out of him.

[eddy]

Too bad Marcus could not have started with just the dream team of the franchisee and the chef.  The chef knows how to make an award winning burger, and the franchisee who just joined knows the business, the proper numbers and what the menu should look like.  The rest of the guys don’t bring anything to the party except chaos.  I don't think one or two private discussions with Marcus are going to turn around a hot-head personality.

[KHenry14]

Joe really put the company in legal jeopardy by dating an underling. And his temper is off the charts. He seems proud of his "backbone" when in fact it makes it very hard to be around him. One way or another he had to go, because at some point someone is going to sue him and the company. 

[stormy]

If I heard that crazy gang say, "Joe put his heart and soul into it" one more time, I was going to scream. That's not all he put into it.

What a hot mess. I don't see this ever going well unless Marcus has to tell all of them never to step foot into Standard Burger ever again.

[Corgi-ears]

If I heard that crazy gang say, "Joe put his heart and soul into it" one more time, I was going to scream. That's not all he put into it.

 

 

 

He also put his dick into it. His penis. Is that what we're talking about? The wanker's wanker. Into the business. Amirite? Admittedly, it's a small dick, what with all the 'roids. ALLEGEDLY. 

 

He's going to reach through my computer screen and beat me, isn't he? Because of the 'roid rage. OH WAIT I DID IT AGAIN.

Edited December 2, 2015 by Corgi-ears

[toodles]

$13.95 for a hot dog? Really? Marcus was working the side eye but good. These people were awful.

[Gregg247]

That was kind of painful to watch.  The problem with Standard Burger is that Marcus has 5 business partners, none of whom (aside from the chef) can be relied on to lead the business in any way at all.  These guys are a joke.  Now, the guy who barely shows up once a week at the business is going to be the "interim manager" until a true professional can take over.  Marcus would be much better off buying these bozos out and hiring a professional staff to run the place.

 

And Joe just happened to fire the young employee he'd been dating THAT MORNING, and her father just so happened to show up while the cameras were rolling.  Sorry, but that whole thing felt fake to me.  There was enough drama to the episode without adding all of that nonsense to it.

 

Early on, Marcus said he wanted to "help" in the kitchen.  Then suddenly, there were problems with orders and food wasn't being served correctly, and Marcus tried to blame the systems they had in place.  Then, the kitchen employee flatly stated that it was Marcus' fault because with him behind the counter, everyone else had had to shift positions and adjust tasks to accommodate him! hahaha  In this case, Marcus was the Person messing up the Process!

 

Marcus invited Joe to some fancy restaurant and fired him without feeding him anything.  Then, he invited to other investors to what looked like the same restaurant, told them he'd fired Joe, and didn't feed them either.  Way to bait and switch a bunch of food service guys, Marcus!

 

The potential franchisee seemed very capable and made some good points.  I'm surprised that Marcus hadn't considered a kid's plate for the menu.  I like the addition of hot dogs, rather than the usual chicken fingers or something.  

 

My favorite part of the episode was Marcus explaining how important food costs are, and different methods for bringing those costs down to 30%.  I felt like I was learning something valuable.

[selhars]

If Marcus bailed he'd be out what exactly, and how much? Can't he can take back any equipment he paid for to recoup capitol invested?

 

I know Marcus is the big draw to this deal, and no businessman he's ever pitched has said "no" on camera. ((And for all it's attempt to be honest and no BS I don't think producers or Marcus would allow him to be the one who is turned down on camera.)) Trust me if they knew the franchisee deal wasn't going to be a yes. They never would have gotten to Marcus making that particular pitch on tape. Did you see the way the woman hesitated. Didn't look like she was sure about it to me. The guy either, to be honest. He didn't really seem convinced this concept is ready. Look at all the things they said still needed work? That right there says -- uh, not ready, and wrong partners.

 

CAN Marcus just buy them all out….I think -- HOPE he's figuring out how to get that done…right now. In fact this show might have convinced him that they're done. I hope the next season update on Standard Burger will be he bought them out.

 

I say that because if you were a franchisee, would YOU think these guys and this concept is ready to franchise -- or would even be a GOOD franchise. I can get gourmet burgers anywhere. I was asking the the franchise guy (through the TV so I guess he couldn't hear me:):)) -- WHAT about this makes this a good deal for you. Marcus will have other ideas…I don't' like the Simple Greek outlet idea -- but THAT is more developed and fleshed out than this Standard Burger mess.

 

I KNOW he wants this to work but WHY won't Marcus cut the ties NOW. You mean to tell me he can't find some other burger place besides THESE guys?

Joe wasn't supposed to be day-to-day anymore -- but as along as he's a partner -- Marcus is still in business with a principal player who dated an underling and fired her….AND it got messy like it did. Are you serious.  I'm SHOCKED Marcus doesn't think THAT is worth cutting ties with the whole deal. And the mousy guy who's going to be the interim manager. 1) he didn't step up to do it before…..2) he didn't seem thrilled to do it now…..3) He seems afraid of his own shadow -- and seems to know HE isn't capable of doing the job. He's not confident at all. HE seems to have no idea what would need to be done.

 

Cone om Marcus, really? 

Edited December 2, 2015 by selhars

[caligirl50]

I think Marcus can sort this out. By his own admission on his live videos last night, he was still torn what to do. I would think after this, Marcus and the team assigned to Standard Burger will be watching carefully. 

[Primetimer]

And other not-quite-burning questions about Lemonis's return to Standard Burger.

Read the story

[DaveL723]

It wasn't clear to me why this potential franchisee was even considering taking out a franchise.  What exactly would he be getting for his franchise  fee?  The right to use a very forgettable name and generic decor?  Name recognition, based on what, a single store?  Hamburger recipes?  A wildly successful business model?  Business advice from 5 meat heads?

 

Walk away, Mr Franchisee.  You can do better than this

 

 

[selhars]

^^Exactly, Dave. Exactly WHAT is he getting out of it. At this point IMO there is no business to franchise. They're not successful at the location they have.

The menu isn't set. Lord knows the jokers at Standard Burger have NO corporate support to provide. 

That franchise guy has to be crazy…I question HIS business judgement. I honestly think he felt pressured into a deal because he was on camera.

I hope he has an out clause.

[ethalfrida]

Okay, this show has gotten very boring to me. Don't know if its the same old type of hardheaded owner or what... deleted from show list to record.

Edited December 3, 2015 by ethalfrida

[Amarsir]

Aside from the drama this was a really interesting episode. If they'd cut that out I really enjoyed the stuff about franchisee concerns, location expenses, kids menus, and food costs.

 

Being a Jerseyite myself I was curious about the location, but nothing is listed officially. Of course, given that they were dressed for fall it must have been shot very recently so that doesn't mean anything.

 

So instead I did some snooping based on a deleted scene.  The spot they were looking at for the franchise (not the construction site) is 691 US Highway 1 South in Edison, NJ.  That puts it roughly than 2 miles from where a long-standing Fuddruckers closed a few years ago. More importantly it's about 5 miles from the Woodbridge Center and Menlo Park malls.  Closer and I'd say it's perfect because you get people in a spending mood stopping in for a casual meal. But that location's on the wrong side of connecting highways, so most of the people at the mall would have to go out of their way to get there.  (And it's too expensive for much traffic from nearby Rutgers.)

 

So I don't get it. Unless the deal they signed waives any franchise fee for the first few years, I don't feel like he was getting anything great.

[attica]

Joe really put the company in legal jeopardy by dating an underling.

 

Not to mention his admitting wage theft on camera (and being proud of it)! That bit about requiring employees to do something about the grounds 'before they're allowed to clock in'? Yeah, no. If you're not paying them except for the time they're on the clock, they cannot be required to do work in order to be allowed to clock in. Fuck you right in the ear, Roid Boy. Marcus better hope that NYS Attorney General Schneiderman isn't a fan of the show; he's been riding that horse quite a bit lately.

 

I particularly appreciated the note about how much rent is reasonable to pay for the business. Cap it at 8% of gross revenue! I think it was the $18k a month, rather than the location of the TJMaxx site, that scuttled that deal. And now I understand why no retail business in my work neighborhood seems to last more than a year or two: the rent is too damn high!

[mojito]

Just about every scene Joe was in resulted in his going off the deep end. All the shouting....I thought Marcus would suggest anger management therapy or management skills training. He really needed help.

 

I don't know how he got any blood to his fingertips the way his sleeves were choking his upper arm. The shirt was too narrow. Couldn't he afford larger shirts? He looked like he came straight out of a Popeye cartoon.

 

As for the franchise aspect. I'm guessing that you can get all sorts of franchise agreements that can be limited to name and product but not limited in other ways, like in what else you can serve. I don't know if it's still so, but I recall years ago when Dairy Queen in these parts would sell other foods, depending on who owned the store. I recall one that also sold Chinese food. So perhaps the guy wasn't buying into the whole kit and kaboodle, just the name and main product. 

 

That must be some hamburger for Marcus to go through all of that drama with those guys.

[Jesse]

Not to mention his admitting wage theft on camera (and being proud of it)! That bit about requiring employees to do something about the grounds 'before they're allowed to clock in'? Yeah, no. If you're not paying them except for the time they're on the clock, they cannot be required to do work in order to be allowed to clock in. Fuck you right in the ear, Roid Boy. Marcus better hope that NYS Attorney General Schneiderman isn't a fan of the show; he's been riding that horse quite a bit lately.

 

That's exactly the thing I was going to harp on! Yikes.

[selhars]

 ^^ Marcus should be running away from this. As for the NYS AG…this is low hanging fruit…a gimme…Joe is on tape talking about his alleged activities. But is his favor, he is small potatoes. SO MAYBE not worth the time. But low hanging fruit and an easy case -- could be made to be an example for others. How can you do business with someone who, on national TV, admits to allegedly committing a business kind of irregularity. Marcus always seemed to be the kind of person who never wanted to be anywhere near any hint of illegality, impropriety or even the appearance of such.

I'm disappointed.

 

So perhaps the guy wasn't buying into the whole kit and kaboodle, just the name and main product.

 

Like the name Standard Burger is that known? I don't think so. So what value is there in that?

As for the main product…what's that? The menu isn't even set. It's hamburger with creative kinds of toppings. You don't need to buy a franchise to do that. He's going to buy a franchise fee to put good beef and triple creme brie, and caramelized onions….or smoked goat cheese and  truffles on a brioche?Give me a break.

Edited December 4, 2015 by selhars

[healthnut]

 

And Joe just happened to fire the young employee he'd been dating THAT MORNING, and her father just so happened to show up while the cameras were rolling.  Sorry, but that whole thing felt fake to me.  There was enough drama to the episode without adding all of that nonsense to it.

Seemed fake/scripted to me, too. And unnecessary since Joe provided quite enough fireworks on his own. I don't understand why anyone would want to be franchisee, they don't seem to have their stuff together with and I don't see anything special about their burgers. I definitely do not think this episode was a ringing endorsement for potential franchisees either but Marcus said they'd had 300 applicants...

The plain burger for $5 was hilarious, they really had no clue about food costs. I loved it when Marcus got out a scale and started weighing tomatoes and onions.

[stormy]

I'm disliking this gang of punks so much after seeing both episodes for a second time.

They were after money and Marcus bought into their schtick lock, stock and barrel.  I still don't get why he got involved with them.

In reality, they should have called in Gordon Ramsey or Robert Irvine to fix their failing restaurant.

Neither would have forked over cash.  But both would've probably busted the gang's  asses to get the place running profitably.

[mojito]

 

Like the name Standard Burger is that known? I don't think so. So what value is there in that?

I like to allow for not knowing everything, so there might be more to this story than meets the eye. But even based on what we know, so much of the legal paperwork is already done for the franchisee and there's the matter of health benefits, which a solo owner might not be able to afford. Also, because this company is larger, they have more muscle to drive down the price of meat and other materials. Those are only three reasons to hook up with Standard Burger. Marcus Lemonis' affiliation might be a draw, too.

[caligirl50]

It totally is.  I think that guy signed up for the franchise because he knows he count on Marcus, no matter what state the business was in. And like another poster wrote, this guy had way more experience than the Staten Island guys.

 

I swear this is what I was thinking when watching the episode: This hothead has watched The Sopranos too many times and thinks this is an okay way to behave in business.  

[nobodyyoucare]

A franchise just starting out can be cheaper to get into then a well established one like McDonald's. Also sometimes what the franchiser gets with a brand new chain is exclusive rights for a time to all restaurants in a state or county. So instead of just one this guy could say have several standard burgers in a state or area. 

[BabyVegas]

Not to mention his admitting wage theft on camera (and being proud of it)! That bit about requiring employees to do something about the grounds 'before they're allowed to clock in'? Yeah, no. If you're not paying them except for the time they're on the clock, they cannot be required to do work in order to be allowed to clock in. Fuck you right in the ear, Roid Boy. Marcus better hope that NYS Attorney General Schneiderman isn't a fan of the show; he's been riding that horse quite a bit lately.

Yeah, I actually found this part shocking. Dude said that bit about the grounds proudly and Marcus didn't even blink. I almost thought I must have misheard because Marcus isn't an idiot and surely he must know that requiring employees to do work off the clock is problematic. I think last season Marcus dropped by for an interview with PTV? I'd really love him to come back because I'd reeeeally love to hear why Marcus didn't seem to think that was an issue.

[ClareWalks]

I'm hoping that they are being paid to show up early and walk the grounds, or that they are allowed to enter the building late because they were surveying/picking up the parking lot. I don't know, but yeah, they blew right past that one.

[Lola16]

What a distasteful episode.

[PepperMonkey]

Rewatched this again last night before the new epi and I still don't get why Standard Burger is a good name for a burger joint. Like it's just a standard burger, a good old regular burger, nothing special about it. When they shot the rescue show, I thought the first thing Marcus would do was change the name. Maybe even just flip it, like to "Burger Standard" as in the sign he made them take down about how they set the standard for burgers.

 

Joe and that whole situation did seem scripted. But maybe it was all just editing. If he had just fired the young lady that morning and then her dad just happened to show up on camera, maybe it was because they were filming without ceasing all day so it was easily edited together to look as if it happened all within the same beat. What I still don't understand is why the dad got involved at all. It's not pleasant getting fired and I think the real reason she was upset was because he said she was a shitty employee and no one liked her. I don't honestly think it was because she thought she and Joe were true loves or anything. But why did the father run to the restaurant? What did he want? Did they all just want to beat the shit out of each other?

 

I also thought I heard someone say that the burgers and fries had gotten bad, and I thought that was Sammy. Fuji's brother. Fuji, who was the only one with restaurant experience, who Marcus insisted MUST be made a partner and is STILL the head chef. So if the food has gotten bad, why wasn't that addressed?

 

Finally, the whole thing with the burger with just meat and cheese vs. their regular burger was just stupid. How in the hell could Joe not realize that it was the top seller because of the price? I don't know about this one. Joe's haircut would have been enough for me to back out of the deal with them.

[seacliffsal]

I didn't like these guys the first time they were featured in an episode; a second time is just too much. I really have no idea why Marcus partnered with them in the first place. Could Marcus think these guys are cool or something? There is no reason to join with these guys as none of them seem like they know what they're doing; instead it seems like they actually undermine the business. If he wants a burger joint I'm sure he could find another one.

[Kat-tales]

I'm disliking this gang of punks so much after seeing both episodes for a second time.

They were after money and Marcus bought into their schtick lock, stock and barrel.  I still don't get why he got involved with them.

In reality, they should have called in Gordon Ramsey or Robert Irvine to fix their failing restaurant.

Neither would have forked over cash.  But both would've probably busted the gang's  asses to get the place running profitably.

[Kat-tales]

I agree! The dynamic between the business partners is troubling. I watched how the other 3 watched with odd smirks on their faces while Joe and Sammy went at it time and time again. The business will continue to falter unless this dynamic is addressed.

I think Marcus fell for Sammy's story and the "emotional vulnerability" that Marcus highly values in the business owners he chooses to work with. The family aspect of Sammy creating the business out of gratitude to his brother Fuji for practically raising Sammy seemed to resonate with Marcus. I'm sure Marcus was offended at the way that Fuji was kicked to the curb. The business concept almost seemed secondary to the backstory of Sammy, Fuji, and 3 other guys who supposedly love each other. Hopefully, the new manager that comes on board will have the intestinal fortitude to light a fire under the 3 "silent partners" and get them involved in the business.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Kat-tales

[Amarsir]

I'm disliking this gang of punks so much after seeing both episodes for a second time.

They were after money and Marcus bought into their schtick lock, stock and barrel.  I still don't get why he got involved with them.

I recall catching a bit of an interview with Marcus somewhere where he implied that's one business he's still in but regrets more and more. He only got in because he was pursued so aggressively and it's always been just on that line of "bad, but not walk-away bad".

 

Of course it is drama for the show, which someone in production certainly cares about. Marcus likes to say the cameras are irrelevant but Standard Burger started out with him declaring the messy shed was ruining their business, so maybe he's more of a drama match than the surface would imply.

[caligirl50]

Tweeted by Marcus today:

Big news coming for @StandardBurger things are going to change forever. #TheProfit hates and loves surprises

[Lola16]

Tweeted by Marcus today:

Big news coming for @StandardBurger things are going to change forever. #TheProfit hates and loves surprises

Interesting.

 

It's such a crowded space.  My fave, 5 Guys, added shakes and are seriously pushing them at every opportunity.  Just gimme my burger!

[ae2]

New viewer here, only seen a few episodes of S3. Not sure at all why Marcus invested in these guys in the first place, or why he keeps them around. I know they're all "partners", but he needs to tell every one of them except the chef to get out.

 

The story with the affair was never really resolved? Joe was fired(ish), but did the girl and her dad just walk away? Did they pay her off? If Joe actually fired her THAT day was it to try to hide it from Marcus? That should warrant more than just removing him from day to day duties, which should have happened regardless of drama.

 

Their online menu lists the standard burger at $6 with all the toppings. Overall the prices are more reasonable than what they were discussing on the show during their first episode.

 

Except for the hot dog. There is some serious price anchoring going on that makes the hot dog seem terribly overpriced. Get a great burger for $7-$8, or a hot dog for... $14? Crazy.

[selhars]

OK, so what was the big news that on Jan 31, Marcus said was coming? (IF it's news that the guy that had the temper -- and maybe couple of other of the guys are out….so what. That should have been done before. IF it's that they've got x number of people sign-ed up to franchise, that wouldn't be big news either.  IMO Not hardly. So what was it? Anyone know? I love how people use Twitter to build hyp. And there's no THERE, there. Emperor's New Clothes.

Edited February 12, 2016 by selhars

[Amarsir]

This was rerun last night so I decided to look up the franchisee 18 months later. And there is none. No second location for them and no NJ franchise where the guy was thinking. So either the whole thing was a setup or the guy realized there was no value here.

[DotTV]

From an article last month on Silive.com
 

Quote

 

So long, Hylan Boulevard.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For the award-winning patties at Standard Burger, a Staten Islander can head to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, come July. 

That's when the fast food restaurant, once featured on CNBC's "The Profit," plans to open its new location.  Its flagship operation at 4115 Hylan Blvd., in Great Kills recently closed. 

Long story short, owner Todd Baslin brought in new partner Dimitrios Verteouris in December 2017. 

 

https://www.silive.com/expo/life_and_culture/erry-2018/06/86e61e8ca35385/standard_burger_whats_next_for.html

The article says Lemonis and Sammy are out.

[cooksdelight]

How does Marcus keep this show going?

[DotTV]

1 minute ago, cooksdelight said:

How does Marcus keep this show going?

What do you mean? Marcus has a net worth of $900 million to $1Billion, he gets paid to do the show and the show is a popular show. If some of these investments go awry, I doubt he is materially affected.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I bet the potential franchisee saw the original episode again, and the follow up, saw how jaw dropping the behavior was by the one man (the one the fired girl's father confronted), and the dysfunction, and ran for the hills.  

[cooksdelight]

2 hours ago, DotTV said:

What do you mean? Marcus has a net worth of $900 million to $1Billion, he gets paid to do the show and the show is a popular show. If some of these investments go awry, I doubt he is materially affected.

What I meant was how does anyone want to be on this show and be put under the microsope now that he’s doing all the after-shows and dissecting the previous business owners.

[DotTV]

13 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

What I meant was how does anyone want to be on this show and be put under the microsope now that he’s doing all the after-shows and dissecting the previous business owners.

Oh ok I agree and if you read the post I made which the mods here changed from the The Darkside of the profit? To the profit in the media. If you read the contract which INC. obtained, they say they can edit, dub, humiliate and look to show you in a bad light. You have to be desperate for money or to be on TV.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I believe it's also a pretty standard contract for reality TV.    Non-disclosure, and not spoiling the outcome of the show is almost always required.   I've read that one former reality game show with lots of physical stunts had a waiver that was 50 pages long.     And the home makeover contracts are really interesting, with penalties for not participating after you sign meaning you will be sued for production costs.      

[cooksdelight]

My friends who were on Survivor had an inch-thick stack of paperwork to sign their lives away.

[ae2]

On 8/19/2018 at 2:23 PM, cooksdelight said:

How does Marcus keep this show going?

 

On 8/19/2018 at 2:27 PM, DotTV said:

What do you mean? Marcus has a net worth of $900 million to $1Billion, he gets paid to do the show and the show is a popular show. If some of these investments go awry, I doubt he is materially affected.

On 8/19/2018 at 5:04 PM, cooksdelight said:

What I meant was how does anyone want to be on this show and be put under the microsope now that he’s doing all the after-shows and dissecting the previous business owners.

 

I think the answer is still his net worth of $900 million.

[Jamoche]

On 8/19/2018 at 2:04 PM, cooksdelight said:

What I meant was how does anyone want to be on this show and be put under the microsope now that he’s doing all the after-shows and dissecting the previous business owners.

Dunning-Kruger effect - all of them are thinking "look at those idiots, if I were on the show I'd do so much better and Marcus would love me."

[CrazyInAlabama]

I can't believe Marcus actually thought that this company would ever be scalable to national franchises.   They're competing with a lot of other companies for the franchises, and they can't even manage the store they have without drama, and screaming matches, and confrontations with former employees.     

On the original show they had some unique items, and on the followup they had fewer items than their competition have, and I didn't see any reason why a customer would come back twice.    

Edited November 18, 2018 by CrazyInAlabama

[Arthur Jury]

The gumbah with the bad haircut (Joe) is clearly on steroids and is in a constant 'roid rage.  

Edited January 26, 2019 by Arthur Jury

[CrazyInAlabama]

On the follow up episode, I also hated Joe's firing the waitress he was boinking the day before Marcus showed up.      I can't believe Marcus didn't pull the plug on the entire investment and association after the waitress and the father showed up.     Joe was totally lying about them not having a relationship either.   

Marcus should have dumped them when he went back and saw the Standard Burger menu was now the same as every other local burger joint, and I'm glad the prospective franchisee ran out of there, and didn't sign up with them.      I hope he got a Five Guys franchise instead.     I'm also hoping the local people who saw the followup show saw exactly what type of people were running the place, and went elsewhere.    

According to Yelp, the Staten Island location closed, but there are a few more in NYC that are still open, but have so-so reviews.  

Edited January 26, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama