The build-your-own-burger group will open in Glasgow in June, followed by the launch its fast casual sister brand Built in London.
Property investment firm Daniel Johns has acquired the franchise rights to the chain in England and Scotland, and plans to invest £20m over the next five years to drive its expansion.
“We often find that international travellers take a special interest in our US locations, so it only made sense to bring that excitement of the build-your-own burger concept to their markets,” says Jeff Weinstein, founder of The Counter.
The Counter offers a checklist-style clipboard menu with a choice of meats including beef, bison and crab with a selection of 34 toppings, 12 cheeses and 11 types of bun.
It is the latest in a string of American ‘better burger’ concepts to launch in the UK, with BurgerFi, Five Guys, Shake Shack and Smashburger all vying for a niche in the UK’s booming burger market.
“Glasgow and London are the first of several locations planned for UK and we can’t wait to bring The Counter and Built to other parts of the country,” says Khalid Iqbal, director of Daniel Johns.
The Counter was founded in California in 2003 and has since expanded to more than 40 locations in the USA and Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Ireland and Ghana.