Ryan M. Zink loves onions. As CEO of a small burger chain, he has the power to put them on the menu. So he and his culinary director, who’s also amorous of alliums, dreamed up the West Slope Burger.
“This burger that he and I enjoy has a full cross-section of onion on it,” Zink said. “I guess we like to cry. It’s a strong flavor.”
Zink leads Good Times, Colorado’s homegrown hamburger brand, and its sit-down sister Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar. Ironically, given the aforementioned creation, there are no locations of either brand on Colorado’s Western Slope. The first Good Times opened in Boulder in 1987. Today, the company is headquartered in Golden.
Zink lunched with Colorado Matters Senior Host Ryan Warner at the Good Times in Highlands Ranch, formerly a Burger King, to discuss what it is like to be a bambino among burger behemoths like McDonald’s and, yes, Burger King.
Here are four takeaways, edited for length and clarity.
On extreme discounting by Good Times’ competitors
We use an all-natural product. That product costs more than conventional beef. For us to deliver something at that [$5] price point is just not possible. So we compete based on the quality and the value of our product, not just on the price. But at the end of the day, it's a burger in a fast food drive-through. So there's the price reality no matter what. And as the economy has softened a bit, we know people are watching their pocketbooks. We've seen some trade down, as we haven't been able to reduce our prices or offer discounts as much as the big guys.
On why there are no Good Times locations beyond the northern Front Range
I would say whether it's the High Country or even as you go to the Western Slope, the availability of workers becomes a challenge. Staffing restaurants has become incredibly difficult, even in the Denver Metro, but in much higher cost of living areas, such as the High Country, or out in less-populated areas, that becomes even more of a challenge.
I think Colorado Springs is an interesting market. We used to be there, this was years ago, and I think the sites we selected may not have been the best. I wasn't here, so I can't really speak to what happened. Colorado Springs is an interesting market as we look to the future, but I think probably within Colorado, we definitely remain a Front Range brand – up through Fort Collins.
On why most Good Times are drive-up, not dine-in
Of the 30 Good Times, 22 are drive-through-only with patios. This is one of eight with a formal dining room, if you will. Not so formal, but a purposeful dining room. There was a time we believed we needed dining rooms to be successful. Ultimately, I think what we found is that the drive-through model was more successful. Certainly, as the pandemic hit, that clearly was a benefit for our concept. But even now, throughout the industry, you see other concepts adding drive-through windows, even ones that traditionally did not do that before. That's where we see our future, is primarily in the drive-through and walk-up space.
On Hatch versus Pueblo chile
Somehow I knew this question was coming. I think that's a very polarizing question with, probably, a very polarizing answer. One is supply, but two is just a general taste alignment with the product. We think that people, unfortunately, know Hatch Valley. And while they certainly know Pueblo Green chiles as well, that's merely the selection we've made for our breakfast burritos.
