Get More Customers by Copying this Burger Place in BGC that’s only Open 6 Hours a Day
How reducing your opening hours can boost sales and cut costs in your restaurant business.
BGC’s restaurant scene is oversaturated to say the least.
One of the tightest F&B competition here is the burger scene. From “Fast food Kariton-Patties” to “Ultra-luxury A5 Wagyu Patties”, the burger selection in BGC are endless!
Having 9 burger places in the same block forced business owners to be creative. Easier said than done but there’s not much you can do to a meal that only has 3 components.
First —and most important— is the patty or the meat.
Second —what most amateur restaurants ignore— is the bun.
Third —where amateurs focus most— is anything besides the first and second one.
That’s why when it comes to ‘Burgers’ you’ve probably seen it all.
This burger place in BGC understood that.
Their lightbulb (spoiler alert!) moment: “why not complicate our ordering process?”
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, I’m not paid to do this article but I sure hope I was though.
INTRODUCING: GREENLIGHT BURGERS
I have tried their burger once. I liked it. BUT! We’re not here to talk about the burger.
We’re here to talk about their gimmicky concept that honestly irritated the hell out of me.
I might not like the concept but this place sells burgers like fishballs!
Corporate employees are willing to stand long queues and waste minutes of their precious lunch break to get a taste of their meat.
Are their burgers really that special? NOPE.
WHAT’S THE DEAL THEN??
It’s from that Filipino-American chef Alvin Cailan — the guy behind Eggslut and Umami Burger abroad.
Here in BGC, they do simple smash burgers. Thin patties with crispy edges, decent buns, and three sauce options: red (classic), yellow (mustard thing), and green (their fresh/herby one that people seem to like).
Fries are crispy, menu is super limited, no crazy add-ons or milkshakes. Just straight-up burgers that cost around ₱350-₱650.
People say the patties are juicy and flavorful, buns hold up okay. Solid, but not mind-blowing for the price.
It’s good… but the hype is mostly from the gimmick, not the food itself.
Their weird schedule + scarcity trick
You can only order from them 12-3pm and 6-8pm (or until they sell out, which happens fast).
They even have this green light outside hence greenlight burgers….Green means they’re still open and cooking, red means closed or sold out.
For what ever reason, it works!
Scarcity makes people lose their minds. Office workers line up early, FOMO kicks in, and suddenly everyone wants what they might not be able to get.
That limited-time thing turns a normal burger into something “exclusive.”
Smart, but annoying when you’re the one standing in line in this summer heat.
Should you copy this in your business?
If you’re far from BGC, yeah give it a try.
Limit your hours, cap your daily items, or create some visual signal that shows when you’re available.
It builds hype, creates urgency, and gets people talking without spending tons on ads.
Here’s my opinion though..
No gimmick can keep a business open forever. At the end of the day, only a good product saves a business.
Scarcity might drag people in the door the first few times, but if your burger (or whatever you’re selling) is just meh, they won’t keep coming back. Gimmicks are there to help —free initial attention from this very saturated market. If you’re in the FOOD industry then it means the food has to do the heavy lifting.
Greenlight Burgers gets this balance right for now. The concept irritated the hell out of me, but I still see the lines forming.
If that amounts to anything.
Would I queue again? Probably not. But I respect the game they’re playing.