Burgerville

Seattle NEEDS YOU NOW!

So you're driving down I-5 to some place like Portland. The food choices are the usual. McDonald's, Taco Time, Jack in the Box and whatever. You wonder to yourself – ‘Wouldn't it be nice if there was a place to get food fast that was somewhat health conscious?' You round the bend in Centralia and there it is on the blue FOOD sign – Burgerville? Hmmm - something different – you've never seen that one in Seattle. You pull out and give it a try.

The first thing you notice is the menu that features seasonal fare like Walla Walla onion rings, blackberry shakes and rosemary fries. You look closer. The majority of ingredients are sourced fresh locally. How can this be at a fast food store? This must be something new, you think.

In fact, it's not that new at all and people in these parts have been enjoying healthy food fast at Burgerville for a number of years.

Burgerville got their start back in 1961 when George Propstra, the son of a Dutch immigrant, opened the first store in Vancouver after working with his father at their family-run Vancouver creamery. Propstra insisted that Burgerville serve fresh food purchased from local businesses and the company continues to do so today.

The Vancouver, Washington, company is still in the family, with Propstra's son-in-law Tom Mear acting as the Chairman. Now 39 stores strong, they employ more than 1,500 people and have locations as far north as Centralia, south to Salem and east to The Dalles. The comical billboard as you drive east on I-84 is "Last Burgerville for 24,337 miles." You'd better pull out now!

The food is decidedly different from other chains. The meat used is all locally range-fed beef raised without hormones and antibiotics. In addition to the Walla Walla onion rings, the company rotates through a number of other mains and sides including a vegetarian Yukon and white bean basil burger, sweet potato fries, Yukon Gold waffle fries and Panko portabella wedges. Milkshakes are seasonally made using hazelnuts, fresh pumpkins, fresh raspberries, fresh strawberries and fresh blackberries. The cheese on the burgers comes from Oregon's Tillamook Creamery and there's a minimum of four salads and four smoothies to choose from year around. I know – I know – go out to the car and drive to Centralia now!

And it's not just good, locally-sourced food made well that stands out at Burgerville. The company has been on a major push to move all its waste to compostable products. The latest and last big hurdle just arrived with compostable soda cups and lids (see photo above). In addition, all stores are run on wind power and all canola oil is recycled to be used in the manufacturing of biodiesel.

Back to the trip on I-5. It's time to go home now. You drive north and make one last stop at Burgerville and then get back to Seattle – where you're hung out to dry! Here your choices are Dick's, Kidd Valley, Zippy's and the other usual players. None of whom are on the same playing field as Burgerville.

The closest they'll get anytime soon is an occasional visit from their Nomad Truck. Not good enough!

Burgerville – SEATTLE NEEDS YOU NOW!

All photos courtesy of Burgerville

Tom Mehren/March 2010