Instant Alert: This Chipotle-style burger chain founded by a former Potbelly executive is gaining a huge following

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   This Chipotle-style burger chain founded by a former Potbelly executive is gaining a huge following by James Kosur on Nov 2, 2015, 11:34 AM Advertisement There's a good chance you haven't heard about Meatheads Burgers & Fries. There are currently only 17 locations for the fast casual dining experience and most of them are located in Illinois.  The chain was founded in 2007 in Bloomington, IL by Tom Jednorowicz, a former executive at Potbelly Sandwich Works and Einstein Bros. Bagels. The burger chains with its Chipotle style menu of customizable choices quickly became a favorite among college students in the area, and rapidly expanded to a second location a few miles away in Normal, IL, the hometown of Illinois State University.  SEE ALSO: This is what it means when you order 'Animal Style' at In-N-Out Burger There are a lot of menu choices but they are setup for customers to easy build their own personalized burger experience. The moment you walk into a Meatheads it's apparent this isn't your typical burger joint. The main menu offers a ton of choices for burger, hot dog, and chicken lovers. But the menu really focuses on burgers.  The list of fresh toppings is impressive and the menu is setup to build your burger in stages. Starting with cheese and then moving onto toppings, sauces, and extra options. After choosing your burger size which includes 1/3 pound, 1/2 pound, and "lil meathead" options, you move on to the toppings. Meatheads offers six types of cheeses that range from traditional american and cheddar to swiss, provolone, bleu cheese, and pepper jack. Each cheese slice is generously cut for a maximum flavor profile.  I ordered "the works" and added giardiniera peppers and sautéed mushrooms along with cheddar cheese.  Meatheads also offers a ton of signature sauces including bacon ranch, bbq, bistro, bleu cheese, and others. The sauces are served on the side, allowing for french fry dipping and burger sharing. You can also add extras such as another patty for $1.50 or applewood smoked bacon and avaocado for $1 each.  Here's the overloaded burger I ordered. I went a little overboard with nine toppings and cheese. I chose the 1/2 pound burger which features two patties.  If you are going to order a lot of toppings I recommend the 1/2 pound burger so the meat still maintains its flavor profile alongside the fresh toppings.  See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011