Unburger is officially expanding, bringing its plant-based fast-casual concept to The Yard near the University of Michigan campus.
DEARBORN, MI, July 9, 2026— Unburger®, the Dearborn-based plant-based restaurant known for its craveable burgers, Chick’n sandwiches, dairy-free shakes, and overall “Feel Good Food” approach, has officially announced that it is now franchising and expanding. The brand’s first new location is coming to Ann Arbor, Michigan, at 635 S Main St inside The Yard, just steps from the University of Michigan campus area.
The Ann Arbor restaurant is slated to open in August, ahead of the fall semester, bringing Unburger’s fully plant-based fast-casual menu to one of Michigan’s most active college communities.
The announcement marks a major milestone for Unburger, which started in 2018 as a small plant-based restaurant with a simple mission: make vegan food that people actually crave.
Unburger was founded by Christopher Oliver after he turned to a plant-based diet following personal health challenges. At the time, he noticed a clear gap in the market. There were very few places offering plant-based food that felt satisfying, familiar, and full of flavor.
In 2021, partners Moe Abdallah, Anton Duhani, and Karl Makky joined the business and began reshaping the brand for its next stage. Abdallah now serves as Chief Brand & Technology Officer, leading the brand experience, marketing, digital platforms, and technology. Duhani serves as Chief Culinary Officer, overseeing the kitchen, recipes, and menu development. Makky serves as Chief Operating Officer, leading operations, systems, and the structure needed to make the concept scalable.
Together, the team rebuilt Unburger from a small local restaurant into a growing fast-casual brand with a loyal following across Metro Detroit.
“Unburger was never meant to feel like a compromise,” said Moe Abdallah, Chief Brand & Technology Officer at Unburger. “We wanted to build something that felt fun, familiar, and craveable for everyone. The response from the community has been incredible, and franchising gives us the opportunity to bring that experience to more people.”
The Ann Arbor location will be Unburger’s first franchise restaurant and will be operated by Bobak Bakhtiari, an actor, entrepreneur, and plant-forward business owner. Bakhtiari is also the founder of Hangry Planet, a California-based plant-based convenience store concept.
“Unburger immediately stood out to me because it makes plant-based food feel exciting and accessible,” said Bobak Bakhtiari, Unburger’s first franchisee. “Ann Arbor is the perfect community for this concept, and The Yard gives us a great opportunity to serve students, residents, and visitors who want food that tastes good and feels good.”
As part of its growth strategy, Unburger is now opening franchise opportunities for operators who believe in hospitality, strong systems, community connection, and the future of plant-based fast food.
While many restaurants have added a vegan option or two, Unburger was built from the ground up as a fully plant-based fast-casual restaurant. The concept is designed to feel approachable, familiar, and mainstream, while still serving a growing audience looking for better plant-based options. For many guests, plant-based dining also offers a more environmentally responsible way to enjoy the comfort foods they love.
The Ann Arbor location represents the first major step in that expansion. Located inside The Yard at 635 S Main St, the restaurant will be in the heart of the University of Michigan campus area, giving students, faculty, residents, and visitors direct access to Unburger’s full menu of plant-based comfort food.
“Ann Arbor felt like the right place to begin this next chapter,” said Karl Makky, Chief Operating Officer at Unburger. “It’s a community that appreciates good food, supports independent brands, and understands what we’re trying to build. Being near the University of Michigan gives us an incredible opportunity to introduce Unburger to a new audience.”
Unburger’s menu features a full lineup of 100% plant-based comfort food, including signature burgers, crispy Chick’n sandwiches, nuggets, fries, loaded sides, dairy-free shakes, kombucha, desserts, and kids’ meals. The brand has become known for items like The Unoriginal™, Hot Hunny Chick’n, Hippie Hash, seasoned fries, and creamy dairy-free shakes.
“This is about more than opening another restaurant,” said Anton Duhani, Chief Culinary Officer at Unburger. “It’s about showing people that plant-based food can be bold, fun, satisfying, and something you actually crave.”
The Ann Arbor opening comes at a time when Unburger is seeing growing demand from customers who want the brand in their own cities. The company says it has received ongoing interest from potential franchisees and customers across different markets, especially as plant-based dining continues to move further into the mainstream.
For Unburger, the goal is not just to grow quickly, but to grow with the right partners and the right communities.
“We hear from people all the time asking when Unburger is coming to their city,” said Abdallah. “Ann Arbor is the first step, but the bigger vision is to build a plant-based brand that can grow well beyond Metro Detroit while still keeping the personality, quality, and energy that made people love Unburger in the first place.”
Additional grand opening details will be announced soon.
Franchise inquiries are now open. Interested operators can learn more by visiting unburgergrill.com or contacting hello@unburgergrill.com.
About Unburger
Unburger is a 100% plant-based quick-service restaurant founded in Dearborn, Michigan in 2018. Built around the idea of “Feel Good Food,” Unburger serves craveable burgers, Chick’n sandwiches, fries, shakes, kombucha, desserts, and comfort-food favorites made without animal products. With its flagship location in Dearborn and its first franchise expansion coming to Ann Arbor, Unburger is bringing plant-based fast food to a wider audience.
Media Contact
Unburger
22018 Michigan Avenue
Dearborn, MI 48124
Email: hello@unburgergrill.com
Website: unburgergrill.com