Will 2009 be the year of the burger? Is an economic downturn the reason for so-called burger revolution taking place at restaurants everywhere? Food critic and hamburger expert Josh Ozersky thinks so.

We missed his appearance on Nightline last week but read about it over at A Hamburger Today and then watched it on YouTube (here). Ozersky is the editor of gastro blog The-Feedbag and has penned books such as Meat Me in Manhattan and The Hamburger: A History. He was on the nightly news program last Thursday night espousing the burger’s greatness and how it is the perfect food in a down economy. Or as Ozersky eloquently put it:

“The hamburger is a way that people can experience everything that’s great about eating beef—the flavor, the tenderness, and everything—in a way that’s a affordable.”

Experts in all things beef-on-a-bun, the folks at A Hamburger Today argue that it isn’t exactly the down economy that’s driving the burger boom. They point out that the increase in burger consumption started long before 2008 when the economy took a turn for the worse, and credit instead the move towards comfort food since the early 2000s as well as the growth of burger chains and even burger blogs.

We tend to agree with AHT although it’s true we’re likely to see an even bigger boom in 2009 as more and more people choose hamburgers over filet mignons when looking to satisfy their beef cravings with thinner wallets. Also we like to think that the real burger boom began in 1932 when the first Krystal was served in Chattanooga. Similar to now, the Krystal was seen then as both comfort food and an affordable meal as customers dealt with the economic difficulties of the Great Depression.

Watch the entire Nightline segment below and tell us what you think.

What better way to try some of Krystal’s newest menu options than for free?  That’s right. You heard us. FREE!

On Jan.17 from 1-4 p.m., the new Krystal restaurant in Franklin, TN will be hosting a “Sample Saturday”. Guests will have the opportunity to sample a large variety of menu items such as the new Spicy Southern Chik Basket with Fiesta Waffle Fries and our ever-expanding premium beverage line, including Krystal Freezes and MilkQuakes.

The new restaurant is located at 1412 Murfreesboro Rd. and is complete with all of the features that Krystal is famous for including free Wi-Fi. So, bring your computer and make an afternoon out of it! We suggest trying each one of Krystal’s offerings, that way when you come back you’ll know exactly what to order. Check out what will be available…

• The Crispy Spicy Southern Chik Basket with Fiesta Waffle Fries made with 100% whole breast chicken filet marinated with classic hot sauce seasonings. Click here to read more!
• Deliciously cool Krystal Freezes with gourmet syrups made from pure cane sugar and natural fruit flavorings. Click here to see new flavors!
• Signature small, square Krystal Chiks served up on the famously soft Krystal bun and topped with mayonnaise and a pickle.
• Iconically small and tasty Krystal Pups made to order plain, with chili and/or with cheese.
• A variety of premium MilkQuakes made with real ice cream. Classic flavors include Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberry in addition to a few limited time options such as Mint Chocolate Cookie and Pumpkin Pie. Click here to see more flavors!

We wish everyone a safe and fun-filled last day of 2008!

If Krystal is a part of your celebration tonight, and why would it not, may we recommend ordering up some Krystal Steamer Packs — that’s a box of 24, delicious, mouthwatering Krystal hamburgers. Or in other words, a Krystal party in a box, perfect for late night feasting!

And if you want to spice things up, we suggest kicking things off tonight with the Spicy Southern Chik Basket with Fiesta Waffle Fries. This is our new favorite meal, and what a meal it is. Perfectly spicy from the first bite, and all you need to fill your tummy before a night out on the town. Watch our video on this limited time item from the Krystal Test Kitchen here.

Thanks for visiting Krystalist.com this year. We appreciate you keeping posted of all things Krystal-related here, and we’re excited to get going in 2009 as we have some exciting news over the coming months, including great, new menu additions, new promotions and new restaurant openings. As always, stay posted here at Krystalist.com.

Again, Happy New Year and celebrate safely.

It should be no surprise that we’re big fans of hamburger blogs. Sites like A Hamburger Today and Hamburger America are almost-daily reads for us, and we’re always on the lookout for new ones to check out.

Today, we came across one called Portland Hamburgers out of, you guessed it, Portland, OR. The blog includes some great photos of delicious-looking hamburgers from local burger joints, and today it featured a curious post about a Hello Kitty doll made to look like a hamburger. We really don’t know much about the whole Hello Kitty phenom, besides what Wikipedia tells us, but we have to say the one above (second on right) looks strikingly similar to the Krystal Double B.A. Burger, sans the bacon.

Look at the Double B.A. Burger photo after the jump and tell us what you think.

Read the rest of this entry »

In case you haven’t heard, leaving milk and cookies out for Santa Claus is so 2007. Plain ole eggnog, not good enough. Nope, this year, the big man in red is craving a Krystal Eggnog MilkQuake for his late night treat.

Featuring real, premium ice cream and Monin Eggnog flavoring made with 100% pure cane sugar, the Eggnog MilkQuake has quickly become a Yuletide favorite across Krystal country, and from what we hear, and by “hear” we mean “are making up as we type,” the tasty treat is all the rage in the North Pole.

So give us Santa what we he really wants tonight. Head to your nearest Krystal restaurant and pick up an Eggnog Milkquake for Saint Nick. Trust us, he’ll thank you for it.

And for you last minute, literally, Christmas shoppers, don’t forget that Krystal has Holiday-themed Gift Cards that make perfect stocking stuffers. Purchase a $20 one and you’ll also get a free stuffed Krystal Penguin while supplies last.

For oh-so-tempting photos of the Eggnog MilkQuake, click here.

If the Burger King eating at Krystal and Jack almost finding himself in a Krystal box came as a surprise to you, today’s Krystal-lovin’ fast food mascot photo will be a shocker.

Yes folks, that’s who you think it is. It’s one of the famous Chick-fil-A cows sporting an “I’m a Krystal Lover” sticker.

We’re guessing (and hoping) he’s not a cannibalistic cow, but simply loves our new line of icy drinks, the Krystal Freeze, or prefers the smallness and squareness of our Krystal Chiks – or maybe it’s the way we spell it?

Either way, there’s no denying this “Chikin”-lovin’ cow loves Krystal.

If you’ve stopped by a Krystal restaurant recently, you likely noticed signage promoting a new drink called the Krystal Freeze. Well, as you may have guessed by name alone, the Krystal Freeze is an icy cold slush beverage–a drink some of you may call a “slushie,” “slurpee,” “icee,” or if you’re a character on The Simpsons, a “squishee.” But believe me when I say, the Krystal Freeze is nothing like those icy drinks you spent your allowance on at the convenience store when you were a kid. They are a thousand times better.

Of course, I may be a tad biased, but there’s a real difference here, which is that the Krystal Freeze is made with premium Monin syrups that use 100% pure cane sugar and not high fructose corn syrup. Because of this, the Krystal Freeze features a cleaner, more refreshing, less “syrupy” taste than other slush beverages, and believe it or not, they won’t leave you suffering from a sugar headache for the rest of the day (but beware of the inevitable brain freeze).

So what flavors are available? Right now, the Krystal Freeze line-up includes Orange, Cherry, Green Apple, Grape, Pomegranate, Blueberry and the classic frozen favorite, Coca Cola®. So many to choose from, and even more flavors to be added later this year. So far Pomegranate is hands-down the office favorite, with good ole fashion Cherry a close second.

The full Krystal Freeze lineup will be available company-wide by March 27, but some Krystal restaurants are already serving them up, so hightail it to your nearest Krystal to find out if yours is one of them.

Ever wondered how new Krystal menu items are created and who is responsible for ensuring every bite of a Krystal hamburger is a steamy and hot as the next? Well, Times Free Press reporter, Joan Garrett, recently made her way into the Krystal Test kitchen to determine just that. In the article, Joan discovers what new items are currently being tested in the kitchen and who’s most involved in developing the Krystal menu. For the article click here and for a sneak peak video into the Krystal kitchen click here.