Smashburger, The Colony

Smashburger isn't just the name of a restaurant—it's the way its chefs, known as Burger Smashers, cook every patty. First, they form never-frozen, 100% Certified Angus Beef into a giant meatball. Then they season it, place it on a butter-glazed grill, and smash it into a patty. The process caramelizes the beef, locking in flavor while keeping the meat juicy. They then sandwich each slab in an artisan bun.

This handcrafted approach typifies everything else the restaurant does, including blending shakes by hand. Letting its food stand for itself and relying mostly on word of mouth for advertising, the Smashburger franchise now includes 200 locations today, up from one in 2007—making it one of the nation's fastest-growing restaurants. This rapid development even caught the attention of Forbes and Inc. along the way.