“Steakburger” isn’t a marketing buzzword at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.
At the retro-themed, fast-casual restaurant with 550 locations, steakburgers are made-to-order with premium beef that’s a far cry from that of bagged hamburgers slinged by fast-food chains. They’re also embellished with a house seasoning and hand-smashed for a crispy edge.
And soon, Middlesex County residents will be able to try them.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers will open its first Middlesex County location in North Brunswick at 2418 Route 1 in June.
The brand has one other Central Jersey restaurant in Linden, and its three other Garden State restaurants are in South Jersey.
“My plan was always to open as many Freddy’s as I could,” said North Brunswick franchisee Ethan Coleman, who also owns the Linden location. “There’s a lot of new development in North Brunswick between the train station, other restaurants and apartments, so it’s a growing area with a lot of traffic.”
Soon, that traffic will have a reason to stop at the new restaurant in front of Regal Cinemas.
Steakburgers come in varieties such as the original double with cheese, mustard, onion and pickles; and the prime rib with two steakburger patties, prime rib, melted Swiss cheese, grilled onions, sauteed portobello mushrooms and garlic aioli.
Fare at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.
Other items on the menu include chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, beef hot dogs (including a chili cheese version), and sides like cheese curds, onion rings, tater tots and Freddy’s slightly thicker take on shoestring fries.
Fans of the brand, known as “Fredheads,” often dip their fries and other fare in Freddy’s signature fry sauce, which is “like a cousin of Thousand Island dressing but seasoned a little differently,” Coleman said. “It’s so good, I dip my burger into it.”
It comes in traditional, spicy and smoky varieties, and people can also purchase bottles of it to take home.
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The peanut butter bananza sundae at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers – hence its name – is also known for its frozen custard.
Vanilla and chocolate frozen custard is churned throughout the day and scooped by hand, old school-style. Twenty blended toppings are available to choose from to turn the custard into a shake, sundae or “concrete” — lightly blended so it’s still thick enough to eat with a spoon.
“It’s like we’re operating a frozen custard parlor at the front of the restaurant, which fits with our retro vibe,” Coleman said.
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Inside Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in Linden.
With red diner-style plush booths and checkered flooring, “the restaurant has that Americana feel that harkens back to when people went to the soda shop like Freddy did when he was growing up,” Coleman continued.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was inspired by Freddy Simon, a Kansas U.S. Army veteran who served in the Pacific Rim region during World War II. A self-proclaimed “regular guy,” was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained during service, as well as a Bronze Star for valor.
After Freddy worked in the hospitality industry for more than a half-century, two of his six children, Bill and Randy Simon, along with their business partner Scott Redler, opened Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in 2002 in Wichita, Kansas, in honor of their father.
More than two decades later, the Freddy’s menu and retro vibe remains much the same, but the brand seeks to keep up with today’s customers, Coleman said, which is why it continues to expand. Freddy’s offers in-app ordering, mobile carry out and drive-thru service.
“We deliver on the expectations that people have today but stay true to what people like from previous eras,” Coleman said. “Freddy’s serves the classics that people love it for in the current ways that they like to experience restaurants.”
Go: 2418 Route 1, North Brunswick, opening in June; freddys.com.
Jenna Intersimone.
Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com
Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, although she’s a lifetime Jersey girl who considers herself an expert in everything from the Jersey Shore to the Garden State’s buzzing downtowns. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers opening in North Brunswick
