If you have ever bitten into a chargrilled burger at The Habit Burger Grill and thought — this feels different from a standard fast food chain — you are picking up on something real. The Habit was never meant to be a global behemoth.
It started as a single California burger stand that made everything fresh, to order, on a charbroiler. Today it is part of one of the most powerful restaurant empires in the world. Here is who owns it, how it got there, and where it stands right now.
Who Owns The Habit Burger Grill Right Now?
The Habit Burger Grill is fully owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. — the Louisville, Kentucky-based restaurant company that also owns KFC and Taco Bell. Yum! completed the acquisition on March 18, 2020, paying approximately $375 million in cash — or $14 per share — for all outstanding shares of The Habit Restaurants, Inc.
Habit Burger & Grill operates as a distinct division within Yum! Brands alongside KFC and Taco Bell. As of June 30, 2026, the chain had 388 total units, with Yum! directly owning approximately 78% of them — a much higher company-ownership ratio than its sibling brands, which are predominantly franchised.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) | Parent Company & Full Owner | 100% of The Habit Burger Grill | Acquired March 18, 2020 for ~$375 million; NYSE-listed |
| Vanguard Group | Largest Yum! Brands Shareholder | ~12–13% of YUM | Passive index fund giant; biggest institutional holder |
| BlackRock, Inc. | Second Largest Yum! Brands Shareholder | ~7–8% of YUM | World’s largest asset manager |
| Chris Turner | CEO of Yum! Brands | Minimal insider stake | Became CEO in 2026; formerly CFO |
| Franchisees | Individual Franchise Owners | Own ~22% of Habit Burger locations | Third-party operators licensed by Yum! to run Habit units |
| Russell Bendel | Former CEO of The Habit (pre-acquisition) | Exited at acquisition | Led Habit through its IPO and eventual sale to Yum! |
The Origin Story: A Charbroiler, a Beach Town, and 1969
The Habit story begins on November 15, 1969, in Goleta, California — a small coastal community right next to Santa Barbara. Bruce and Sharon Black opened a simple burger stand focused on one thing: chargrilling burgers to order on an open-flame broiler.
The result was a smoke-kissed burger that tasted genuinely different from anything a drive-through window was producing at the time.
For over two decades, the Habit stayed exactly that — a single beloved local spot. It did not expand to a second location until 1996, when a new store opened in Santa Barbara itself.
The growth that followed was careful and deliberate — never rushing to scale, always prioritizing the quality of the food. By 2007, private equity firm KarpReilly had invested in the brand and brought in professional management to accelerate expansion while keeping the food-first culture intact.
From California Cult Favorite to Public Company
Under new management and with KarpReilly’s backing, The Habit began expanding aggressively across California and into new states.
In mid-2014, the chain earned a milestone that money cannot buy — Consumer Reports ranked its Charburger as the best burger in America, beating every major fast food and fast casual competitor in a national survey. That single accolade turned a California favorite into a national conversation.
On November 19, 2014, The Habit Restaurants, Inc. went public on NASDAQ under the ticker HABT, raising capital and raising its profile simultaneously.
It was one of the most successful restaurant IPOs of that year. By the time Yum! Brands came calling in early 2020, the chain had nearly 300 locations and a deeply loyal customer base — the kind of repeat-visit loyalty that the industry calls “the habit” for a reason.
Why Yum! Brands Bought The Habit
When Yum! Brands announced the $375 million acquisition in January 2020, the strategy was clear. Yum! already dominated the global fast food market through KFC, Taco Bell, and at the time Pizza Hut — but it had no presence in the fast-casual segment, which was growing faster than traditional quick service. The Habit filled that gap perfectly.
Yum! CEO David Gibbs called the Habit “a fantastic addition to the Yum! family” with “strong unit economics” and “significant global growth potential.”
The deal gave Yum! a brand that felt handcrafted and premium — a direct counterweight to the perception that its other brands were purely value-driven.
The acquisition closed on March 18, 2020, just as the pandemic hit the U.S., making the timing challenging but not catastrophic — Habit’s focus on fresh ingredients and a streamlined menu actually held up well through the disruption.
The Name Change: From “The Habit Burger Grill” to “Habit Burger & Grill”
One significant change under Yum! ownership happened on August 28, 2024, when the chain officially dropped “The” from its name and rebranded from The Habit Burger Grill to simply Habit Burger & Grill.
The change was subtle but intentional — a signal of the brand’s evolution from a regional personality to a broader national identity. The “& Grill” in the name reinforces that burgers are only part of the menu: the chain also sells chargrilled chicken, tuna, steak sandwiches, salads, onion rings, and milkshakes.
Where Habit Burger & Grill Stands in 2026
As of mid-2026, Habit Burger & Grill operates 388 locations — all in the United States. Yum! directly owns 304 of them (approximately 78%), with the rest operated by franchisees. That ownership structure is notably different from its Yum! siblings — KFC is 89% franchised globally, and Taco Bell is 87% franchised in the U.S. — reflecting how much earlier in its growth curve Habit still is.
The brand opened 21 new units in 2025, including 11 in Q4 alone. Same-store sales declined 1% for the full year 2025, but rebounded strongly — growing 5% in Q1 2026 after Habit’s Executive Chef Jason Triail led a core menu refresh in February 2026, revamping the Sirloin Steak Sandwich, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, BBQ Chicken Salad, and BBQ Bacon Char.
System sales for Q1 2026 reached $166 million, up 7% year-over-year. All 388 locations are in the U.S. — international expansion has been discussed but not yet executed at scale.
What Makes Habit Burger & Grill Different From Other Fast Food Chains?
In the crowded world of fast food, Habit Burger & Grill occupies a specific lane: fast-casual rather than quick-service. That means slightly higher prices, made-to-order food, and a dining experience a notch above the typical drive-through.
The signature item is the Charburger — a fresh, never-frozen beef patty cooked over an open-flame charbroiler, served with caramelized onions, fresh tomato, lettuce, and a special sauce on a toasted bun.
The chain does not have a Dollar Menu or a $5 value box. It sells the Charburger for around $7–9 depending on the location — closer to Shake Shack or Five Guys territory than to McDonald’s. Under Yum! ownership, the brand has preserved that positioning carefully, which is why the parent chose to keep Habit as a separate division rather than folding it into the existing operational structure of its other brands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns The Habit Burger Grill in 2026?
Habit Burger & Grill is fully owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), the same parent company as KFC and Taco Bell.
Q2. When did Yum! Brands acquire The Habit Burger Grill?
Yum! Brands completed the acquisition of The Habit Restaurants, Inc. on March 18, 2020, for approximately $375 million.
Q3. How many Habit Burger & Grill locations exist in 2026?
As of June 30, 2026, Habit Burger & Grill operates 388 locations, all in the United States.
Q4. When was The Habit Burger Grill founded?
The Habit was founded on November 15, 1969, in Goleta, California, by Bruce and Sharon Black.
Q5. Why did Yum! Brands buy The Habit Burger Grill?
Yum! acquired Habit to enter the fast-casual dining segment, which was growing faster than traditional quick service, adding a premium-positioned brand to its KFC and Taco Bell portfolio.
Q6. Did The Habit Burger Grill change its name?
Yes. On August 28, 2024, the chain officially rebranded from The Habit Burger Grill to Habit Burger & Grill, dropping “The” from its name.
Q7. Was The Habit Burger Grill ever a publicly traded company?
Yes. The Habit Restaurants, Inc. traded on NASDAQ under the ticker HABT from November 2014 until it was taken private by Yum! Brands in March 2020.
Q8. What is The Habit Burger Grill’s most famous menu item?
The signature Charburger — a fresh, never-frozen beef patty cooked on an open-flame charbroiler — was named the best burger in America by Consumer Reports in 2014.
Habit Burger & Grill is fully owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. — the NYSE-listed restaurant company that also runs KFC and Taco Bell. Yum! paid $375 million to acquire it in March 2020, and as of 2026, the chain operates 388 locations across the United States with $166 million in system sales in Q1 2026 alone.
The brand was born in a beachside town in California in 1969, spent decades as a beloved regional gem, went public in 2014, and became part of one of the world’s largest restaurant empires six years later.
Within Yum!, Habit is the smallest but arguably the most interesting story — a fresh, chargrilled counterpoint to the value-driven global giants sitting beside it.
Official Website: habitburger.com
