Fast-growing UK burger franchise SoBe Burger has expanded into the Midlands with the opening of its first restaurant in Leamington Spa, marking another milestone in the brand’s nationwide rollout as it accelerates its franchise-led expansion across England.
The new 24-cover restaurant opened on 2 August and is located in the heart of Leamington Spa. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., the outlet serves SoBe Burger’s signature Miami-inspired smash burgers, loaded fries, wings and sides, while also offering delivery through Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat, continuing the brand’s omnichannel approach.
The opening is significant as it represents SoBe Burger’s first permanent restaurant in the Midlands and follows a strategy of identifying locations where customer demand has already been proven through its extensive delivery network before investing in bricks-and-mortar sites. The Leamington Spa location was selected using Agatha, the proprietary AI-powered analytics platform developed by hospitality growth platform Sessions, which analysed delivery data and local demand to identify the town as a high-potential market.
Founded by Tom Ducker and Alex M, SoBe Burger launched as a delivery-first concept inspired by the vibrant burger culture of South Beach, Miami. Since partnering with Sessions, the brand has rapidly transformed into one of the UK’s fastest-growing burger franchises by combining data-driven expansion with a flexible franchise model.
Commenting on the latest opening, founders Tom Ducker and Alex M said: “Launching in the Midlands is a huge moment for SoBe Burger and a testament to how far the brand has come since we first started in London. “We took a slightly unconventional path to growth by building our delivery network before expanding our dine-in restaurants, but we couldn’t be more grateful with how the brand’s been embraced both by our growth platform partner Sessions and the general public and burger lovers.
“We’re incredibly excited for this next chapter as we bring SoBe Burger franchise sites to the Midlands and beyond.”
The Midlands debut comes as SoBe Burger continues one of its strongest growth phases to date.
According to the company, the brand now operates 229 active UK locations, making it the fourth-largest burger franchise in the UK. Across its network, SoBe Burger has sold more than 9.4 million burgers, while order volumes are growing by around 19% month-on-month, reflecting strong consumer demand for its delivery-first model.
Sessions’ wider network now spans more than 400 partner kitchens, enabling brands like SoBe Burger to expand nationally without the capital-intensive rollout traditionally associated with restaurant chains. The platform provides franchise partners with technology, operations, marketing support and AI-driven site selection, allowing them to validate markets through delivery before committing to permanent restaurants.
The strategy is expected to continue driving rapid physical expansion. Earlier this summer, SoBe Burger opened a permanent restaurant in Kentish Town and reopened its refurbished Norwich outlet, both of which attracted strong customer turnout. The company has also confirmed further openings in Stoke Newington, Swindon, Corby and Worcester, reinforcing its ambition to establish a nationwide network of high-street franchise locations.
Looking ahead, Sessions founder Dan Warne has said the company expects SoBe Burger to reach around 80 quick-service restaurants by the end of 2027. The business currently operates approximately 15 permanent restaurants alongside more than 200 delivery kitchen locations, using customer demand data to guide every new opening.
With its first Midlands restaurant now welcoming customers, SoBe Burger is continuing to execute a technology-led franchise strategy that blends delivery, data analytics and physical retail expansion, positioning the brand for sustained growth across the UK.
