Tehran's Wealthy Embrace 'Burgerland'

In Iran’s capital city the must-have stop for the young and wealthy are “American” burger joints and the burgers–and atmosphere–they serve.

The most popular of these is “Burgerland,” which opened in 2010. 

According to The Washington Post, Tehran’s burger joints try to convey the feel of an American restaurant. For example, male servers at the “Garage Grill wear tshirts from a classic car rally that the restaurant sponsored last year.” And a “neon Route 66 sign hangs in the door above the back half of a classic Austin Mini.”

Arash Farhadpour-Shirazi owns Tehran’s “Burgers and Cars” and says, “Our concept is purely American.”

Farhadpour-Shirazi described these burger joints as “a short escape into a different environment.” He added: “Iranians love the American style. The grass is greener in the U.S.”

“Greasy burger joints have been part of Tehran’s fast-food landscape for decades”–even as far back as the Jimmy Carter administration. However, those restaurants were low-brow compared to the ones opening today.

Now these restuarants cater to the affluent.

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins