Hataitai, Meet Alvin and Jess.

‍Tell us a bit about you and your  story, what’s your background, where did you grow up etc?

Alvin:  After  leaving uni, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, and so I joined BurgerFuel  Henderson in 2021, little did I know that would be the best decision of my  life. I worked my way up from store staff to 2IC and then became the store  manager in 2023. I have always wanted to be a business owner and so in 2024  when the opportunity came up, I took it.

Jess: I  started at Burgerfuel Henderson as a staff member in Feb 2022 when I was 16.  I quickly became a shift manager, and as I finished up with school, I moved  to full time hours to help Alvin out with all of our training and customer  service goals. At 19 I moved down to Wellington and a few days after my 3  years at BurgerFuel I officially became a franchisee.

What drew you to the brand and made  you want to be a part of the BurgerFuel family?

Alvin: I  really aligned with the brand pillars that make up BurgerFuel. I love all  things cars, sports, music and food.

Jess: I  grew up around BurgerFuel as my Mum has worked for HQ for a while now. I  always loved the vibes and the culture, and as a kid I loved the idea of  working for a company that felt the way BurgerFuel did.

What do you love about BurgerFuel?‍

We  both love the fun, fast and loud that BurgerFuel is all about, nothing beats  a busy Friday night when the service is flowing, music is pumping and the  customers are happy!

Is there anything you can tell us  about your local community and how important it is to be a part of for you as  a BurgerFuel franchisee?

 Even  though we have only just moved to Wellington we have already felt how close  and welcoming the Hataitai community is. We are so excited to get to know  everyone here and get involved in everything we can!

Other than your store, what’s your  favourite place to go in your community? (doesn’t have to be food related)

When  we’re not in the kitchen, we love going out for drives around Wellington and  looking at all the beautiful scenery there is. We also love going to the gym  or the football pitch and getting a good workout in!

What’s your favourite BurgerFuel  burger (including any modifiers)?

 Alvin:  Bacon BBQ Roadster (no customisation because it is a work of art on its own)

Jess:  Smack & Cheese was my favourite, but on a day to day I love a Modifried  Thunderbird with cheese!

What is your best BurgerFuel hack?

You  can swap your proteins or cheeses on any burger because who doesn’t love a  Bacon Backfire with cheddar.

Do you own a BurgerFuel machine? If  so, what is it?

Not  yet but hopefully one day!

Random fact about  yourself? (anything weird, wonderful or interesting that we can add to the  story!)

Alvin:  I used to play the piano for 13 years

Jess:  Before BurgerFuel I wanted to be an astrobiologist and I love things space  and science (minus the physics)

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