New burger restaurant brings ‘revolutionary’ concept to Carol Stream

CAROL STREAM – The revolution is coming to Carol Stream.

Combining taste, health and affordability may be unheard of at most burger restaurants, but that is exactly what Chicago residents Bill and Wendy Spatz are striving to do at Rev Burger, which opened on Feb. 25 in a vacant Burger King location along Schmale Road.

Short for “Revolutionary Burger,” Rev Burger will provide much of the normal fast food fare but with an all-natural twist.

With fry-less fries baked in special ovens that still provide that familiar golden crisp, the Spatzes aren’t interested in sacrificing taste for the sake of health: They hope to provide both.

“We considered lots of things we’re doing ‘revolutionary,’” Bill Spatz said.

The Spatzes are the owners of the building now occupied by Rev Burger. When the Burger King franchise was planning to leave, they were faced with the question of what they wanted to do with the space.

“We sort of saw this as an opportunity to do something new,” Bill Spatz said.

At first, they thought they’d open an upscale burger restaurant, but as they pieced together the menu, they recognized that much of what they were including were foods they wouldn’t eat themselves.

Instead, they decided to focus on providing a healthier dining option that includes grass-fed beef, organic black bean burgers, all-natural hot dogs, free-range chicken, organic produce, all-natural bacon, cheese and more as toppings, and gluten-free buns as an alternative to traditional buns.

In addition to fry-less fries, Rev Burger also will offer fry-less chicken tenders and sweet potato tater tots.

While the Spatzes acknowledge their concept won’t be “for the masses,” they hope to appeal to many customers who are looking for a new, healthier alternative.

They said they’re carving out their own niche as “an upscale fast food restaurant” in the burger business, falling somewhere in between fast food options, like McDonald’s, and fast-casual restaurants, like Smashburger.

“We’re straddling the line,” Wendy Spatz said.

Bill Spatz expects the average cost for a Rev Burger meal – burger, fries and a drink – to be about $8.

Rev Burger has a drive-through, but patrons who step inside will find a unique way to order their meals: Each table is equipped with an iPad. After punching in what they want, customers may then use the devices to surf the Web or play games.

The Spatzes plan to add breakfast and salads to their menu in the coming months. They also hope to extend their reach further by opening additional locations.

The couple already owns one site in the southwest suburbs, where they hope to begin construction within the next six months.

So far, the buzz about the new business has been positive, garnering it about 500 likes on Facebook before its grand opening took place.

Luanne Newman, executive director of the Carol Stream Chamber of Commerce, said she thinks local residents may go out of their way to eat at a restaurant such as Rev Burger.

At chamber events, its representatives receive more and more requests for vegan or gluten-free meals, so it could be a good time for a burger restaurant to throw its hat into the health-conscious ring, Newman said.

“We’re very excited for a new business to come to town, especially one that serves those who are looking for a healthy alternative,” she said.