Bonnaroo Burger is the one true festival burger
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Renowned local restaurant Jiffy Burger has earned many accolades over its 58 years in business, yet possibly its most unique is that it is home to the only officially recognized Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival hamburger.
“Bonnaroo gave us the right to sell the Bonnaroo Burger,” said Jiffy Burger owner David Pennington. “It’s official.”
Standing about four inches tall, the Bonnaroo Burger is a behemoth. layered with mayo, lettuce, tomato, bacon, egg and an onion ring. It was designed by former Bonnaroo executive Jeff Cuellar.
“We sell a lot of them,” Pennington said. “Percentage-wise we sell a lot of them (year round).”
That number will kick up during Bonnaroo, but it’s still a strong seller even in the off season.
Pennington said the daily, he cooks 24 eggs just for the dinner.
“We cook them well done, but they are snow white,” Pennington said.
Getting to the restaurant at about 4 a.m. to prep for the day, Pennington starts with bacon, then when it comes time for the eggs, he breaks three at a time.
“Every time I cook them, I clean the grill off again. Then cook them again,” he said.
“Bonnaroo has been nothing but a blessing to Jiffy Burger,” Pennington added. “We stay covered up anyway, but when they come, people make a point to come by.”
Over the 20-plus years that the festival has been held, young patrons have grown up and now have families of their own.
“Over the years, we’ve developed a relationship with people,” Pennington said. “They bring their kids back when they come.”
“Now they are grown and they bring their kids,” he added.
Pennington is optimistic for the future of both the festival and the restaurant, saying the millions of dollars of economic impact is a boon to the local economy, and as longstanding Tennessee Magazine’s second ranked burger across the entire state, Jiffy Burger is going strong.
“We sell between 4,500 and 5,000 hamburgers a week,” Pennington said. “We don’t sell pounds of French fires, we sell tons.”
Despite its longtime success and popularity, Jiffy Burger has not forgotten where it all started 58 years ago
“We’re just a little ol’ hamburger place,” Pennington said.
