‘It’s almost like we’ve started from scratch’
The owners of That Burger Place have announced that they have closed two of their three stores in Greater Manchester(Image: Manchester Evening News)
The owners of a popular burger joint in Greater Manchester which has been nominated for a national award have announced two of its stores have closed.
That Burger Place started life in Swinton in 2017, and was founded by couple Ryan McDermott and Megan Mcgillivray. The original store closed following the impact of the pandemic and rising costs.
Known for their California-inspired smashed burgers and milkshakes, the business later expanded to stores in Salford, Walkden and Bury, with the latter store opening just a year ago.
Ryan and Megan have announced that both the Walkden and Bury stores will be closing as they focus their efforts on the Salford branch on Bolton Road, near Irlam O’ Th’ Heights.
In a post on social media, the couple wrote: “We’ve been getting lots of questions about the stores in Walkden & Bury and now is the time to tell you why we’ve decided to say goodbye to them.
That Burger Place has become known for its California-inspired smashed burgers
“As a married couple who work together there’s just no breathing room from the business when it’s in three locations. There’s no date night, family gathering or holiday where we can fully switch off and ultimately you can only do that for so long before it takes a toll on your mental & physical health.
“Expanding is brilliant and we’re so proud that we did it but in truth we stretched ourselves too thin and as our customers you deserve better from us.”
The pair said the decision came for the burger spot, which bagged itself a place in the finals of the National Burger Awards in 2024, to focus on just one store – and Salford made the most sense to them.
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Ryan McDermott and Megan Mcgillivray run That Burger Place
They said that dedicating their time and resources into the one Salford venue has meant they’ve ‘perfected the products’. They explained: “We realised we needed to focus solely on one location and for the past 12 weeks that’s exactly what we’ve done. If you’ve been into the Salford store or ordered from us recently you’ll already know we’re back in-store running things hands on and TBP is on its A game.
“It’s almost like we’ve started from scratch by going back to the original recipes and perfecting the products for 2025. We’re even back with our British butcher from the Swinton store days to give you the highest quality grass fed beef every time you bite into our burgers.”
They added: “So when we decided which store we’d keep open we both went with where our hearts are: SALFORD. We’re both Salford kids and wanted to stay true to not just the origins of the brand but ourselves as people and that’s why TBP on the Height is our flagship store and always will be.”
The burger restaurant has now closed its Bury and Walkden venues(Image: Supplied)
Ryan and Megan said they understood that customers in Walkden and Bury would be ‘disappointed’ at the news, but hoped that regulars would understand that the decision was ‘right for us’.
“We know lots of you will be disappointed to read this but it really is at the expense of giving you a better product and a more personal hands on TBP experience,” the statement continued. “More importantly it’s about us as people, as a married couple, it’s about what’s right for us and that’s what matters most.”
As expected, customers shared their reactions and support for the two online. One person said: “We are very lucky to have you in Salford. Sorry you are having to close other stores but you have to do what is right for you and work life balance.”
One other wrote: “All the best guys! Quality over quantity.” Another said: “Such a tough decision but an important one. Your life/work balance is so important and picking yourselves is number one. Love you both.”
That Burger Place is on 327 Bolton Road, Salford, M6 7GU.