Locally Grown Burger Chain Heads To Middle East

The Habit Burger Grill chain is expanding to the Middle East.

The owners just announced their first international franchise deal with Food Quest Restaurant Management.

The agreement allows Food Quest to develop up to 50 new restaurants in six countries over the next 10 years.

Those locations include- the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait- and Oman.

The financial terms of the deal are not available to the public.

Loyal customers in Santa Barbara said they are glad that people in other countries will finally get the chance to sample The Habit’s tasty meals.

“I think it’s cool that Dubai and those countries are getting a little taste of California, from a small town,” UCSB graduate Kansa Foster said.

The companies plan to open the first restaurant in the United Arab Emirates in 2015.

The Habit first opened in Goleta in 1969 and has grown to over 100 restaurants.

In 2014, The Habit claimed the top spot for the best-tasting burger in the United States by Consumer Reports, beating out top competitors.

The Habit started trading publicly in November and raised at least $90 million in its initial public offering.