Classic New York Burger Joint — With a Modern Spin

PLNT Burger founder and celebrity chef, Spike Mendelson, teamed up with Garrett Singer Architecture & Design to create an uplifting dining experience where retro meets modern.

By Brandi Koloski

Photography by Luke Piotrowski

Half Hurdle Chair with Orbit Tables.

There's a new kind of burger in town — and it's plant-based! PLNT Burger invites you to "eat the change you wish to see in the world" at the restaurant's newest brick-and-mortar location, bringing delicious plant-based burgers to the NoMad neighborhood of New York City. PLNT Burger founder and celebrity chef, Spike Mendelson, teamed up with Garrett Singer Architecture & Design to create an uplifting dining experience where retro meets modern.

Complimenting the Brand Identity

When asked about the basis of the design, "it's supposed to feel like a burger joint but plant-based," said Singer. After operating as a counter service experience in select Whole Foods locations for the first years, PLNT Burger had an established identity that they wanted to reverberate in their new brick-and-mortar locations. Taking direct inspiration from PLNT Burger's brand identity, Singer incorporated dynamic and bold punches of color throughout the space.

Finding the Perfect Color

The space acts as an ode to the iconic American diner look but with the addition of modern finishes such as stainless steel. Serving as a stylistic bridge, the Half Hurdle Chair in custom RAL metal finish colors that align with PLNT Burger branding is playfully minimal yet fully capable of withstanding a commercial environment. 

"When you are working in high-traffic environments, things can start to look bad really fast. With Grand Rapids Chair, their products are made really well — you can tell from the details like the welding. I never really have to worry about a client calling me a couple of months later and being like, 'this fell apart'." - Dena Singer, Garrett Singer Architecture & Design

In addition to the brand-enhancing metal finish customization used on the chairs, Singer created additional intentional color moments on the Orbit and Cassandra Tables used in the space. "We were playing around with the table bases - the stems of the table are a different color than the bases. You don't see something like this very often, so it became its own cool design element," said Singer on the table customizations. 

Adding to Company Values

Aside from the restaurant's poppy style and delicious food, PLNT Burger boasts a big mission. With their motto being "eat the change you wish to see in the world", PLNT Burger has deep seeded values on how to make the world a better place — one of those values being a focus on environmentally friendly practices. To align with its business values, PLNT Burger sought out furniture that had sustainable qualities.

At Grand Rapids Chair, we are continuously taking steps to create a more hospitable environment and consider our sustainability efforts an extension of our business plan. Our products not only contain recycled content but are also reusable and recyclable at the end of their long life. Products are built in our Grand Rapids, MI facility by skilled artisans.

LEARN MORE: Grand Rapids Chair Sustainability Practices

PLNT Burger plans to continue contributing to changing the world as they extend to new locations in the New York area. If you love the Half Hurdle Chair featured in PLNT Burger's interior, check out this playful sidechair in the new Ugmonk office space. 

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