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Sofa King Juicy Burger
What's in a name? If you never heard this middle-school joke that's been going around for decades, try saying "Sofa King Juicy" three times fast.
Sofa King Juicy Burger sparked a flame-broiled controversy in Chattanooga, Tenn., after a local columnist fretted that he wanted to "shield" his kids from the sign so he wouldn't have to explain the yet-to-be-unveiled burger joint's name. (If you never heard this middle-school joke that's been going around for decades, try saying "Sofa King Juicy" three times fast.)
Business partners Greg Beairsto and Jeff Brakebill told TODAY that one of the things that surprised them after their story spread online was the number of people who still don't get the name. Although they're not surprised that the name has drawn some local ire in the town of 170,136. "We are in the buckle of the Bible Belt," Beairsto said. "It's a red state."
The name -- which Beairsto said the pair figured out "by rolling around the floor laughing. We never considered another name" -- is a double entendre. There's the joke, but the duo spent six months traveling from Manhattan to Memphis chowing down on burgers to figure out their perfect patty recipe, and the result, they assured us, are burgers that really are exceptionally juicy.
There will also be an actual sofa in the 1,500-square-foot facility at the corner of Dayton Boulevard and Signal Mountain Boulevard in Chattanooga, the color of "nasty '50's Naugahyde." So when you sit on it, you really will feel like a member of royalty. The $1 Pabst Blue Ribbons and other dollar canned beers will also help in that department.
"It's just who we are," said Beairsto. "We love food, we love the food experience. I'm a 22-year-old trapped in a 50-year-old's body."
While the name may be silly, the burgers are for real. The pair will use only grass-fed locally sourced beef, ground daily 20 minutes up the road. Grass-fed tastes so much better than traditional grain-fed, said Beairsto, because, "it's like when you eat your mom's chocolate cake versus a cake from Wal-Mart."
Brakebill added that the result is a patty that's "less fatty" with better beef taste. "Big hydroponically grown lettuce" will go on the burgers, he said, along with fresh local tomatoes and an "awesome" bun.
The original plan was to grind the meat on-site. Instead, they're putting in a "milkshake laboratory," visible to guests where "milkshake scientists" sporting labcoats and goggles will blend in liquid nitrogen to freeze the in-house ice cream mix into a frosty delight.
"It's unreal," said Brakebill.
"Kids are gonna go bananas," said Beairsto.
That is, if their ears and eyes haven't already been corrupted by the foul name, right?
Beairsto scoffs. "I'll give you a million dollars if you can find me a 10-year-old that gets the name without adult intervention," he said. "It boils down to parenting."
To parents who want to control everything their kids see, he says, "Godspeed."
"There's no rule book," said Beairsto. "You gotta fill their toolbox with the right tools."
Sometimes those toolboxes are a little lighter than others.
"And some of them have rusty old tools from the '20s that their grandparents gave them," said Beairsto.
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I spoke to my friend Mike Hunt and he thought it was great.
That's kinda funny... I was just speaking with Ben Dover and Hugh G Rection and they thought it was Sofa King dumb.
Good to hear Mike's still around - I haven't seen him in quite a while.
Has anybody see Mike Hunt lately?
yeah, I saw him with Haywood JaBlowme not too long ago. :)
I'm saddned by the number of these that made me snicker/laugh. (it was all of them)
Trying to steal my thunder, Randy? At least spell his name right!!
:)
Anyone else find this 'sofa king we todd did'?
-Harry P. Nass
Anyone else find this 'sofa king we todd did'?
i did.
-dixie normous
My latino friend Teddy Portuano had this idea first! (if you don't speak Spanish, ask someone about Teddy)
When we were in college, we used to call the lobby of the girl's dorms and ask for them to page Mike Hunt - that we thought he might be in the lobby. Heh, heh.
I heard he was last seen at a party with Sharon Cox, and Neil Down in NYC.
Some parents need to get a life. What kid is going to demand an explanation for the name "Sofa King?" If they do, make something up. This isn't a where-do-babies-come-from kind of moment.
Raise your own kids and stop expecting the rest of society to tip-toe around you and your little brats. If you're going to take your kids out in public, then let them see the world the way it really is rather than trying to prepare them for the Mayberry life that they'll never see.
@Styro
My friends Pat McGroin and Jack Hoff disagree!
Love all the comments!!! Hilarious! I applaud you all! :) Made me smile big for the day!
My old friend Oliver Clothesoff has no problem with any of this...
Seems like every time I bring up the news, I see another article showing the growing prudishness of American society. It's getting pretty @!$%#ing disgusting.
Grow the @!$%# up already people!
Shielding kids from the realities of life does not do them any good. I know I sure have no intentions of raising a couple of naive little automatons. I am trying to raise well informed individuals who can see the world for what it is.
The funniest part about the whole subject is the fact that most of those bitching and moaning about the name of the restaurant are probably the same religious conservatives who regularly accuse the rest of us of trying to live in some kind of Utopian la la land while they are trying to brainwash their kids into believing that the America of Leave it to Beaver and The Brady Bunch actually exists. Fools!
There really were two places around here called the Pho King Way vietnamese noodle shop, but it went out of business. There's still one in California, but too many "red state" people here, I suppose.
But they had a meal that if you ate the whole thing, they would give you a "No Pho King Way" shirt. (If you don't know Vietnamese, "Pho" is pronounced close to "Fu")
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pho-king-way-fort-worth
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fKCrfXvWo_ugfsLxFySiVg?select=xzH4gULj4pHnlrvghvBE0A#xzH4gULj4pHnlrvghvBE0A
There are lots of pho restuarants around here (it's pronounced "fuh", not "foe"), and many of them have names like "Pho 21." I always joked that I should open up a pho restaurant chain and name my first store "Pho A", followed by "Pho B," and so on. Then we'll see how long it takes the neighbors to rise up against my 17th franchise, naturally named "Pho Q."
LOL at the people arguing this silliness ... you serious ones need to go talk to Seymore Butts or at the least, Phil Mckraken.
I had never heard this expression before and totally did not get it. Yeah, I'm a blonde. Had to Google it to find out what I was missing. I am Sofa king stupid. NOW I get it. Bible Belters get over it.
LOL..I went to school with Phil McCracken...my ex dated a guy named Mike Hunt, and I had a business associate named Richard Head (and the name fit him well!).
Slacker!
Maybe they can book the Hugh Jazz Quartet to play at the opening.
I wonder if they serve some nice warm Dixon Cider.
I used to go to a bar in DC called The Big Hunt. It's still there, I think. Nobody ever complained about the name.
Is this place across from that Korean joint, Fuk sum gai?
Damn I have to admit I had to google sofa king before I got it
Strange, I thought everyone had met Mike Hawk?
His brother Yuke was looking for him...
I think that's Dickens' Cider.
My momma always said there was nothing better than some hot Dickens' Cider.
Paging Dr. Gozinya...paging Dr. Peter Gozinya, ICU 812
Oh yes, what a small brain. That is what he is concerned about. Ah well, consider the local.
The name is sofa king brilliant, sofa king brilliant, sofa king brilliant!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Shield my kids from this...? What a joke!
Really.
For a while Mr. Mike Hunt was under the care of Dr. T. Watt, a psychologist specializing in patients who have names that cause others to make fun of them. I also know Dick Glasscock & Harry Beavers were patients of hers, too.
They're made by the same brewery.
My friend Paul R. Bare went there hungry as a bear. He said he left full !
i worked in the hotel biz, and ran into an actual Harry Beaver. Made me laugh, but not as hard as the time I had to settle the bill for Bnnie Shephard-Bahls....or check in Mrs. Velvet Tussy.
My buddy Eaton Cox says Sofa King Juicy Burger doesn't sound any nastier than In-n-Out Burger.
BTW, I've actually known a Mike Hunt and a Ben Dover, no kidding. Some parents sure have a sense of humor.
I've met real people named Ellis Eiland and Dream Weaver.
Amanda Hugnkiss, I have a call for Amanda Hugnkiss. I need Amanda Hugnkiss-Moe Sizlak
My friends Hugh Jorgan and Haywood Jablomey thought this was funny too.
Sofa King Good U 8 1 2
There was a band in Lexington, KY called "Sofa King We Todd Did", great music!
Sofa Kings Lancaster PA
I consulted my friend Howard M. Burgers, and he informed me that the restaurant's signature sandwiches weren't Sofa King good after all.
That's Sofa King We Todd Did
Ha! Putting words together that sound like other naughty words. Ha!
I don't understand the dirty part even after saying it three times. I know, I guess I'm kindy slow.
Their burgers are "So F(uh)king Juicy."
Oh now I get it. LOL Thanks rabbit 6.
Thanks. I couldn't figure it out either.
Wow. Are you guys kidding?
I can't believe it either living. The irony though is that the leaner ('less fatty') the burger, the less juicy it will tend to be. Kind of false advertising if you ask me :).
I never heard of this either. Never heard any kind of "sofa king" jokes growing up, and I heard a lot of stuff like it. Even saying it three times fast it sounds just like "sofa king" to me and not the so f****** that others seem to hear.
I'm Sofa King, wee Todd Ed. Says so on my business card.
luvmpets, remember, he who laughs last, thinks slowest.
And I suppose I qualify, it took a third reading of The Eiger Sanction before I tried saying the name of the secret agency head, Yurasis Dragon.
My friend I.P Freely said they were Sofa King good!
I have nothing to add other than this made me laugh and that is a great way to start the morning. Thanks!
"That's Sofa King great." --Olga Bitcherkokoff
I once knew a Russian prostitute that had all kinds of STD's. I think her name was May Rotcherkokoff. Wonder if they're related.
I think they are cousins, along with Ivana Humpalot.
This is abhorrent, these kinds of shenanigans will lead to the downfall of western civilization, mark my words! My Dark Lord will be pleased, yes....
You should be happy since you work for him...
This is way funny! LMAO
I'll be certain to stop by Sofa King - Jack Simhoff
Heywood Ja Blome says hi.
Five guys makes good burgers, but the atmosphere has all the charm of a car wash. It is loud and annoying (too much tile) and the echoing sound gives me a headache after 10 minutes.
And......No beer!
These fellows seem to be onto something - an "adult" version of Five Guys.
Finally!
If those Five Guys hook up with Five Girls, things could get very adult very quickly...
When I first saw that name I thought they were referring to the couch potatoes that would be stuffing their faces with those things. I was sofa king wrong.
my aunts brother hugh g. rection lives close to the new burger place but finds it hard to leave his house so i doubt he will be able to try the new burger joint.
People should be more outraged that this thing has a million calories and their kids will get even more obese eating them.
The name is what it says. Sofa King. Anyone applying another pronunciation (not sure what that might be, don't understand the fuss), is in their own strange (and probably vulgar) little world; ignore them.
They will have the first and second baptist church protesting out in front of their business. I hope it works out well for them.
More power to them, but it sounds a little ambitious to me. Expensive ingredients, a milkshake lab?
I love this stuff -- it's cheeky, fun and exactly what a Red state needs: to loosen up. If I lived anywhere near TN., I'd have myself a Sofa King Juicy burger, but since I live in Michigan, I'll settle for the slightly less sofa king juicy burgers up here. Also: all these comments made me laugh like I were 13 again. Ahhh. :-)
If they allow dogs, I'll bring my dog Stains. All I have to do is holler "Come, Stains!" and he'll be all over it...
A funny name didn't stop Hooters from succeeding. It's a "family" restaurant too. Laughing My Sofa King Fat A$$ Off.
Mike Hunt is Sofa King Juicy! Did I go overboard?
I don't get it- oh, now i got it!!
Mike Hunt is Sofa King Juicy it wants to be filled with a Hugh G Rection.
It's from a Saturday Night Live Skit. They got it from an actual business called Sofa King in downtown LA. It's hilarious for adult humor. Not so sure about explaining it to kids. Such is life in the modern world.