ABOUT BURGERMASTER

Burgermaster restaurants are the life’s work of founder Phil Jensen. In 1952, he was in his early thirties and had just lost the lease on his restaurant in downtown Seattle. He was approached by two brothers, Don and Bud Mowat, who were looking for someone to run a restaurant on a property they owned near the University of Washington. They offered the lease to Phil, and the rest, as they say, is history. To this day Phil attributes much of his success to that first opportunity given him by the Mowat brothers.

Then, as now, Phil Jensen's guiding principle is to “give the customer a better deal”. Phil’s hands-on attention to detail and his focus on quality have made Burgermaster a landmark in the greater Seattle area. Currently in his 80’s, Phil still comes to work every day to ensure that his vision endures.

Phil has been aided in this endeavor by his wife of 64 years, Mary. A lifelong gardener, Mary Jensen still oversees the planting and maintenance of the landscaping, for which Burgermaster is also known. Visit one of our restaurants when the tulips are in bloom to get an idea of just how different and how special a place a Burgermaster restaurant is. The Burgermaster located in the Bellevue-Kirkland area has received several awards from local gardening clubs.

Since that first location, the Burgermaster has expanded to five locations, from Seattle to Everett and employs over 100. All of Phil and Mary’s four children are involved in Burgermaster—it’s definitely a family business.