In just one night, smpl Burger served 300 burgers, a major achievement for founders Jean Salamoun and Ali Haroon. The duo, who juggle their studies with running the food truck, are dedicated to bringing great burgers to their campus community.
As full-time students, Salamoun and Haroon work at the truck every Wednesday and Saturday. They start at 6 p.m. and usually wrap up around 3:30 a.m. After a year in business, they saw a huge increase in demand, especially during the busy fall semester.
“That night was special. It proved we have a great team and showed us what’s possible,” Salamoun shared. His goal now? To eventually sell 500 burgers in a night.
Set in a bright red truck next to local bars, smpl Burger adds flavor to Collegetown’s nightlife. The truck is especially popular during the midweek rush when students flock to nearby bars like Level B for drink specials. Many stop by smpl Burger to refuel after a night out or a long study session.
“Seeing our customers enjoy the burgers is the best part of our job,” Salamoun said enthusiastically.
The idea for smpl Burger sparked from a craving for a good burger. One night, Salamoun and his friends couldn’t find any, so he said, “I can make a burger.” That conversation led to them cooking up burgers, and soon after, the business was born.
In November 2023, smpl Burger earned $2,000 in funding from the Cornell Hospitality Pitch Deck Competition, placing second out of 29 startups. This recognition validated their hard work and entrepreneurial spirit.
“We experiment to see what works and what doesn’t,” Salamoun explained. While still early in their journey, they have big plans for the future.
After co-founder Karim Pareja stepped back from daily operations, Haroon took over leadership. He continues to be passionate about their mission and the joy of serving great food.
With a straightforward menu—just burgers and fries—smpl Burger keeps things simple yet delicious. Even when they’re not open, Haroon jokes that he’s still craving a burger!
The team shares their love for burgers not just with their customers but also with friends who occasionally join them to learn how to flip burgers.
Looking ahead, Salamoun hopes to expand to 100 locations in other college towns. But for now, being part of Cornell’s culture means everything to him.
“We want people to think of smpl Burger whenever they think of Cornell,” said Salamoun. “That would be amazing.”
