Have You Been Ferg'd?
Fergburger
Ferg’d? Have I been Ferg’d? You may be asking yourself what could this possibly mean? …..Followed quickly by the next logical question ‘Do I want to be’? Google it and see what it returns…. nothing….there is no such thing as being Ferg’d, but if you asked any local in Queenstown they’d most likely just smile and nod their head in complete understanding.
We refer to the experience of having eaten at the epic and ‘world famous’ burger joint called Fergburger. Hence, having done so, you have officially been ‘Ferg’d’. So to answer your pondering from above, YES, you want to be and after reading this article I sincerely hope you get out there and join the ranks of tens of thousands of other visitors to Queenstown and get yourself officially ‘Ferg’d’!
On that train of thought I guess the next question would have to be ‘WHY?’ Well the burgers are clearly exceptional in terms of the quality of ingredients and the creativity of the menu. From simple and classic to funny and unusual – there is a burger for every discerning customer. And, with all of the growing popularity, this little burger joint has played it cool and retained its southern charm while continuing to deliver exceptional service by fun loving and interesting staff. It’s a pretty heady combination and I’m sure pumping the smell of freshly cooked prime beef out into the street is worth more in attracting customers than a large marketing budget could!
I’m not sure Fergburger could be called junk food either. The ingredients are all fresh and the meat is prime NZ beef. The menu alone is enough to tempt the staunchest of health nuts: without explaining the composition of these masterpieces, the names alone inspire the salivary glands to start working: The Ferg Deluxe, the Southern or Tropical Swine, Sweet Bambi (seriously – who would eat that one!), Cock Cajun, Coockadoodle Oink, a Holier Than Thou, and a Morning Glory. Vegetarian and Gluten Free are both covered!
So how is that this burger joint became as famous abroad as Bungy Jumping in Queenstown? Social Media helps. On TripAdvisor alone there are close to 13,000 reviews, with an average of 4.5 stars and an ‘Excellence’ recognition badge. A mixture of folklore and their own web site implies that its popularity is an outgrowth of its symbiotic relationship between the drunken late night customer and the Fergburger team. Quite frankly it was a match made in heaven (or late night hell!). No huge marketing budgets and strategic plans – just good old fashioned well-cooked creative burgers, late night openings and appreciative customers. And lets not forget that tourists talk…and talk and talk! And talk some more. Soon all that talking built a profile which saw the label ‘a must do’ in Queenstown by travel giants forbes.com and even newzealand.com – this countries own international travel marketing site.
Its current location on Lower Shotover Street is a far cry more popular than its previous (initial) digs on Cow Lane. It means you can see how long it will take to get served at a glance – the queue can literally wind up the road, although it does move quickly. It also means that the team has been able to diversify a little and open Fergbaker next door. It seems they have applied the same simple philosophies of simple food made well – check out the pork pies, a personal favourite! And there’s always the option to call ahead and pre-order – at anytime during their 21 hours of opening! Yup, no typo…. They really are open almost 24 hours a day!
So if you want to experience the diversity of Queenstown, its best done through your taste buds! Amongst all of the cool experiences Queenstown delivers, a burger from Fergburger is the best end to your day. You’ve got to be able to say that you’ve ‘been there, ate a Ferg’s’!