A green chile cheeseburger created eight years at a market in the tiny Route 66 town of Laguna, N.M., has garnered so much acclaim, it’s listed in the state tourism department’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail and the sandwich has been replicated at two other nearby locations, reported the Cibola County Beacon.
The Laguna Burger, as it’s called, was started at the Dancing Eagle Supermarket in Laguna. The burger also can be found at the 66 Pit Stop at Exit 140 of Interstate 40 and a newly remodeled 66 Pit Stop at in Laguna, at Exit 114 of I-40.
According to the Beacon’s story:
The Exit 114 66 Pit Stop had added to its building and can now seat approximately 50, including seating on a outdoor patio. […] The store only had six counter stools. […] On Saturday, May 21, the store in Laguna is hosting a grand opening from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event includes a Muscle Car Show of 15 autos. Store license plates will given to people who buy a Laguna Burger.
“With the expansion we hope to set the stage for the burger to grow in popularity,” explained LDC Chief of Retail Operations Earl Carrasco. “In the coming years our goal is to see more opportunities to grow the franchise as a result of this expansion.”
The Laguna Burger is one-half pound of ground beef delivered fresh everyday. The renovation includes a much-needed grill three times the size of the old one. The old grill could only fit nine burgers, the new one can accomodate 27.
Currently, the girls make 90 patties a day at the Laguna store, the busiest of the three, “And if we need more, no problem,” said Charlies Archuleta, Director of LDC Store Operations. “We will make them on the spot.”
Apparently the burger accounts for 90 percent of the Laguna store’s sales. And don’t ask for a recipe — it’s a secret. The Laguna Burger also has fared well in the New Mexico State Fair’s green chile cheeseburger competition.
This blog post covers the Laguna Burger at one of the 66 Pit Stops very well, including photos.
All three locations of the Laguna Burger are part of the Laguna Development Corp.
New Mexico Tourism is producing an updated Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail, which will be unveiled May 26. However, the 2009 listing included a number of locations on Route 66, including the famous Bobcat Bite in Santa Fe. In a pinch, the New Mexico-based Blake’s Lotaburger chain will do nicely.