Slave Island is a haven for great tasting food that can be munched on from the road side or whisked away in a recycled paper bag back home. For its humble surroundings, Slave Island is home to a large Muslim (Malay) population amongst the usual majority Buddhist population.

Food vendors and stalls alternate between tire shops, grocery stores and the infamous RIO cinema (that provides a great escape to a fantasy world to most in the hood). City dwellers flock to this area whenever they need great tasting Mani Pittu, Pasthol or Spicy Satay sticks (the latter two being Malaysian delicacies).

Over the last few years, there has been a silent street food hawker that has been gaining momentum in popularity in Slave Island. Bringing in a new flavor to the area, an innovative duo (Proprietor M. J. Fazly and his brother) came together to form BURGER’S KING (drawing a faint parallel to the world’s famous Burger King). Starting to sell their great tasting burgers from a makeshift cart perched on the sidewalk down Malay Street, Slave Island five years ago – their business grew with a secret recipe of great tasting Burgers and Shawarma’s for unbelievable prices. This is the place to get a sizeable portion of fries for Rs. 160 and delicious Burgers that start at a mere Rs. 130/-. Easily, one can stuff themselves silly for less than Rs.500/-

No breaking a sweat or blowing a hole in your wallet over here. Burger’s King is so much the rage that many order take out for dinner’s they host at home and you can find even Colombo’s elitist eating off the curb at Burger’s King! No one really questions their cleanliness or unbecoming settings. No one has had any complaints or reason to ditch that famous humble cart that serves up a rich man’s feast. News about Burger’s King has spread simply by word of mouth initiated by satisfied customers who couldn’t believe they discovered something more than KFC and McDonalds in Colombo! Tired of the usual available in local haunts, customers have taken to the generous servings and consistent quality provided by Burger’s King.

Burger’s King has grown many leaps and bounds – attracting customers from all walks of life. Customers didn’t mind eating off the grimy streets of Slave Island, and have grown accustomed to catching up with friends by the roadside perched on plastic Damro chairs. The business grew within months and the owners have now occupied the shop premises right behind the cart that started things off. Even though business is easier to operate from the premises, the owners retain the signature Burger’s King cart right where it’s always been standing. Along with the expanding shop, Burger’s King also offers many additions to their old menu. Burger’s King now boasts of a range of Burgers, grilled meats and sausages served with a choice of homemade sauces.

Servings and quality has remained the same – which is what has customers coming back for more! The owners have not fallen prey to the curse most fast food outlets usually do – they made sure to keep their servings consistent, prices cheaper than others and quality as great as or only greater than they started off with. Speaking to the Burger’s King proprietor Mr. M. J. Fazly he approximates selling over a whopping FIVE HUNDRED Burgers alone in one day!!!

As like many other things in Colombo – the biggest compliment you can receive or signs of your success can be when people start imitating you or poaching your ideas. If you take a drive down the Slave Island streets you’ll find many other carts with similar names giving it a shot at making it big like the folks at Burger’s King. Sadly though, no one is really interested in them and seems too busy trying to find a parking spot down Malay Street.

Colombo Spirit took a walk down Malay Street recently to meet with the dynamic owners of Burger’s King who were ever willing to impart their secrets of success and plans for the future. Settling into a Damro chair by the curb, one has to ignore the waste paper flying in the wind and odors wafting in with the cool night’s breeze. If you just can’t hold it in as I couldn’t; speak to the ever so efficient Janaka (your Burger’s King Butler extraordinaire) and he shall have any waste bins removed from eye shot at the least. From a variety of Burgers that start from Rs. 120 to juicy Shawarma’s, Grilled Jumbo Sausages and Submarines – everything is guaranteed to be Halal and served up oven fresh. Don’t just take our word for it, read on to see some customer feedback from Burger’s King loyalists.

Burger’s King Fans speak out:

Mrs. Surekha Wijeyesekera says “I think that Burger’s King Burgers are really yummy. Especially love the mayo/tomato sauce mix they serve with their fries. What I really like is that it also gives you great value for money and portions sizes are – well – ‘SIZEABLE’. Also great PRICE, PLACE and PRODUCT – they’ve got it all. It’s a good business model – I hope they maintain standards and won’t lose their charm.”

"The food is simply delicious; it’s the ideal place to grab a quick bite. The chunky burger and the juicy Shawarma are my favorites - the perfect meal for a busy evening or a late night out" says Mr. Jiffry Zulfer.

Mr. Jehan Perera raves “I love the fact that food is served hot and is made out in the open for you to see. They are very innovative with their menu and prices are unbeatable! Typically Burger’s King is every Sri Lankan’s dream to get the most for less!”

Mrs. Arithra G says “I love Burger’s King but my husband usually restrains me going there cause of its undesirable surroundings. So we usually pick up the food and make a quick getaway.”

Ms. Zamani Zainudeen says “Its yummy food – although one is never enough, so I always end up eating two!!”