The Krazy Vegan, South Florida’s 100% plant-based burger joint, offering handcrafted burgers, sandwiches, wings, and cheesesteaks, is fusing fast food with a healthy living.
South Florida radio host, Alex “Big Lip” Chisholm, a Philly native, opened The Krazy Vegan in Hallandale, FL after a health scare inspired him to eliminate meat products from his diet. Being raised in a city known for its delicious street fare, Alex sought to find a way to indulge in his favorite foods like burgers, fries, and Philly cheesesteaks while maintaining his new healthier lifestyle.
After spending a week in the ICU, suffering from a critical life-threatening condition, doctors warned him that his overall health was in jeopardy.
“That’s when I realized I needed to change my unhealthy lifestyle,” Alex recalled.
But making the decision to go to a strictly plant-based diet brought its challenges. Like so many others new to veganism, Alex missed his favorite foods.
“The vegan restaurants in Miami were all about brown rice and carrots. And that wasn’t doing it for me. I wanted great dope burgers like McDonald's, only healthier and strictly vegan.”
That’s when the beloved Miami radio star, famous for hosting “The Big Lip Morning Show,” featured on iHeartRadio and popular local radio, became inspired to open The Krazy Vegan, a plant-based comfort food restaurant in the suburbs of Miami.
A household name in South Florida, broadcasting on local Miami radio for the past 15 years, this radio personality, football coach, and philanthropist opened The Krazy Vegan in May 2021 with hopes of bettering himself and his community.
“I want people to look at The Krazy Vegan as the McDonald’s of plant-based fast food,” Alex shared.
The restaurant’s slogan, “Plant-Based Comfort Food To Go,” reflects Alex’s vision of marrying truly delicious food with a healthy meatless lifestyle, and sharing it with his adopted hometown.
The Krazy Vegan’s menu items includes plant-based burgers, tacos, fries, Chick’n nuggets and sandwiches, and, of course, an authentic Philly cheesesteak, an homage to Alex’s hometown.
To cool off from the Miami heat, freshly crafted lemonades and smoothies, made with freshly pureed fruits and veggies are made in-house every day.
Alex decided to open his flagship restaurant, located at 645 W Hallandale Beach Blvd. in Hallandale Beach, last year when many other establishments were closing their doors.
On opening day, meat lovers and vegans alike packed the parking lot and stood in line to be one of the first 50 customers to receive a free Krazy Klassic hamburger. Since then, business has been booming, with additional locations in Miami and Broward County on the near horizon.
Secret Ingredients to Success
When asked what “secret sauce” he attributes to his instant success, Alex was quick to admit that “you have to take care of people if you want them to take care of you.”
In a time when many in the restaurant business are struggling to hire and retain employees, the labor shortage has not seemed to have much of an effect on business at The Krazy Vegan.
Recognizing the importance of making his employees feel valued, both on a financial and personal level, Alex adds, “I know I can’t do this alone, so I make sure everyone who works here reaps the benefits of our success.”
The Krazy Vegan’s Chef Reece and Chef Darryl, Voted Best Plant-Based Burger in America - Winner of the 2021 Seed Food & Wine Festival Burger Battle!
Ten dedicated employees that fill the kitchen of the 900 square-foot space, where a majority of the business is take-out and delivery, work hard every day to get the many orders out the door fast.
“It’s not just about delicious high-quality and healthy food, '' Alex continued, “it’s equally important that we cater to our customer’s busy lifestyles, both at the counter and (via) our delivery service.”
With a keen understanding of the importance of getting orders out of the kitchen and out the door to his customers in Hallandale and the surrounding communities promptly, Alex has created “a system that gets every order out within ten minutes.” Part of which includes “partnering with great delivery platforms.”
"62% of all orders come in online, so we know delivery has been a big key to our success.”
“I started using the third-party platforms for our delivery, and it was working out fine getting us going,” Alex continued, “but five months ago, when we started partnering with Sauce, we saw our revenue climb – literally by 27%!”
“When it comes to business,” Alex admits, “I never operate out of sheer emotions. If it doesn’t make sense, I won’t do it. So, I thought long and hard before deciding to partner with Sauce. And it’s proven to be a wise business decision,” as he’s watched his profits skyrocket after only one year in business.
Top Five Menu Items
1 - The Krazy AF Burger: Two plant-based patties, vegan cheese, grilled onions, vegan bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and signature Krazy Sauce on a brioche bun.
2 - Krazy Mon Burger: Plant-Based Patty, Grilled Onion, Fried Jackfruit Pieces, Vegan Bacon, Krazy Sauce & Krazy Jerk Sauce Served On A Brioche Bun With A Side Of Fries.
3 - Philly Cheesesteak: 1/2 lb of plant-based meat, vegan mozzarella cheese, grilled onions, peppers, and signature Krazy Sauce on an 8-inch hoagie roll, served with a side of fries.
4 - Krazy Cowboy: Plant-based patty, onion rings, vegan bacon, vegan cheese, BBQ sauce, and signature Krazy Sauce on a brioche bun, served with a side of crispy vegan fries.
5 - Krazy Karen: Plant-based patty, vegan cheese, ketchup, mustard, and kosher pickles on a brioche bun, served with a side of fries.
Three More Secret Ingredients to Alex’s Recipe for Success
When asked to share what other secret ingredients have become a part of his recipe for success, Alex shared, “Pay attention to creating high-profit margin menu items. Our freshly made drinks, (always made using the freshest locally-sourced ingredients) yield 300-400% profit on every drink made.”
When it comes to marketing, this media mogul believes in the importance of keeping it real. In addition to his savvy social media presence, Alex is sure to thank his customers every time they order, “either by including an insert in every bag or in a message on the website (during the ordering process) I always thank my customers. Because without them, I’m not here.”
Finally, Alex attributes his success in business and in life to a philosophy he shares with hometown Philly native, Meek Mill, who has said “Scared money don’t make no money.”
"Every time I was scared, I lost, but every time I stepped out on faith, I’ve won."
The Cutest Krazy Vegan Lovers in South Florida!
Editor’s note: The plant-based lifestyle is a trend not going anywhere but up. A welcomed step in the right direction toward bringing healthy eating into the mainstream, making it accessible and affordable to everyone, The Krazy Vegan is a unique addition to the South Florida food scene.
As a fellow Philly native, who also grew up eating cheesesteaks, and now practicing a primarily plant-based lifestyle, I am hoping to see a Krazy Vegan opening in the Philadelphia area soon. Based on everything I’ve learned from Alex, I'm stepping out on faith as well, and predict there will be a Krazy Vegan restaurant on every corner very in the very near future!
By Eileen Strauss
