New Naperville burger joint to offer 9-patty burger

The "Cheeeesy Burger" is a winner in Jamil Sweis' book.

When he was looking to get back into the restaurant business and he sampled the best-selling item from Connecticut-based Wayback Burgers, he was sold.

"It's like a double cheeseburger and a grilled cheese sandwich married into one," Sweis said. "It was one of the best burgers I've ever had."

Sweis now is bringing the winning recipe to Illinois with the state's first Wayback Burgers, which he plans to open this spring in Naperville at 2775 Showplace Drive.

With the Cheeeesy Burger will come southwest, Philly, Carolina and BBQ burgers as well as a build-your-own option and an epic mountain of meat: the Triple Triple.

The Triple Triple Burger is what it sounds like, Sweis says: nine patties and nine slices of cheese somehow stacked between a toasted bun with lettuce and tomato or whichever other toppings the customer orders. It's an intense 1,780 calories, according to the restaurant's nutrition facts, which registers Sweis' favorite Cheeeesy Burger at 830 calories.

"People are really excited about it. It's very overwhelming when you think about it and look at it," Sweis said about the Triple Triple. "It's more of an eating challenge, I would say."

Each year, Wayback Burgers even hosts a nationwide contest to see who can eat the Triple Triple the fastest. Last year, Sweis said a young woman won - in 38 seconds.

The Triple Triple will be on the everyday menu at Wayback in Naperville once the restaurant opens. Sweis has a signed lease and construction is about to begin.

The restaurant will be a throwback to the 1950s or '60s in decor and in service, he said.

Meals featuring burgers, sandwiches, salads or hot dogs along with fries, chili, onion rings or homemade chips are made to order, he said. Ingredients are fresh, not frozen. Milkshakes in 14 flavors are created from real vanilla ice cream and a variety of mix-ins. It'll be a family-friendly place.

Sweis said his Naperville franchise will seat about 60 inside and also will offer an outdoor patio. Wayback Burgers expects to begin hiring within the next month to fill 20 positions to staff the new operation.

While this will be the first Wayback Burgers in Illinois, the company has more than 100 locations in 22 states and three countries.