Bryan Dayton, founder of Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality Group, is flipping burgers—and expectations—with C Burger, a fast casual concept centered around 100% regenerative beef. Known for acclaimed restaurants in Boulder like Corrida and Oak at Fourteenth, Dayton’s latest venture serves up crave-worthy smash burgers with an environmental mission as one of Colorado’s most forward-thinking fast-casual concepts.
Originally launched inside the Sanitas Brewing Company taproom in Englewood, C Burger launched its Pearl Street location earlier this year. Initially, the concept started as a way to make use of premium ground beef left over from Corrida’s whole animal program. “We are sourcing whole animals through our regenerative beef label, Corrida Cattle Company (CCC), and using the primal cuts at the steakhouse,” Dayton explains. “That left us with a steady surplus of premium ground beef. So, the question became, ‘What do we do with all this incredible meat that doesn’t make it to the fine dining plate?’”
The answer was a burger concept rooted in environmental responsibility. “Burgers are craveable, they’re familiar, they’re very American,” Dayton says. “That’s what makes them such a powerful vehicle to start a bigger conversation around sustainability.”
At the heart of C Burger is a commitment to regenerative ranching. Unlike traditional feedlots, regenerative ranchers use adaptive multi-paddock grazing to mimic natural herd movement. “That gives pastures time to rest and regrow,” Dayton says. “Which helps rebuild the soil, retain more water, and support more plant and animal life…It’s good for the planet, the cattle, and the people eating it.”
Long-standing relationships with these ranchers drive C Burger’s sourcing strategy. “These relationships aren’t transactional,” Dayton says. “They’re built on trust, long-term vision, and a shared sense of responsibility.” That alignment, he adds, “shows up in the beef—you can taste the difference.”
This holistic approach extends beyond the beef. Dayton and his team are intentional with every ingredient on the menu. “Just because C Burger is a casual concept doesn’t mean we compromise on quality,” he says. Fries and onion rings are fried in the tallow from the beef, salads are made with fresh, local produce, and the crispy chicken sandwiches and soft serve are crafted with care. “It’s about making everyday food that feels good to eat, in every sense.”
The team is also giving back: 1% of sales from the signature C Burger is donated to Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit funding regenerative farming projects across the U.S. “Most people don’t expect a burger to come with so much intention and thoughtfulness,” Dayton says, and adds that guests are taking notice. “There’s often this ‘wait, really?’ moment when they realize their lunch or dinner is actually contributing to a larger climate solution.”
Dayton believes that by creating demand for better beef, concepts like C Burger can influence the larger food system. “Long term, we really hope to shift public perception around what ‘better beef’ really means and give more people access to good food that’s good for the planet,” he says. “One burger, one steak at a time.”
With plans to expand beyond Boulder, C Burger is poised to offer more communities an easy way to eat well—and do good. As Dayton puts it, “C Burger is where you can feel good about eating bad.”
Hungry yet? C Burger might just be the best reason to feel good about your next guilty pleasure.