[1] He sought inspiration from the new growth of hamburger eateries in Los Angeles and New York City, yet disliked their approaches, thinking it would hinder innovation—being bound to a traditional diner-style burger.

[9][10][11][12] For example, Food & Wine journalist Dana Cowin wrote that "Richard Blais's 'burger boutique' is mod, ambitious and delicious.

Critic Jennifer Zyman noted: "each burger tastes as if someone said, 'Dude, let's figure out a way to cram a bunch of crap on one plate so the diner can't identify a single ingredient.'"

Furthermore the newspaper remarked that the decor, as a "carbon copy" of the original Westside location, "except slightly larger," was "somehow less cool as a result.

Lauterbach characterized FLIP's approach as "heaping on garnishes and condiments and finishing everything with sugar" to ensure that patrons "can't taste anything."