Blake’s Lotaburger
restaurant chain | encyclopedia/cuisine | Pronounced: \bleyks loh-tuh bur-ger\ | IPA: /bleɪks ˈloʊ tə ˈbɜr gər/
Definition of Blake’s Lotaburger
An iconic New Mexican cuisine fast food restaurant chain in Albuquerque. The company, established in 1952 by Blake Chanslor, emphasizes Americana themes and foods such as fast food New Mexican cuisine and the Lotaburger itself.
Examples of Blake’s Lotaburger
Menu
Core items center on the signature LOTA New Mexico Style burger (two fresh, never-frozen premium beef patties, melted cheese, and flame-roasted Hatch green chile) along with breakfast burritos made with fresh-cracked eggs, choice of meats, crispy hash browns, and red or green chile sauce options. Additional offerings include chile fries, sandwiches, shakes, and orange juice. They also sometimes have Lotadogs, as well as newer items like the Yazzie Energy Refreshers.
Blake’s Lotaburger functions as a cultural icon in New Mexico. Its burgers and branded packaging appeared regularly in the AMC series Breaking Bad. The chain has received recognition including USA Today (Best Green Chile Cheeseburger in New Mexico), National Geographic (World’s Best Green Chile Cheeseburger), and Albuquerque Journal awards for best burger, green chile burger, and breakfast burrito. It is also partners with other brands, such as Johnny James’ Good Trip.
It helped establish the green chile cheeseburgers and breakfast burritos as widely recognized staples of New Mexican cuisine while operating as an accessible expression of fast-food Americana blended with local foods. The business has sustained its identity through ownership transition and continues to represent everyday New Mexican tradition more than seven decades after its founding.
Origin of Blake’s Lotaburger
In 1952, Blake Chanslor started the restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a take-out restaurant serving mainly inexpensive burgers and fries. He opened his first two chain restaurants in Albuquerque in 1953 and expanded the chain across the city.
Chanslor, a World War II Navy veteran born Glenn “Blake” Chanslor on June 8, 1920, in Myra, Texas, moved from Borger, Texas, after the war. The first location stood at the corner of Southern Avenue and San Mateo Boulevard. Early customers often brought their own green chile to add to their orders. Chanslor responded by incorporating green chile into the menu, and according to longstanding accounts he became one of the first to market a green chile cheeseburger as a standard item. The chile has consistently come from the Hatch Valley.
The business grew from that single stand into a regional chain. By the time Chanslor sold it in 2003 the operation included 75 locations and roughly $30 million in annual sales. He passed away on April 10, 2009, at age 88 in Albuquerque.
It is currently owned by brothers Ronald C. Rule and Brian Rule. They have maintained control of the Blake’s Lotaburger concept, service, and products since the 2003 acquisition. Ron Rule serves as CEO and has kept the business family-owned while continuing the original emphasis on quality and New Mexico-inspired offerings.
Leadership statements highlight ongoing attention to ingredient sourcing, including a proprietary green chile variety cultivated by New Mexico farmers in the Hatch Valley. The chile undergoes 100 percent flame-roasting with no added capsaicin, allowing natural seasonal variation in heat. A state-of-the-art test kitchen supports rigorous quality checks, and local sourcing receives priority alongside sustainability considerations from suppliers.
Alternate names: Blake’s, Lotaburger, Lot-a-burger.
First Known Use: 20th century
