One of Maryland’s most talked-about burgers is entering its next chapter. Fifty Fifty, the Frederick-based burger concept known for its half beef, half bacon patties, is officially rebranding as Backslash Burger. While the name is changing, everything that made the burger a statewide standout is staying exactly the same.
The concept was created by Jon Thompson, a Montgomery County native and Clarksburg High School graduate, whose career in the restaurant industry began at age 16 at the Outback Steakhouse in Germantown. Over the next decade, Thompson worked at 14 different Outback locations, building a deep foundation in high-volume operations and consistency. He later expanded his experience at Cafe Deluxe in Rio and went on to serve as general manager of Growlers in Olde Towne Gaithersburg.
After Growlers, Thompson became an area director for Red Hot & Blue, where he overhauled recipes and dove deeply into barbecue science. That process included food science coursework, chemical curing studies, and earning FDA certifications. When COVID hit, he assisted Sardi’s in Olney with developing a barbecue program, then partnered with a longtime friend to reopen a barbecue truck in Washington, DC.
That barbecue truck is where the Fifty Fifty burger was born. Faced with pork belly trim that could not be sold due to imperfect slicing, Thompson and his partner ground the bacon and blended it with beef to avoid waste. The result was a patty that cooked with an exceptional crust, stayed remarkably juicy, and delivered a depth of flavor that immediately stood out.
Thompson began developing the burger in spring 2020, launched the Fifty Fifty food truck in October 2021, and opened the brick-and-mortar location inside Olde Mother Brewing at 526 N. Market Street in Frederick in January 2023. Since then, the burger has drawn diners from across Maryland and beyond, quickly earning a reputation as one of the best burgers in the state.
The menu highlights what makes the concept special. The top-selling Oklahoma Animal features thinly sliced raw onions pressed directly into the patty, mustard cooked into the meat, tangy chipotle mayo known as Fifty Fifty sauce, and house-made apple cider vinegar pickles designed to cut through the richness of the bacon. Other favorites include the Peter Piper, topped with roasted poblano cream cheese, hot pickled cherry peppers, and bourbon molasses sauce, and the She’s My Cherry Burger with herbed goat cheese and sour cherry jam.
On the side, the Old Bay Fries have developed a following of their own. Straight-cut fries are coated in potato starch for extra crispness, seasoned generously with Old Bay, and served with Fifty Fifty sauce for dipping. Under the new Backslash Burger name, the concept is positioning itself for growth while keeping its identity rooted in the food.
“The food is staying the same, we’re just evolving as a brand. We maintain our commitment to quality and to the customers who have supported us,” Thompson said. “Backslash Burger gives us room to grow and really be a fun brand that people can hopefully connect with. We loved Fifty Fifty, and we love and appreciate everyone who’s connected with it over the years. It’s time for us to grow.”
Backslash Burger is actively pursuing expansion, with potential future locations being explored in Silver Spring, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Mount Airy, and Aberdeen. For fans of Fifty Fifty, the message is simple. Same burgers. Same recipes. Same quality. Just a new name and a bigger vision.
