Container-style burger joints are officially coming for the Valley. A franchise group has inked a deal to develop 15 Smalls Sliders “Cans” across the Phoenix metro, with the first compact site expected to open in late 2026. The bright smorange-painted shipping containers will sling cheeseburger sliders, seasoned waffle fries and hand-spun milkshakes out of a tight footprint built for speed.
Who’s Behind the Deal
The expansion is being led by franchisees Tanweer, Rehman and Talha Ahmed, along with business partner David Wehrman, according to local reporting. As reported by WhatNow, the group is already scouting pads in Glendale, San Tan Valley and Casa Grande while it maps out where to drop the modular burger boxes.
How the “Can” Model Works
Smalls Sliders runs its restaurants out of prefabricated “Cans” - factory-finished modules that arrive on-site ready to hook up to utilities. The company says the plug-in-style build helps keep costs in check and gets locations open faster. Founded in 2019, the brand sticks to a deliberately small menu focused on sliders, waffle fries and milkshakes, and Franchising.com notes that this lean, modular model has helped Smalls scale quickly.
Timeline and Targets
Bill Bolling of PAK Foods told WhatNow that the manufacturer-finished Cans allow builders to complete plumbing, electrical and interior work offsite, which cuts costs and can roughly halve the construction schedule compared with a traditional ground-up build. According to the outlet, the franchise group is aiming to open its first Phoenix-area Smalls in late 2026, then add about two locations per year after that.
Where This Fits in the Valley
The new 15-unit push layers on top of earlier big franchise moves in Arizona. In 2024, Purple Square Management announced a 22-unit agreement that marked Smalls Sliders’ initial Valley entry and signaled the brand’s appetite for compact, drive-thru-oriented pads. ConnectCRE reported on that earlier deal and its emphasis on tight footprints and quick deployment.
Developers still have to navigate site approvals and secure utility hookups before any Cans actually land on Valley corners, so the rollout will ultimately follow local permitting and real estate timing. We will be watching planning filings and opening announcements as this container burger wave moves from paper to pavement.
