A Michigan burger brand built around its signature sauce is set to open a sit-down restaurant on Garfield Road in Clinton Township around Nov. 23, with another location already in the works for Warren. ZipSauce, which started as a food truck before expanding to brick-and-mortar spots in Shelby Township, Port Huron and Westland, is planting its newest flag on the east side of Garfield Road, just north of a McDonald’s and Taco Bell near Canal Road.
CEO Michael Esshaki confirmed the timeline to WhatNow, saying, “Right now, they are looking to open the Clinton Township spot around Nov. 23.” He also revealed that ZipSauce isn’t stopping there — the company is already lining up a second new location on 10 Mile in Warren. “The team is also working on a location on 10 Mile in Warren to debut sometime next month,” Esshaki said.
For now, Esshaki says the company’s ambitions stay close to home. “Esshaki is just looking at the Metro Detroit market,” the report notes, suggesting the brand plans to keep its rapid growth concentrated in the region rather than chase a wider national footprint.
What's On the Menu
ZipSauce built its name on a burger-first menu with its proprietary sauce as the hook, describing its mission as bringing the classic American burger experience back to Michigan with that condiment as the differentiator. The flagship item, the double-cheese Zipburger, comes stacked with two quarter-pound prime beef patties, grilled onions and two slices of American cheese, according to the same account.
Beyond burgers, the menu includes Zipchicken — a crispy breaded chicken breast sandwich — along with a Philly cheesesteak and nuggets. Sides round things out with bacon cheese fries and bacon cajun fries, giving the Clinton Township location a menu that mirrors what’s already on offer at the brand’s existing spots.
A Busy Stretch of Garfield Road
The new restaurant will sit among a cluster of established eateries in the area, with Country Inn, Tommy’s Diner and Hamlin Pub all nearby. The company has described the Clinton Township project as its fourth location, part of a steady build-out that began with the original food truck before the brand moved into standalone restaurants.
The address has some recent history of its own in Metro Detroit’s burger scene. Reporting from June 2025 indicated that Halo Burger, a chain with roots in Flint, was slated to open a location at the same 41554 Garfield Road address, between Canal and 18 Mile roads, according to ClickOnDetroit. The Free Press reported at the time that the Clinton Township opening was set for June 30, and the location was described as Halo Burger’s sixth in Michigan, joining four outlets in the Flint area and one in Birch Run, per the Macomb Daily. That outlet also reported the building was a renovated former Church’s Chicken. What became of that plan, and how it relates to ZipSauce’s now-confirmed timeline for the same address, isn’t addressed in current reporting.
From Food Truck to Grocery Shelves
ZipSauce’s growth hasn’t been limited to restaurants. The company says its namesake sauce is now sold in more than 4,500 stores around the country, a distribution footprint that has grown alongside its handful of Michigan locations. That retail presence, paired with the upcoming Clinton Township and Warren openings, points to a brand trying to build out both its grocery-aisle and dine-in presence at the same time in its home market.
