A new burger joint should be sliding into Augusta next summer.
Small Sliders will open three restaurants in the CSRA with the first as early as July 2026 with a streamlined menu offering burgers, fries and shakes.
“These are like smashburgers. They are made fresh. They are not a pre-made patty. They are really good burgers,” said Madison Tuten, an Augusta resident who is part of the trio of business partners bringing Small Sliders to the area.
Tuten, Doug Puryear and Brian Smith plan to drop five of Smalls Sliders’ signature cans between Augusta and Columbia from 2026 to 2028. Three of the cans, Tuten said, will be in the CSRA with plans for one each in Augusta, Evans and Aiken County.
They are currently looking for the right locations, he said.
Unlike some restaurants with tons of choices, Small Sliders has a focused menu to allow for quicker service Although choices are fewer, there are options that make the menu stand out.
Small Sliders takes a unique approach to French fries.
“It’s a waffle fry, but it’s battered lightly. It’s really crispy. It comes with a side of queso — cheese dip for fries. It’s a really cool concept,” he said.
The quick service restaurant also has a quick build concept.
“For starters, we don’t break ground, we drop Cans. Which means faster openings and fewer headaches. It also means smaller footprints, lower opening costs and simplified operations,” according to the Small Sliders website.
The cans refer to repurposed shipping containers in the restaurant’s trademarked color of Smorange.
Tuten, Puryear and Smith bring a combined 30 years of quick-service restaurant experience to the brand, according to a news release.
“The trio currently owns and operates 12 Surcheros Fresh Mex locations and credits their success to building strong teams and implementing systems that promote guest service and operational efficiency,” the release said.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards and received the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
