Known as Burgerman Serj, he’s become a familiar and friendly face on the high street, serving up free burgers to people who are homeless or finding it tough to make ends meet.
He streams the whole thing live on TikTok, where nearly 300,000 followers chip in with donations to help him keep the grill going.
He streams the whole thing live on TikTok, where nearly 300,000 followers chip in with donations to help him keep the grill going.
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TVTranscript
00:00Across Kent, there are many people that help to make a positive difference in their community.
00:05But in Chatham, one man has done this by flipping burgers on TikTok Live.
00:10Every Thursday, I've got a sign as well, every Thursday from 3 to 6, we give out burgers
00:13to those in need, to the homeless, to people who can't afford meals, warm meals.
00:18There are many soup kitchens, many other charities that do something similar, but we're able
00:23to do it as a business every single week.
00:26And this is due to the fact that we have so much support worldwide online.
00:30His TikToks got traction quickly, and before he knew it, he had hundreds watching.
00:34You said McDonald's.
00:36McDonald's.
00:37McDonald's is not healthy.
00:38McDonald's is not healthy.
00:39They should come to Burgermar Surge instead.
00:41From that day, we've had thousands and thousands and thousands of people tuning in on a daily
00:44basis, and I've just been keeping at it every single week.
00:48I had the option to go live.
00:50I pressed the button, and I left it there for a couple of minutes.
00:53I went back to making my burgers.
00:54I turned around, I had about two, three people in there, nothing going on, I didn't think
00:58anything of it.
00:59I continued to make my burgers, turn around in five minutes, all of a sudden we've got
01:0250 people in there.
01:03We've got taps and hearts on the screen.
01:05We've got people commenting.
01:06I'm like, whoa.
01:07For around two years now, Burgermar Surge has been able to give out around 80 free burgers
01:12a week to those who are homeless in Chatham.
01:14He's made a real difference in the community, which I can tell from being here, and that's
01:18all thanks to his TikTok.
01:21They do a thing they serve homeless people at certain times.
01:28I think that's brilliant.
01:30Because there's not many places now where homeless people don't get free food.
01:35I bet it's helping them out.
01:36And it's the best food.
01:38So when I first went out, hey, this is the man.
01:41That's on us, by the way.
01:42Enjoy your burger.
01:43Yeah.
01:44These are good friends.
01:45I helped them out.
01:46So I've been coming here for eight years.
01:48And obviously inflation, now they're £4 and 4.20 if you want cheese, but they're the best
01:53burgers ever.
01:55They do actually help people.
01:56There's a kid who's got autism and stuff, and they help them out with work and that community
02:01people as well.
02:02They're really, really, really, really good people as well.
02:05Support your local businesses.
02:06Besides from all the stuff that we do over here, it's stories like this, people like
02:10him that add so much to what we do over here.
02:14I make burgers.
02:15I do everything.
02:16I clean everything.
02:17I'm the manager.
02:1850 is the manager.
02:21Serge previously lived in North London.
02:23And after coming to Chatham to start the business, he says he's fallen in love with the area.
02:28It's a very, let me say, a very eventful place.
02:31I always say, if they want to make a Netflix series, a Netflix show about Chatham, it's
02:37the perfect place.
02:38Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Chatham.
02:40The.
02:50You.
02:50Yeah.