August M
Burger King is overhauling its signature Whopper for the first time in nearly a decade following years of customer feedback about quality and presentation.
The fast-food chain said the updated version will begin appearing this week in more than 7,000 US restaurants.
Company executives say the tweaks are designed to improve consistency without altering the core identity of its best-known burger, reports CNN.
What’s changing
The revised Whopper will feature a softer, more premium-style bun, a reformulated creamier mayonnaise and new clamshell packaging instead of the traditional paper wrap.
The changes follow complaints from customers who said their burgers were arriving flattened and falling apart.
“So the Whopper being smushed, literally, I’ve heard it… and we’ve seen it,” Tom Curtis, president of Burger King US and Canada, told CNN. He said improved packaging should help the burger “hold it together,” while the mayonnaise and bun upgrades aim to give it a more premium feel.
Curtis stressed that the beef patty itself remains unchanged. “You don’t want to just tear up the playbook and start all over,” he said. “It’s like we’re putting our famous iconic burger in a tuxedo instead of a leisure suit.”
Why now?
According to Technomic, Burger King ranks as the eighth largest fast-food chain in the US by sales. However, analysts say the brand struggled around 2023, facing criticism over store conditions and food quality.
Curtis said the company focused first on improving operations before adjusting its menu. US same-store sales rose 3.2% in the latest quarter, suggesting some recovery.
Still, changing a flagship product carries risk. Robert Byrne, senior director of consumer research at Technomic, said that in a climate of economic uncertainty, customers can be wary of unfamiliar tweaks to favourite items.
“It’s very tricky,” Byrne said, noting that franchisees face higher costs even as consumers remain sensitive to price increases.
Testing and feedback
Burger King spent seven months trialling different buns, mayonnaise blends and packaging designs. Amy Alarcon, the company’s head chef, said bakeries altered pan sizes and added a glaze to improve the bun’s appearance and texture.
The switch to a box aims to maintain heat and structure, while the mayo was adjusted to include sweeter and citrus notes.
Franchisees are expected to pay roughly $4,000 more per year for the enhanced Whopper, though the company has advised them not to raise menu prices.
To gather further feedback, Curtis has been taking calls directly from customers after publicly sharing his phone number for a limited period.
“There’s still instances where we let people down every single day, but we’ve got to be honest about that and hit that dead on. I want America to know that we’re doing that,” he said.
With stiff competition from rivals such as McDonald’s and Five Guys, as well as other quick-service chains, Burger King is betting that subtle improvements to its most iconic product will win back diners without alienating loyal fans.
Source: CNN
