Burger King has come pretty loose with using its iconic Whopper name. As long as a burger uses the basic construction of the famous sandwich, the Restaurant Brands International (QSR) company seems willing to deem it a Whopper.
That makes sense -- calling something the Halloween Whopper or the Arbor Day Whopper gives it instant credibility. The chain, however, seems willing to put just about anything on top of two hamburgers sandwiched between two sesame seed buns and promote it as a new Whopper.
That strategy has been working as the chain has tried all sorts of Different Whoppers around the world. While rival McDonald's (MCD) has protected its classic Big Mac franchise by only adding to the lineup sparingly, Burger King has given fans dozens of new takes on its most-famous sandwich.
McDonald's might be the company making a mistake because it has had a lot of high-profile high-end burger failures. Would the Arch Deluxe have done better as the Big Mac Deluxe? Almost certainly, which shows you the method to Burger Kings' madness.
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A New Whopper and Something Else
To try the new Whopper you'll have to go to the United Kingdom. There's nothing particularly British about the new burger, so it does seem like it might work well in other markets.
"The first of the burgers landing on the Burger King menu from 10th March is the Katsu Chilli Whopper, which is topped with cheese and a rich katsu curry sauce. It's then garnished with crunchy pickled slaw, crispy onions, and chili sauce," Yahoo reported.
Katsu, a traditional Japanese fried chicken or fried pork dish you can find on the menu at many American Japanese restaurants comes served with a special sauce. That sauce has been described as a Japanese take on Worcestershire sauce and it's not traditionally served with beef.
Burger King has also used Katsu in another new product, and this one does not use meat at all. The plant-based Katsu Chilli Whopper includes a plant-based burger patty chili sauce, crispy onion, pickled slaw, and katsu curry sauce. There's also Katsu Vegan Royale served on Burger King's longer sub-like sandwich role with katsu sauce, pickled slaw, crispy onion, and a signature vegan mayo.
“We know Katsu curry is one of the nation’s favorite flavors, so we can’t wait for people to try these twists on our classic Whopper and Royale. We’re promising new specials that max on flavor, with vegan and vegetarian options that taste almost identical," a Burger King spokesperson said in a statement, according to Yahoo.
Burger King Menu Innovation Matters
Burger King has focused on international growth in recent years where it stands only behind McDonald's when it comes to burger chains. A big part of its strategy has been tailoring its menu to local tastes. Doing that also gives the chain a bit of a test lab -- call it a global test kitchen -- to see what might work in other markets.
That does not mean we'll see Katsu Whoppers on American menus. It's possible, however, that aspects of these new sandwiches find their way to U.S. menus. You might see the chili sauce, for example, used on a U.S. burger.
Burger King may bring its new Whopper to other countries -- think India or Japan -- where these flavors won't seem out of place. It's a bold strategy built around constant innovation a willingness to use the Whopper brand to grow the Burger King brand.
