Few chains rely as heavily on one item as Burger King relies on The Whopper. The iconic sandwich actually predates McDonald's Big Mac by nearly a decade and it was, for a time, a game-changing sandwich in the fast food space.
Over time, however, the Big Mac became the premier fast food burger, but The Whopper has remained relevant, even as Burger King has slipped behind Wendy's as the Pepsi to McDonald's Coke in the U.S.
DON'T MISS: Burger King's menu adds a very McDonald's idea
While McDonald's has been very protective of the Big Mac name, only using it for size-based variations of the classic as well as the "Chicken Big Mac," which swapped fried chicken patties for burgers, Burger King has not taken the same approach. The Restaurant Brands International (QSR) -) chain has leveraged its billion-dollar brand for all sorts of Whoppers designed to bring people into Burger King restaurants.
Basically, Burger King doesn't have a bunch of well-known product names like McDonald's. Instead, it has used the Whopper as a sort of platform for innovation.
It's doing that again with its latest limited-time offer, but it's also using its best-known brand to help grow a newer product franchise.
Image source: The Packaging Company/TheStreet
Burger King brings back the Ghost Pepper Whopper
Halloween has been a fertile season for new Whoppers. The chain literally has offered a "Halloween Whopper, which comes served on a black bun.
Burger King's Ghost Pepper Whopper uses a semi-shocking bun as well and it will be rejoining the chain's menu along with the new Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries beginning Oct, 12. The move is a surprise because that's not what the chain said it was going to do.
"Back in August, the brand invited Royal Perks members to choose between the return of the Ghost Pepper Whopper or the introduction of new Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries via a vote in the BK App. At the time, Burger King said it would announce the winner on a future date," Chew Boom reported.
Perhaps the vote was close because Burger King has decided to sell them both,
The Ghost Pepper Whopper includes a flame-grilled Whopper beef patty, spicy queso, crispy jalapeños, bacon, and ghost pepper cheese, served on a toasted orange and black sesame seed bun. Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries are made with white meat chicken coated in a light crispy breading seasoned with ghost pepper spice.
Some Burger King locations may offer one, or both items, before the official launch date.
The Whopper fuels Burger King
RBI CEO Josh Kobza has not been shy about the role The Whopper has played in Burger King's recent successes. He talked about the famous burger's impact during his company's second-quarter earnings call.
"Growth this quarter was driven by thoughtful calendar initiatives, focused on our flagship equity, the Whopper, as well as benefits from more effective marketing aided by enhanced marketing analytics and continued operational improvements," he said.
The Whopper, he noted, was used in a number of ways.
"Our 'Ways to Whopper' campaign reminded guests that they can have it their way and choose between one of the over 220,000 ways to build the Whopper," he shared. "We layered this campaign with the Whopper Jr. Duo, our core discount initiative, and the Spider-Verse Whopper promotion, both of which were targeted towards building the next generation of Whopper lovers. These campaigns drove higher average tickets and attracted younger guests without impacting core Whopper volumes."
