After a 0.5% decline in U.S. sales in the first quarter of 2022, Restaurant Brands International (QSR) decided that change was on Burger King's menu.
It started making it by hiring a new advertising firm out of Chicago, OKRP, that's worked with Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Chili's, and more.
Its next move was to play up the importance of the late night menu that's brought Taco Bell so much success than the Tex-Mex chain created its own "fourth meal" marketing around it way back in 2006.
Burger King's late night menu, introduced in February, is ideal for the soon-to-be-hungover weekend crowd or those who simply get off work really late.
And while it will likely work its magic on those folks, Burger King employees who has borne witness to the hijinks that sometimes take place in the BK late night sphere are probably not so delighted about it.
Another interesting move the chain made recently is testing out returnable packaging in a partnership with Loop, a producer of refillable versions of single-use products based out of Terrebonne, Quebec.
Along with its climate change efforts in tandem with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, its boldly advocating to be eco-friendly from many angles.
But the chain's biggest plan involves the thing its best known for: The Whopper.
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What's Going On With The Whopper?
Burger King's plan with its Whopper sandwich line is to build it out into more than just the classic burger.
It debuted Whopper Melts in early March, which replace the typical sesame seed bun with a thick slice of toasted bread and offering regular, spicy, and bacon versions.
it also stopped offering discounted versions of the Whopper, re-elevating it to premier product status and replacing the gap left behind with the Quarter Pound King and Big King.
RBI has said that this is the first of more Whopper-centric changes coming in 2022. CEO Jose Cil mentioned that the brand would be taking this path back during its third quarter earnings call in 2020, so it's safe to expect more interesting innovations are on coming to the drive-through soon.
If you want a preview of what that could be like, it's worthwhile to look at Burger King's international moves, as it's responsible for a whopping 60% of systemwide sales.
RBI saw double-digit growth in several countries, including France, Spain, Germany, South Korea, and Brazil.
Several of its offerings in Japan have been wildly experimental, such as the King Yeti, a towering burger dripping white cheese, and the Ugly Burger, which has cheese melted on top of the bun to create an "ugly" appearance.
While these offerings work in part because of specific elements that appeal to each market (such as a teriyaki sauce on a burger in Japan), they also showcase just how innovative Burger King can be when it decides to take chances.
"Our strong foundation, brand awareness, local expertise, product innovation, and digital capabilities have contributed to a resilient international business that is well-positioned for growth,” Cil said.
“And we're optimistic of the long-term opportunity to expand this highly scalable business in new and existing markets around the world.”
