Burger King Holdings Inc. unveils a new version of its restaurants this year called the Whopper Bar that will
sell a wider variety of its signature hamburger in a hipper setting. The menu and size of the Whopper Bars are smaller than a typical Burger King,
Burger King plans to build Whopper Bars in places like
casinos, airports and other venues with limited space. Design plans call for
the bars to have chrome, wood, exposed brick and plasma-screen televisions with
images to evoke Burger King's flame-broiled motto. Russ Klein, Burger King's
president, global marketing, strategy and innovation, said he began thinking
about the concept about four years ago when he visited a Burger King in Germany
that had knocked out the back of the restaurant and created a bar section. Mr. Klein
said the Whopper Bar is akin to McDonald Corp.'s creation of McCafe coffee
bars, except that it is built around the chain's signature sandwich.
"It's our way of
stepping into the future," Mr. Klein said. The Whopper "is arguably a
trademark that is bigger than Burger King itself." That was recently
reinforced by an experiment where Burger King told some customers it had gotten
rid of the Whopper just to see how they would react. Many customers became
upset, and Burger King used the hoax for an ad campaign.
Burger King and
several of its direct competitors have been increasing their sales steadily for
the past few years, thanks in part to having cheap items, sharper marketing and
a slew of new products that expand well beyond hamburgers into chicken, salad,
snacks and dessert.
Executives say the
trick will be figuring out just how narrow to make the menu. Some are concerned
they will irk customers if patrons can't get an item they usually get at Burger
King in a Whopper Bar. "I just don't want people to walk away
unhappy," said John Schaufelberger, the company's senior vice president,
global product marketing and innovation.
Mr. Schaufelberger
said Burger King, the nation's No. 2 hamburger chain by sales behind McDonald's
Corp., has looked at lattes and cappuccinos but has no plans to put new
equipment in the company's U.S. restaurants to offer the drinks despite
McDonald's plans to do so. "Suddenly having baristas in the restaurants
… that's just not who our customer is," he said.
King Whopper To Be Feted,” Wall Street
Journal, March 29, 2008.