Burger King’s signature Whopper is getting its first makeover in nearly a decade, following customer feedback on how to improve it.
On Thursday, Burger King announced changes to the Whopper, including a premium bun, improved mayonnaise and serving it in a box instead of paper to enhance customer satisfaction. The new burger rolls will be available to customers at more than 7,000 Burger King locations nationwide this week, according to a news release and CNN.
While the Whooper is Burger King’s best-selling menu item, customers have complained over the years about the sandwich being smashed or falling apart. Those concerns are ones Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. and Canada, has heard repeatedly and aimed to address.
“So the Whopper being smushed, literally, I’ve heard it… and we’ve seen it,” Curtis told CNN. “(We) improved packaging that kind of holds it together. The creamier mayonnaise frankly just came from some franchisees who said they wanted to see a more premium mayonnaise. And then also upgrading and premium-izing the bun.”
BK President Tom Curtis on guest feedback: ‘Guests are our most important advisors’
The new changes come more than a week after the fast-food chain introduced its guest feedback feature, which allowed customers to call or text Curtis’ phone number directly and provide feedback.
Customers shared their thoughts on topics like “modernizing restaurants to improving operations, sharing menu innovations and enhancing the overall Guest experience,” a news release stated.
“As the home of Have It Your Way, Guests are our most important advisors. We’re grateful that they provide the feedback that is shaping our brand today and in the future,” Curtis said in a news release statement. “There’s nothing like hearing from Guests firsthand, so I’m excited to have an even greater opportunity to have live open and honest conversations, ask questions, and see how we can create an even better Burger King together.”
Could the Whooper change boost sales?
The guest feedback feature appeared to be the best way for customers to have their voices heard. In recent years, they complained about outdated stores, cold food and an underwhelming experience.
“Over the past several years, we’ve focused on strengthening our operations and modernizing our restaurants to build a more consistent foundation across the system,” said Tom Curtis, President of Burger King U.S. & Canada. “With that work well underway, we’re now in a position to thoughtfully elevate our core menu.”
Since then, Curtis said Burger King has been tackling those issues, and sales have been steadily increasing. Some U.S. stores had a 3.2% bump in sales in their most recent quarter, CNN reported. However, some changes could still negatively impact Burger King’s most loyal fans.
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