Whopper Revamp Announced by Burger King

Change is on the way.

On Thursday, Burger King revealed plans to update its iconic Whopper for the first time in a decade, responding to customer feedback.

Since its inception in 1956 by co-founder James McLamore, the Whopper will now feature a “higher-quality, better-tasting bun” along with new packaging, moving away from the much-criticized paper wrappers that often led to crushed sandwiches.

“In recent years, we’ve concentrated on enhancing our operations and modernizing our restaurants to establish a more consistent foundation,” said Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. and Canada, in a statement.

“We’re well into this process, and now it’s time to refine our core menu. The Whopper is iconic; we didn’t want to reinvent it. Instead, we adjusted it based on feedback directly from our customers.”

The fast-food chain believes that these improvements to the flame-grilled sandwich and its packaging will ensure a quality Whopper experience from the first bite to the last.

“Honestly, I’ve heard the sound of Whoppers getting crushed… and we’ve witnessed it,” Curtis noted. “We’ve improved the packaging to address this issue.”

The updated burgers will still have familiar toppings like onions, tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, and tangy pickles, but the mayonnaise will be upgraded to a “tastier” variety in place of previous seasonings.

“The transition to creamier mayonnaise came from requests from some of our franchisees who preferred a more premium option. We also enhanced the buns to reflect a higher quality,” Curtis explained.

He added that while feedback from customers has been welcomed, the company is taking a “cautious” approach regarding changes, including modifications to the beef patty, which will remain consistent.

“We don’t want to completely overhaul our approach. It’s like dressing up an iconic burger in a tuxedo rather than a leisure suit,” he said.

There’s a cost involved: selling the new burgers will require franchisees to invest an additional $4,000. However, Burger King officials cautioned against raising prices, emphasizing the risk of losing customers already feeling the pinch of inflation.

The management team at Burger King hopes that its commitment to “premium” ingredients will result in higher sales.

The Whopper’s origins trace back to when owners David Edgerton and McLamore noticed a drive-in restaurant promoting a large hamburger featuring a quarter-pound patty on a 5-inch bun, topped with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, pickles, onions, and ketchup.

Impressed by the size, they decided to name it the “Whopper” to reflect its large stature.

“I proposed putting up a ‘Home of the Whopper’ sign below the Burger King name to signify that this was a signature item,” McLamore shared. “We thought it was a great idea.”