Burger King's New Restaurant Design Is Banking On The Whopper's Popularity

Burger King has started rolling out its latest strategy in its so-called "reclaim the flame" business plan, which the fast food chain hopes will revitalize consumer interest. This update will redesign several staples in Burger King's model, including its logo, packaging, and even buildings. The latest restaurant designs, which were unveiled during a franchisee convention, are banking on the brand visibility of Burger King's famous Whopper, with prototypes being constructed in Las Vegas and New Jersey.

The chain is calling its new restaurant design "Sizzle," and the update will feature a host of Whopper branding to differentiate the fast food chain from its competitors. As Burger King president Tom Curtis stated in an interview with CNN, the chain's 2022 ad push featuring an ear-worm jingle repeating the word "Whopper" was just the beginning of a $400 million marketing plan to revitalize its image, with its flagship burger front and center.

With this plan, the chain hopes to catch up to some of its competitors that have outsold Burger King in recent years. Fast food restaurants such as McDonald's, for instance, have managed to remain fresh and relevant by offering a revolving door of limited-time-only menu items, as well as brand collaborations with massive stars like Travis Scott, Cardi B, and K-Pop band BTS.

As noted by another recent CNN write-up, the new Sizzle-style establishments will feature digital ordering kiosks and a heightened focus on a changing Burger King drive-thru, which Tom Curtis says is where the fast food giant gets most of its business. The new Sizzle drive-thrus will contain a streamlined pick-up system, as well as a three-lane ordering option to alleviate traffic build-ups, which can sometimes spill out into the street.

The redesign won't focus entirely on the drive-thru, of course — the new interior dining sections will offer a wide variety of colorful wall decor calling attention to the Whopper. The chain's current plan is to build another Sizzle location this fall in North Carolina before expanding into a number of markets that are past due for renovation. Burger King franchisees have reportedly been tasked with hiring contractors and pulling permits for the upcoming changes; the company plans to give nearly 50% of all BK locations facelifts by the end of 2024.