Burger King Takes The Fast Food Fight To McDonald’s On Multiple Fronts
Burger King is taking the fight to fast food rival McDonald’s in the battle for global burger supremacy, on the map and on the menu.
Food-wise, Burger King has slowly but surely been emulating the McDonald’s menu for some time. The latest example is the return of the Big King, a clone in both name and nature of the Big Mac burger. The ingredients are the very familiar two all-beef patties, special (King) sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed bun. Earlier incarnations of the Big King didn’t include the middle bun, making the newest burger that much closer to its inspiration.
“What makes the new Big King different than any other burger on the market is the unique fire-grilling that Burger King has been known for, for almost 60 years,” said Eric Hirschhorn, Chief Marketing Officer for Burger King’s North American division.
At least there’s something unique about it.
It’s not the first time Burger King has offered similar items as its golden-arched competitor. Burger King’s recent addition of the BBQ Rib Sandwich, a boneless rib patty ode to the McRib, is another example of the culinary copying, whether the imitation is the sincerest flattery or not. The BBQ rib offering is available for a limited time, much like the beloved McRib is offered in a seasonal fashion. As Advertising Age points out, the attempts to mime McDonald’s menu began its greatest effort in early 2012 when Burger King started offering salads and smoothies, a major overhaul.
Additionally, Burger King is pushing into new territories around the world, trying to horn in on markets previously unexplored, like India, and grow its presence in other nations, such as a joint venture in France.
“The Burger King brand and the Whopper brand are iconic” in France, Jose Cil, president of Burger King’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region, said in a telephone interview with Chicago Business. “The French quick-service restaurant market is quite lucrative.”
What do you think about the most recent Burger King menu items? Is Burger King your preferred fast-food choice when it comes to hamburgers? How do you think Burger King will fare in international markets?
