In recent months, fans of Burger King appear to have fallen out of love with the chain’s signature sandwich, the Whopper.
Social media has been full of complaints about the quality of ingredients and even completely deformed burgers.
In response, the burger chain said this week that it is rolling out a revamped Whopper. Here’s what’s changing, and where and when you can get yours.
Why is Burger King revamping the Whopper?
In short, customers became unhappy with the quality of the chain’s flagship burger in recent years. Criticisms range from the lackluster quality of ingredients in the burger to soggy buns to even smashed burgers (no, not in a good way).
That last complaint—burgers that were physically deformed when they reached the customer’s hands—is something even the company’s U.S. and Canadian president, Tom Curtis, admitted to.
“So the Whopper being smushed, literally, I’ve heard it . . . and we’ve seen it,” Curtis told CNN.
And while no one expects a fast food burger to be the gold standard for hamburgers around the world, lately, customers seem to have lost patience with the Whopper’s problems—especially as prices have risen in recent years and once “affordable” fast food has become increasingly out of reach for many Americans.
That growing unhappiness is something the burger chain has taken seriously. This week, it announced that, based on customer complaints and feedback, it was making the first changes to the Whopper in nearly a decade.
What are the Burger King Whopper changes?
On Thursday, Burger King announced it was revamping the Whopper—but it wasn’t starting over from scratch.
“The Whopper is an icon, so we didn’t set out to reinvent it,” Curtis said in a statement announcing the move. “Instead, we elevated it based on direct Guest feedback.”
That “elevated” Whopper consists of three new elements, according to the company:
- a more premium, better-tasting bun
- better-tasting mayo
- served in a box to protect the burger from getting smashed
Other elements of the burger will remain the same, including its beef patty, and topping of onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles.
When and where will the revamped Whopper be available?
Burger King says the new Whopper will be available this week, where it will roll out across the chain’s 7,000 locations, according to CNN.
Will the new Whopper cost more?
That depends on who’s paying the bill.
Curtis told CNN that the revamped Whopper is estimated to increase costs for Burger King franchisees by about $4,000 per year per store.
But Burger King is recommending to franchisees that they do not pass these increased costs onto customers, who are already reducing their discretionary spending due to inflationary pressures.
The price of a Whopper can vary by location.
In New York City, a standard Whopper currently costs around $6.99. In the Midwest, Whoppers go for around $6.19, and in San Francisco they can go for as high as around $8.19, according to data from the company’s online ordering system.
If franchisees abide by Burger King’s advice, customers should not see any price increase when ordering the revamped Whopper.