Burger King is making some major changes to its signature Whopper to offer customers a higher-quality meal.
The changes to the burger, marking the first ones Burger King has made to the iconic product in 10 years, were inspired by guest feedback, according to a Thursday press release from the brand.
The adjustments aim to offer a “higher-quality Whopper experience,” which includes a “more premium, better tasting bun.”
The presentation of the meal is also changing, with the Whopper being served in a box instead of being wrapped in paper. The box will ensure the burger “makes it to guests exactly the way it left the kitchen.”
Customers can expect the taste of the Whopper to be different, thanks to an update to its toppings. The burger comes “stacked tall with freshly cut onions and tomatoes, crisp lettuce, tangy pickles” — all of which were already in it. However, Whoopers will now have “a better tasting mayo.”
Some things about the Whooper remain the same, since it’s still “served with more than a quarter-pound of 100% flame-grilled beef.”
“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,” Tom Curtis, President of Burger King U.S. & Canada, said in a statement. “With that work well underway, we’re now in a position to thoughtfully elevate our core menu. The Whopper is an icon, so we didn’t set out to reinvent it. Instead, we elevated it based on direct Guest feedback.”
Since the changes to the Whopper have already been made, Burger King is now inviting guests nationwide to give it a try in stores, as noted in the press release.
The upgrade to the Whopper comes days before another popular fast food restaurant, McDonald’s, launches its biggest burger ever in U.S. stores: The Big Arch Burger. The limited-time offering, launching March 3, features two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of cheese, onions, pickles, lettuce and a tangy sauce on a sesame and poppy seed bun.
The fast food giant’s “most McDonald’s, McDonald’s burger,” as its press release called it, was previously tested in Canada and countries across Europe, but is already a permanent menu fixture in the U.K. and Ireland.
“We began to pilot Big Arch about a year and a half ago, and it’s shown strong traction across several markets,” said Jill McDonald, the chain’s global chief restaurant experience officer, during a fourth quarter earnings call earlier this month. “Customers are responding to this more satisfying burger that meets demand for something heartier while still feeling distinctly McDonald’s.”
While the price of the new burger has not yet been revealed, a Big Arch meal with fries and a drink costs about 12.59 Canadian dollars, which translates to about $9 in the U.S., making it pricier than most meals on the menu. It is not known how long the 1020-calorie menu item will stick around in U.S. restaurants.