Burger King’s next conquest: Hot dog king

Burger King is going to be selling hot dogs – in its biggest menu change in decades.

However, others were licking their lips in anticipation of the February 23 addition to Burger King’s permanent menu.

The all-beef Grilled Dogs are being made on the same flame grills as the quick-service chain’s signature hamburgers and will be available in two varieties: The Classic Grilled Dog, topped with ketchup, mustard, chopped onions and relish in a bun; and The Chili Cheese Grilled Dog, topped with chili and shredded Cheddar cheese on a bun. Burger King uses Heinz condiments. “We’re tapping into a whole new category”.

Unlike Burger King’s Chicken Fries, the demand didn’t come from social media, Mr. Macedo said, but from the company’s internal research.

The move comes as Burger King works to push up sales amid intensifying competition, with McDonald’s offering breakfast items all day to spark a turnaround, while Wendy’s offers a “4 for $4” deal to get customers in the door. Orders that included a hot dog resulted in larger average checks than orders without the new dish. Mr. Macedo declined to disclose the total ad spending for the campaign, but said it was the most significant since he joined Burger King five years ago.

Fast food chains are engaged in a war of menu innovation to win the loyalty of diners. “I wasn’t here, but I hear a lot about the popcorn days”, Macedo said. The company suggesting franchisees sell it for $1.99. With the classic clocking in at 310 calories and the chili cheese at 330 calories, two hot dogs is not the solution. But the employees shouldn’t have any problems adapting to the new menu item, since they will use the same Whopper grill, according to Mr. Macedo.