Burger King is putting hot dogs on its menu starting Feb. 23, saying the same flame grilling that made the Whopper famous is perfect for wieners. Just don't ask to have them your way.
The company said it will only offer two options of grilled dogs, the “chili cheese” ($2.39, 330 calories) and the “classic” ($1.99, 310 calories) that has relish, onions, ketchup and mustard, reported
The Associated Press.
With the launch, Burger King said it will offer hot dogs at all 7,100 of its U.S. restaurants — more U.S. locations than any other chain. Smaller chains that sell hot dogs include Dairy Queen and Sonic Drive-In.
"This is probably the most obvious product launch ever," Alex Macedo, president of Miani-based Burger King North America, told news media.
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. In 2014, Burger King's sales rose 2.1 percent at established locations in the U.S. and Canada. Parent company Restaurant Brands International Inc. reports results for 2015 next week.
The hot dogs are being supplied Kraft Heinz, which owns Oscar Mayer. Investment firm 3G Capital manages both Restaurant Brands and Kraft Heinz.
Macedo said hot dogs would build on Burger King's momentum given their growing popularity, including at trendy eateries.
Tests of the hot dogs in a handful of cities last year resulted in unspecified sales increases, according to Burger King. The food-review website The Impulsive Buy noted the hot dogs seem "small and not quite substantial enough" but otherwise gave them a positive review.
Still, fast-food history is riddled with menu flops, and Burger King is no exception. In 2013, for instance, the chain launched lower-calorie fries called "Satisfries." They failed less than a year later.
Macedo recalled another Burger King failure from the past.
"At some point, they tried popcorn. They would give it away for free to guests in the restaurants. I wasn't here, but I hear a lot about the popcorn days," Macedo said.
To get workers excited, Burger King says it enlisted Snoop Dogg and Charo to star in training videos for making the hot dogs. The company says they're internal videos, but allowed reporters to record them on their phones, meaning they're likely for marketing purposes.
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