Burger King doubles down on burgers amid chicken craze

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Chicken has unquestionably dominated the headlines in the past year or so, and justifiably so. The quick-service chicken category was the only major restaurant category to expand its share of total food spend across income groups this year, according to new data from Consumer Edge. 

Perhaps that’s why legacy burger chains like McDonald’s and Wendy’s have made recent moves to ramp up their chicken offerings. 

Burger King, however, is zigging while its competitors zag. The chain, which represents roughly 17% of parent company Restaurant Brands International’s operating profits, is sharpening its focus on its burgers, including through its Whopper by You platform, launched in July. The platform invites customers to submit ideas for new iterations of the signature burger. So far, the chain has launched a Barbecue Brisket Whopper and a Crispy Onion Whopper as part of this initiative. 

During the company’s third quarter earnings call in late October, RBI chief executive officer Josh Kobza said the platform is “delivering strong results, engaging our guests through personalized takes on their favorite flame-grilled burger.” Whopper by You has also broadened the chain’s reach with women and Gen Z customers, he added. 

Unsurprisingly, we can expect more here. In a recent interview, chief marketing officer Joel Yashinsky said that putting the chain’s famous burger in the hands of the guests has generated a “phenomenal” response. 

“We’re going to build on this platform and introduce even more new flavors,” he said. “We want to lead with our burgers. We’re seeing a lot of competitors going into chicken, and it’s opened up a lane for us to talk about burgers in a way that others aren’t. A big white space has been created.” 

The chain’s attention won’t just be on the Whopper, by the way. It is also looking at innovating its signature Double Cheeseburger. 

“We talk a lot about the Whopper, but we have a great handheld sandwich in the Double Cheeseburger as well that we’ll be leaning into,” Yashinsky said. 

That’s not to say Burger King won’t be a part of the chicken conversation. Yashinsky made it clear that the chain has some “chicken opportunities” coming up in 2026 and can also leverage “its OG” chicken sandwich. But most of the work ahead will be centered on its core. 

“We’re Burger King, which means we believe we need to be the king of burgers. It’s on brand,” he said. “People still love a great hamburger.”

Additional opportunities in value, beverages, and more

Notably, there are also plenty of opportunities for snacks, desserts, beverages, and value. Burger King brought back its beloved Cini Minis nationwide in August after a 13-year hiatus, for instance. 

For value, the chain has had success with its $5 Duos and $7 Trios everyday platform, introduced earlier this year, which drove a category outperformance in the third quarter. The deal allows guests to pick two items for $5 or three items for $7. The value platform is balanced by the full-margin, full-price Whopper by You option. 

“This gives our customers flexibility and choice. We know they want choice and variety, and that they’re also watching their pocketbook,” Yashinsky said. “The platform has allowed us to stay consistent. It’s always there, people are familiar with it, but we also bring in variety and new news. It has been a key part of us holding our own in a tough economic environment.” 

Like chicken, much of the industry’s news (and growth) has come from beverages and plenty of legacy brands are working in earnest to make sure they’re part of that conversation. As Burger King leans into its signature burgers, the chain also wants a piece of this swiftly growing drink market. Details are scarce at this point, but beverages will be an important part of Burger King’s 2026 plans, Yashinsky said. 

“They create an incredible opportunity from an add-on and snacking standpoint. They also present opportunities for bringing in new flavors and inclusions,” he said. “It’s a really important element for us because there is so much interest in beverages from all demographics.”

We can expect to see experiments with frozen beverages, such as the Pirate’s Frozen Pineapple Float that is part of the chain’s new SpongeBob menu. We can also expect shake and coffee innovations.

“We see the same opportunity everybody else does and I think we’re coming at it with proprietary items and flavors that people will respond well to,” Yashinsky said. “We also want to come at it with a good value perspective. While others may be taking pennies in margins, we’re making sure we have the right price and variety. We’ll continue to innovate in all areas of beverage.”

Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]

Follow her on TikTok: @aliciakelso