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Ron Ruggless
ORLANDO Fla. Burger King Corp. on Tuesday unveiled its first, long-planned Whopper Bar at Universal CityWalk here.
Customers will be able to customize their Whoppers, Double Whoppers or Steakhouse XT burgers with 22 toppings, including smoked bacon and guacamole.
Whopper Bar-tenders will add the toppings in front of customers, much like sushi chefs prepare food for their guests. The nation’s No. 2 burger chain also plans to add burger flavors, such as a Bourbon Whopper and a pepper-bacon Steakhouse XT.
The new unit, located within the 30-acre CityWalk, part of the Universal Orlando Resort, is smaller than a traditional Burger King unit and offers an open kitchen and rounded countertop. It also features design colors in red, black and gray rather than BK’s traditional orange-and-red decor.
Burger King had announced plans for the Whopper Bar concept last year, and it says another is planned for the city of Munich, with perhaps six to a dozen to open by year’s end.
Russ Klein, president of global marketing, strategy and innovation, told the Associated Press: “Our vision is that this could be a 300- to 500-unit part of our overall portfolio if our thesis is right about the ability to position this as the vanguard of Burger King restaurants.”
The company foresees the brand-extension units going into sports stadiums, casinos and cruise ships.
Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
