Burger King climbs to No. 2 in U.S. burger market with Whopper revamp and direct-to-president customer line

Burger King reclaimed the position of the United States’ second-largest burger retailer, overtaking Wendy’s and trailing only McDonald’s, according to the latest quarterly figures. The rebound is tied to a comprehensive renovation strategy and a February overhaul of the Whopper, which now sports a glazed bun, reformulated mayonnaise and a sturdier packaging box, driving a reported 20% sales increase since its debut. Franchisees incurred an estimated $4,000 per year for the upgrade, but the company urged them not to shift the expense onto customers.

Adding to the turnaround, President Tom Curtis launched a dedicated phone and text line for guest feedback, personally handling about 1,800 calls out of more than 70,000 communications received, and credited the input for menu and operational tweaks. Meanwhile, McDonald’s chief executive Chris Kempczinski cited a crowded promotion calendar as complicating its value messaging, and Wendy’s CEO Robert Wright blamed quality and marketing lapses for a seventh consecutive quarter of sales decline, drawing activist investor Nelson Peltz’s interest in taking the chain private.