MAIN Pop Culture Fast Food Burger King

For its recent, controversial move to Canada, Burger King fast food chain -- the "Home of the Whopper" -- has become the target of threatened boycotts in the USA.

Almost immediately, fans of the fast food chain have begun calling Burger King "the home of the hopper". This, as accusations fly that the purpose of the move by Burger Kings was solely for dodging US taxes.

Burger King now becomes part of a larger controversy as it joins other major American corporations to move overseas in the search for a bigger bottom line.

Time will tell if the move will herald Burger King's downfall in the US, or if its merger with Canadian bakery chain Tom Hortons will provide another avenue of profit.

Burger King history

Opening in Miami in 1954, Burger King was first known as "Insta-Burger King" which touted the Insta-Broiler as a brand new way to offer quicker, assembly line meals not offered by local eateries and malt shop diners of the time. It was an instant hit.

Since then, the original Burger King menu has evolved from burgers, fries, sodas and milkshakes to a more varied menu featuring chicken, fish, onion rings and salads, along with an on-the-go breakfast menu.

An early Burger King logo from 1960.

A few year after original owners James McLamore and David Edgerton began growing the business within Florida, the Insta Broiler technique was replaced with a mechanized gas "flame broiler" as the company name was changed simply to Burger King.

Throughout the 60's, the company continued to expand nationwide and further expanded into Europe after an acquisition by Pillsbury in 1969.

Now backed by corporate ad dollars, Burger King embarked on an advertising blitz back home in the US with nationwide 1970's campaigns such as "Have it your way" that directly challenged main competitor McDonalds' one-size-fits-all menu.

Further expansion continued into Central and South America and a decade later into Asia, with Burger King franchises popping up all over Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore.

Today, Burger King continues to expand worldwide with particular targets focused on plans to open more franchises in Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, as well as further expansion into their three largest foreign markets, India, China and Japan.

While still lagging behind McDonalds, its traditional nemesis, Burger King generates over $2 billion in annual revenue and remains the second largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants on the planet employing over 41,000 workers in some 11,500 restaurants (90 percent of them individually-owned franchises) in 72 countries worldwide.

Burger King menu

Main menu - Whopper, Double Whopper, Whopper JR, Bacon Double Cheeseburger, Big King Sandwich, BK Big Fish, BK Homestyle Griller, Bk Smokehouse Cheddar Griller, BK Veggie Burger, BK 1/4 lb Burger, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Whopper, Chicken Whopper JR, King Supreme, Specialty Chicken Sandwich, Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Double Hamburger, Double Cheeseburger, Garden Salad, Chicken Caeser Salad

Fries with that?

Side orders - Medium French Fries, Large French Fries, King French Fries, Small Onion Rings, Medium Onion Rings, Large Onion Rings, King Onion Rings

Breakfast menu

Croissanwich w/ Sausage, Egg & Cheese, Croissanwich w/ Sausage, & Cheese, Croissanwich w/ Egg & Cheese, Eggwich w/ Canadian Bacon, Egg & Cheese, Eggwich w/ Egg & Cheese, Eggwich w/ Canadian Bacon & Egg, French Toast Sticks, Cini-minis,
Hash Brown Rounds

Beverages

Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shake, Coca-Cola Classic, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Frozen Coca-Cola Classic, Frozen Minute Maid Cherry, Minute Maid Orange Juice, Coffee, 1% Milk

Desserts

Dutch Apple Pie, Hersheys Sundae Pie, Hot Fudge Brownie Royale, Fresh Baked Cookies

More about Burger King around the Web:

BK.com - The official site featuring company information, restaurant locator, menu and nutrition information, current games, promotional contests and sweepstakes, video ads.

Burger King - Wikipedia - Extensive background including a complete history and related timeline, corporate strategies, sales and employment figures, with related photos, references and resources.

also see in Fast Food ->