Burger chain planning whopper of a makeover

Burger King is planning to launch a menu makeover that bears a striking resemblance to its golden-arched rival.

According to a report from The Miami Herald Tuesday, the second largest fast-food hamburger chain in the world is currently testing out more than a dozen new products across the US, many of which sound uncannily similar to recent product launches from McDonald's.

They include items like mango and mixed-berry smoothies; low-fat vanilla parfait with granola, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries; and oatmeal with dried fruit and maple sugar.

McDonald's, meanwhile, launched a frozen strawberry lemonade in recent weeks, and their McCafés sell wild berry and strawberry banana smoothies. They also began selling oatmeal this winter.

The story revealed that Burger King will also be making a foray into healthy fast-food options with a new chicken and apple salad with blue cheese and an Asian chicken salad with baby edamame, red cabbage and sesame lime vinaigrette.

If that sounds familiar, it's probably because McDonald's brought back their original Asian chicken salad this summer as well, after consumers pleaded for its return in vocal Facebook campaigns.

The chain is also experimenting with gourmet-ified sandwiches with a homestyle burger on a brioche bun with thick-cut bacon, romaine lettuce, and a spicy new pepper sauce.

All this follows on the heels of the new takeover at BK. In October, the multi-billion dollar, global investment firm 3G Capital took over the chain and is hoping to capture a wider consumer net beyond its traditional male demographic.

The overall makeover - which includes changes to both the menu and the look of the restaurants - is being described as a rescue mission of sorts, as The Miami Herald reports that same-store sales in North America declined six percent in the first quarter, and 3.6 percent worldwide.

Burger King has 12,200 locations in 76 countries and territories worldwide.

In a move that also mirrors McDonald's strategy, the chain also plans to upgrade the look of its restaurants with a sleek new aesthetic, anchored by a black tower that will give locations more street-front visibility and more varied seating options.

McDonald's, meanwhile, unveiled a prototype of its new restaurants last month in Tampa, Florida - a sleek renovation that included wood tables and chairs, touches of faux leather, digital menu boards, and dual drive-thru lanes, reported Nation's Restaurant News.

http://www.bk.com/