Burger King is one of the largest fast food restaurant chains in the world. Founded in 1953 and headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, Burger King has changed hands four times, with its third set of owners, a partnership of TPG Capital, Bain Capital, and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, taking it public in 2002. With a market cap of $11.17 billion, Burger has over 13,000 outlets in 79 countries. Recently, the fast food giant made the news over its acquisition of Tim Hortons, Canada’s largest fast food chain, for $11.4 billion. The two chains will form a new global company and base operations in Canada. Together, the companies will have a combined 18,000 locations across 100 countries. Read on to find out five things you might have never known about Burger King.
5. 1.3 Billion WHOPPER Sandwiches
According to Creative Foods Corporation, Burger King sells more than 1.3 billion WHOPPER sandwiches worldwide every year–41 are eaten every second. There are a combined 221,184 ways to mix and match WHOPPER ingredients, making the chain’s famous signature sandwich one of the best known and most customizable in the fast food industry.
4. First Fast Food Attack Ad
In 1981, Burger King made the very first fast food attack ad starring a young Sarah Michelle Geller, who used to be the company’s spokesperson in its commercials. In the commercial, the future Buffy the Vampire Slayer calls out McDonald’s for having smaller hamburgers. McDonald’s sued Burger King over the commercial and eventually settled out of court.
3. Burger King’s Beginnings
Burger King began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain. A year after the first location was opened, Insta-Burger experienced some financial difficulties, leading its two Miami-based franchisees David Edgerton and James McLamore to purchase the company and rename it Burger King. Four years later, the WHOPPER was introduced.
2. Hungry Jack’s
Australia is the only country in the world where Burger King does not operate under its own name. When the company began looking to expand Down Under in 1971, it found that its business name was already trademarked by a take away food shop. The chain’s owner, Jack Cowin, settled on the name Hungry Jack’s, a name already registered by Burger King’s then owner.
1. Pillsbury Owned Burger King
At one point in time, the Pillsbury Dough Boy and the King were business partners. In 1967, Pillsbury purchased Burger King, a chain that had grown to about 250 locations, and later initiated the infamous “Burger Wars” between major fast food hamburger chains that continue to this day. Burger King continued to go through many ups and downs until the company was put up for sale and bought by a group of investment firms for $1.5 billion in 2002.
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