MIAMI, July 23 (Our Florida Times) — Burger King is changing how it handles customer complaints and sandwich quality, and the company says the move comes directly from what guests told it earlier this year.
The Miami-based chain has announced two new steps: a restaurant manager role called the “Your Way Champion” and a “Whopper Guarantee” for Whoppers that do not meet customer expectations.
What is the “Your Way Champion”?
Burger King describes the Your Way Champion as a reimagined restaurant manager role meant to put the guest experience first. In the company’s announcement, the person in that role serves as a main contact for customers, helps oversee customization and satisfaction, and wears a dedicated uniform.
The company says the idea is to make its old “Have It Your Way” promise feel more real inside the restaurant. Burger King did not say in the announcement whether the role will be added at every location or only in some stores.
What is the Whopper Guarantee?
Burger King says the Whopper Guarantee is meant to fix problems fast. If a Whopper does not meet expectations, the company says it will remake the sandwich on the spot and give the guest a QR code that can be used for a free next Whopper.
The company has not fully spelled out every rule for the offer, including whether it applies to every Whopper version or how long the QR code remains valid.
Why is Burger King doing this now?
Burger King said it opened phone lines and text channels earlier in the year and invited customers to share honest feedback. The company said it heard from thousands of people.
Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. and Canada, said in interviews that the company was paying close attention to what customers were saying. He said customers like the Whopper, but some feel it can become squished or that the bun is not always what they want.
Those comments followed another round of Whopper updates Burger King announced in February. The chain said it had improved the bun, made the mayonnaise creamier and switched to box or clamshell packaging instead of paper. Burger King said those changes first went to more than 7,000 U.S. restaurants and were the first major changes to the sandwich in nearly 10 years.
How does this fit into Burger King’s larger plan?
The new service changes are part of a wider effort to improve the chain’s best-known sandwich and the way it is served. Burger King has said the Whopper remains more than a quarter-pound of flame-grilled beef, and company leaders have said guest feedback helped guide the updates.
In May, Restaurant Brands International CEO Joshua Kobza said the redesigned sandwich was getting positive feedback from guests and stronger results for the Whopper than the company had seen in more than three years.
For Florida, the main connection is corporate. Burger King’s official announcement came from Miami, but the changes appear to be aimed at the chain overall rather than at one local restaurant or one city.