History of Burger King in Timeline

Burger King, a global hamburger fast food chain, was founded in 1953 as Insta-Burger King. After facing financial issues, it was acquired in 1959 by franchisees David Edgerton and James McLamore. The company underwent multiple ownership changes, including a public offering in 2002 led by TPG Capital, Bain Capital, and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners. In 2010, 3G Capital of Brazil acquired a majority stake and initiated restructuring. Ultimately, 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway merged Burger King with Tim Hortons under a new parent company, Restaurant Brands International, based in Canada.

1926: Birth of James McLamore

James McLamore, who would later co-found Burger King, was born in 1926.

1927: Birth of David Edgerton

David Edgerton, who would later co-found Burger King, was born in 1927.

1928: Andy Warhol's birth

Andy Warhol, pop artist featured in the "Eat Like Andy" campaign, was born in 1928.

1953: Insta-Burger King Founded

In 1953, Insta-Burger King was founded in Jacksonville, Florida as a restaurant chain.

1953: Predecessor of Burger King opens in Jacksonville

In 1953, the predecessor of Burger King first opened in Jacksonville. Its menu consisted predominantly of basic hamburgers, French fries, soft drinks, milkshakes, and desserts.

1953: Founding of Insta-Burger King

In 1953, the predecessor to Burger King was founded in Jacksonville, Florida, as Insta-Burger King by Keith G. Cramer and Matthew Burns.

1954: Burger King Renamed and Acquired

In 1954, after being acquired by its Miami, Florida, franchisees, the company was renamed Burger King, marking a significant turning point in its history.

1954: Burger King founding

Since its founding in 1954, Burger King has been involved in several legal disputes, with the company's responses ranging from conciliatory dialog to aggressive opposition.

1954: Varied advertising programs since founding

Since its founding in 1954, Burger King has employed varied advertising programs, both successful and unsuccessful.

1957: Introduction of the Whopper Sandwich

In 1957, Burger King added the Whopper sandwich to its menu. This quarter-pound hamburger was created to differentiate BK from other burger outlets.

1959: Burger King Corporation begins franchising

In 1959, Burger King Corporation began franchising, using a regional model where franchisees purchased the right to open stores within a geographic region.

1959: Edgerton and McLamore purchased Insta-Burger King

In 1959, David Edgerton and James McLamore, two Miami-based franchisees, purchased Insta-Burger King after it ran into financial difficulties.

1959: Purchase by McLamore and Edgerton

In 1959, Insta-Burger King was purchased by its Miami, Florida, franchisees, James McLamore and David R. Edgerton.

1963: First Location outside continental United States

In 1963, Burger King began its foray into locations outside of the continental United States with a store in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

1967: Sale to the Pillsbury Company

In 1967, James McLamore and David R. Edgerton sold Burger King to the Pillsbury Company, after running it as an independent entity for eight years and expanding to over 250 locations.

1969: First Canadian restaurant opening

In 1969, shortly after being acquired by Pillsbury, Burger King opened its first Canadian restaurant in Windsor, Ontario.

1971: Hungry Jack's established in Australia

In 1971, Burger King established operations in Australia, it found that its business name was already trademarked. As a result, the Australian franchisee, Jack Cowin, selected the "Hungry Jack" brand name for the Australian restaurants.

1971: First Australian Restaurant opening

In 1971, Burger King opened its first Australian restaurant in the Perth suburb of Innaloo.

1975: First European Restaurant opening

In 1975, Burger King opened its first European restaurant in Madrid.

1977: Product Tie-in with Star Wars

In 1977, Burger King pioneered the "product tie-in" advertising practice with a successful partnership with Lucasfilm, Ltd., promoting the film Star Wars by selling beverage glasses featuring the movie's main characters.

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1978: Donald N. Smith hired to revamp Burger King

In 1978, Burger King hired McDonald's executive Donald N. Smith to help revamp the company through a plan called "Operation Phoenix."

1978: Initiation of Operation Phoenix

In 1978, Donald Smith's Operation Phoenix was initiated, leading to changes in Burger King's menu and marketing strategies.

1978: Franchising agreements restructured

In 1978, as part of Operation Phoenix, Donald N. Smith initiated a restructuring of future franchising agreements. The new agreements restricted ownership to smaller individuals or groups and prohibited franchisees from operating other chains.

1979: Addition of the Burger King Specialty Sandwich line

In 1979, the Burger King Specialty Sandwich line was added to the menu, significantly expanding the breadth of the BK menu with many non-hamburger sandwiches, including new chicken and fish offerings.

1980: Smith Left Burger King For PepsiCo

In 1980, Donald N. Smith left Burger King for PepsiCo shortly before a system-wide decline in sales.

1981: Attack Ad Featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar

In 1981, Burger King launched the fast food industry's first attack ad, starring a young Sarah Michelle Gellar, claiming BK burgers tasted better and were larger than McDonald's. This advertisement led to a lawsuit from McDonald's parent company against all parties involved.

1982: Expansion into East Asia

Beginning in 1982, Burger King and its franchisees began operating stores in several East Asian countries, including Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea.

1982: McDonald's and Disney Partnership

In 1982, McDonald's partnered with The Walt Disney Company to promote Disney's animated films, overshadowing Burger King's early success in product tie-ins.

1983: Addition of the Croissan'Wich

In 1983, the Croissan'Wich was added to Burger King's breakfast menu, marking a new offering for the company.

1984: Brinker left Burger King to take over Chili's

In 1984, Norman E. Brinker left Burger King to take over Dallas-based gourmet burger chain Chili's.

1984: Pillsbury acquires DiversiFoods

In 1984, Pillsbury acquired DiversiFoods, a holding company that had spun off from Chart House's Burger King operations in the early 1980s, and absorbed it into Burger King's operations.

1985: Introduction of the AM Express product line

In 1985, Burger King introduced its "AM Express" product line, adding new breakfast products such as French toast sticks and mini-muffins.

1987: Death of Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol, pop artist featured in the "Eat Like Andy" campaign, passed away in 1987.

1988: Pillsbury relaxes franchising changes

By 1988, parent company Pillsbury had relaxed many of Donald Smith's changes to franchising agreements, scaling back on construction of new Burger King locations, resulting in stalled growth of the brand.

1989: Pillsbury acquired by Grand Metropolitan

In 1989, Pillsbury, then the owner of Burger King, was acquired by the British entertainment conglomerate Grand Metropolitan.

1991: Inclusion of Beauty and the Beast in Disney-Burger King Promotion

In 1994, Disney switched from McDonald's to Burger King, signing a 10-movie promotional contract including films like Aladdin (1992), Beauty and the Beast (1991), The Lion King (1994), and Toy Story (1995).

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1992: Hurricane Andrew Damages Burger King Headquarters

In 1992, Burger King's headquarters experienced major damage from Hurricane Andrew.

1992: Inclusion of Aladdin in Disney-Burger King Promotion

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1993: Introduction of a multi-tiered value menu

In 1993, Burger King added a multi-tiered value menu with items priced at 99¢, US$1.99 and $2.99, as part of Operation Phoenix, an attempt to add a value menu and a line of value meals.

1993: Meatloaf Specialty Sandwich offering

In 1993, Burger King introduced a Meatloaf Specialty Sandwich offering with limited table service and special dinner platters, but it failed to generate interest and was discontinued.

1994: Disney Switches to Burger King

In 1994, Disney switched from McDonald's to Burger King, signing a 10-movie promotional contract including films like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Toy Story.

1995: Inclusion of Toy Story in Disney-Burger King Promotion

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1995: Burger King expansion into Canada

In 1995, Burger King was finally able to enter northern Alberta, Canada after paying the founders of another chain named Burger King.

1996: Death of James McLamore

James McLamore, one of the co-founders of Burger King, passed away in 1996.

1997: Grand Metropolitan merged with Guinness

In 1997, Grand Metropolitan merged with Guinness, forming the holding company Diageo, which continued the parental disregard of the Burger King brand.

1998: Promotion of Small Soldiers with Kids' Meal Toys

In 1998, Burger King created kids' meal toys to promote the DreamWorks Pictures film Small Soldiers, which led to controversy due to the film's PG-13 rating, prompting alterations in promotional commercials and disclaimers on the toys.

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1998: Replacement of the tiered menu

In 1998, Burger King replaced the tiered menu with a more standard value menu while separating the value meals into their own menu segment. The value menu featured products such as Whopper Jr., Chicken Tenders, and a bacon cheeseburger.

December 1999: Pokéball Toy Recall

In December 1999, following a very successful partnership with the Pokémon franchise, Burger King recalled its Pokéball toy after two hazardous incidents, including the death of a 13-month-old child.

1999: Burger King began testing variable speed broilers

In 1999, Burger King began testing variable speed broilers that could handle multiple items with different cooking rates and times, marking a shift in their cooking equipment.

2000: Diageo decides to sell Burger King

In 2000, Diageo decided to divest itself of the money-losing Burger King chain and put the company up for sale.

2001: End of a String of Unsuccessful Slogans

Approximately by 2001, Burger King concluded a series of advertising campaigns that began in the early 1980s, many of which were considered unsuccessful, including the notable flop "Where's Herb?".

2001: Stagnant growth affects company value

By 2001, after nearly 18 years of stagnant growth, the state of Burger King's franchises was beginning to affect the value of the company.

2001: Closing of all Japanese locations

Due to high competition, all of the Burger King Japanese locations were closed in 2001.

July 8, 2002: Burger King headquarters move begins

On July 8, 2002, 130 employees began working at the Burger King headquarters with the remainder moving in phases in August 2002.

August 2002: Burger King headquarters move completed

In August 2002, the Burger King headquarters' move, which began on July 8, 2002, was completed in phases.

2002: Targeting of the 18-34 Male Demographic

From 2002, Burger King aggressively targeted the 18–34 male demographic with larger products, which eventually damaged the company's finances.

2002: AmeriKing bankruptcy and Franchisee Financial Restructuring Initiative

In 2002, AmeriKing Inc. was forced to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy, deeply affecting the value of Burger King. After the sale, newly appointed CEO Brad Blum initiated the Franchisee Financial Restructuring Initiative.

2002: Burger King Holdings goes public

In 2002, Burger King Holdings was the parent company of Burger King when it went public.

2002: Revamping of value menu

In 2002, Burger King revamped its value menu, adding and removing several different products such as chili and its Rodeo Cheeseburger.

2002: Purchase by TPG Capital

In 2002, Burger King was purchased from Diageo by a group of investment firms led by TPG Capital for US$1.5 billion, marking a return to independence.

2003: Hiring Crispin Porter + Bogusky

In 2003, Burger King hired the advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) to completely reorganize its advertising with a series of new campaigns, focusing on a hip and subversive approach.

2003: Introduction of new products to appeal to a more adult palate

In 2003, Burger King introduced several new products to its menu, including new chicken products, a new salad line, and its BK Joe brand of coffee, to better appeal to a more adult palate and demographic.

2006: Heartland Foods valued at over $150 million and is sold

By 2006, Heartland Foods, one of Burger King's top franchises, was valued at over $150 million, and was sold to New York–based GSO Capital Partners.

2006: Burger King revamps value menu again

In 2006, Burger King revamped its value menu again, adding and removing several different products.

2006: Burger King goes public again

In 2006, Burger King was taken public again with a highly successful initial public offering, after being revitalized and reorganized by new owners.

June 2007: Re-entry into the Japanese market

Burger King reentered the Japanese market in June 2007.

2008: Burger King largest chain in several countries

As of 2008, Burger King had managed to become the largest chain in several countries including Mexico and Spain.

2008: Deployment of new broilers system-wide

In 2008, Burger King deployed the new variable speed broiler system-wide, which could handle multiple items with different cooking rates and times.

2008: Burger King predicts foreign expansion

In 2008, Burger King predicted that 80% of its market share would come from foreign expansion over the next 10 years, particularly in Asia-Pacific and the Indian subcontinent.

2009: Deployment of new broilers system-wide

In 2009, Burger King deployed the new variable speed broiler system-wide, which could handle multiple items with different cooking rates and times.

2010: Damage to Financial Underpinnings

By 2010, Burger King's tactic of targeting the 18–34 male demographic damaged the company's financial underpinnings and cast a negative pall on its earnings.

2010: Sale Completion and Advertising Changes

Following the completion of the sale of the company in late 2010, the new ownership group at Burger King ended its seven-year relationship with CP+B and hired McGarryBowen to create a new campaign focused on the food and ingredients, discontinuing the use of The Burger King character.

2010: Menu restructuring program initiated

In 2010, following the purchase of Burger King, 3G began a program to restructure the menu, aiming to move away from the male-oriented menu of the previous ownership.

2010: 3G Capital Acquired Burger King

In late 2010, 3G Capital of Brazil acquired a majority stake in Burger King in a deal valued at US$3.26 billion and initiated a restructuring of the company.

March 2011: Reformulation of BK Chicken Tenders

In March 2011, the first major item introduced under the new menu restructuring program was a reformulation of Burger King's BK Chicken Tenders product.

April 2011: Chidsey's Resignation

By April 2011, John W. Chidsey tendered his resignation, leaving Alex Behring as CEO and chair after the new ownership had completed the restructuring of Burger King's corporate management.

April 2011: 3G Capital to divest corporate owned locations

In April 2011, the 3G Capital ownership group announced that it would begin divesting itself of many corporate-owned Burger King locations, with the intention of increasing the number of privately held restaurants to 95%.

2011: Shift Away From Male-Oriented Menu

Beginning in 2011, Burger King began to move away from its previous male-oriented menu and introduce new menu items, product reformulations, and packaging, as part of its current owner 3G Capital's restructuring plans of the company.

2011: Termination of CP+B Relationship

In 2011, Burger King's new owner, 3G Capital, terminated its relationship with Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) and moved its advertising to McGarryBowen to start a new product-oriented campaign.

April 2012: Official rollout of new menu items

Beginning in April 2012, Burger King officially began rolling out approximately 10 new or reformulated menu items in the United States, including soft serve products, smoothies, frappés, chicken strips, and a reformulated Whopper with new cheese and packaging.

April 2012: Divestment of corporate-owned locations begins

In April 2012, Burger King began divesting itself of its corporate owned locations by re-franchising them to private owners, with the aim of becoming a 100% franchised operation by the end of 2013.

2012: Burger King plans to add 250 stores in Asian territories

By the end of 2012, Burger King planned to add over 250 stores in Asian territories like India, China, Japan, and Macau, focusing on expanding its presence in these key markets.

2013: Burger King is the second largest hamburger chain

At the end of its 2013 fiscal year, Burger King was the second largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants in terms of global locations, behind McDonald's, which had 32,400 locations.

2013: Burger King reaches 100% Franchised Operation

By the end of 2013, Burger King became a 100% franchised operation after the company divested corporate-owned locations.

2013: Franchise Model Transition

In 2013, Burger King's new owners moved to an almost entirely franchised model.

August 2014: Planned Merger with Tim Hortons

In August 2014, 3G Capital announced its plan to acquire Tim Hortons and merge it with Burger King, backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, leading to controversy over tax inversions.

August 2014: Merger with Tim Hortons considered

In August 2014, reports surfaced that Burger King was in talks about buying the Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons. The merger between Burger King and Tim Hortons created the fast food company now known as Restaurant Brands International Inc.

2014: Burger King ranks fourth in US sales

At the end of 2014, Burger King ranked fourth among US food chains in terms of US sales, behind McDonald's, Starbucks, and Subway.

2015: Restaurant Brands International announces antibiotic policy

At the end of 2015, Burger King's parent company, Restaurant Brands International, announced that none of its subsidiaries would use chicken that had been fed antibiotics critically important to human health.

2016: Burger King signs lease for new headquarters

In 2016, Burger King signed a build-to-suit lease agreement on a new 150,000 square feet five-story headquarters building to be built at 5707 Blue Lagoon Drive.

2016: Burger King Franchises become mostly privately owned

In 2016, the percentage of privately owned Burger King establishments grew to 99.5%. RBI maintains that approximately 100% of Burger King franchises are privately held restaurants.

2018: Death of David Edgerton

David Edgerton, one of the co-founders of Burger King, passed away in 2018.

2018: Burger King moves to new headquarters

In 2018, Burger King moved into its new headquarters at 5707 Blue Lagoon Drive.

December 31, 2018: Burger King outlet count

As of December 31, 2018, Burger King reported that it had 17,796 outlets in 100 countries.

February 2019: "Eat Like Andy" Campaign Launch

In February 2019, Burger King launched the "Eat Like Andy" advertising campaign during Super Bowl LIII, featuring archival footage of Andy Warhol eating a Whopper and offering an "Andy Warhol Mystery Box" via DoorDash.

April 9, 2019: Burger King files lawsuit against Fritz Management

On April 9, 2019, Burger King filed a lawsuit against Fritz Management LLC to remove Burger King trademarks from 37 units in South Texas after unsanitary conditions were found at a restaurant in Harlingen, Texas.

May 2019: Burger King settles lawsuit with Fritz Management

In May 2019, Burger King's lawsuit with the franchisee, Fritz Management (a subsidiary of Sun Holdings Inc), was settled, with Fritz Management keeping the trademarks on all 37 units.

November 19, 2019: Lawsuit filed against Burger King over Impossible Whopper

On November 19, 2019, a lawsuit was filed against Burger King by a vegan from Atlanta, Georgia for allegedly failing to clearly disclose that Impossible Whopper burgers were heated on the same grill as their beef burgers. The lawsuit was dismissed.

2019: Burger King releases Impossible Whopper

In 2019, Burger King released an "Impossible Whopper" burger, a vegetarian burger using a plant-based patty from Impossible Foods.

2019: Plan to Close Low-Volume Locations

In 2019, Burger King reported its plan to close up to 250 low-volume locations per year, with closures coming into effect in 2020.

February 2020: Burger King announces removal of artificial ingredients from Whopper

In February 2020, Burger King announced that it would remove artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors from the Whopper by the end of 2020.

July 2020: Burger King to sell Whopper patty made from cows on a low methane diet

In July 2020, Burger King announced it would begin selling a Whopper patty made from cows on a low methane diet.

December 2020: Burger King India IPO

In December 2020, Burger King India launched its initial public offering (IPO) on the BSE and NSE in India, which was oversubscribed more than 150 times. The stock opened at ₹112.5 per share on December 14, nearly double the IPO price of ₹60, and closed at ₹135.

2020: Plan to Close Low-Volume Locations

In 2019, Burger King reported its plan to close up to 250 low-volume locations per year, with closures coming into effect in 2020.

2020: Announcement of "The Sizzle" Store Design

In October 2023, Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. & Canada, announced a new store design at its annual franchisee convention in Canada, branded "The Sizzle", to tackle slowing business after the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

February 2021: Burger King began testing a customer loyalty rewards program called "Royal Perks"

In February 2021, Burger King began testing a customer loyalty rewards program called "Royal Perks" in Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, New Jersey and Long Island, New York.

March 8, 2021: International Women's Day Tweet Controversy

On March 8, 2021, Burger King faced criticism for their International Women's Day campaign, following a tweet by Burger King UK stating, "Women belong in the kitchen". The tweet was labeled as sexist and, despite follow-up tweets aiming to change the gender ratio in the restaurant industry and a later apology, the initial tweet caused significant damage to their reputation.

2021: Tom Curtis appointed president of Burger King U.S. and Canada

In 2021, Tom Curtis was appointed the president of Burger King U.S. and Canada.

2021: Burger King cuts back on value items

In late 2021, Burger King announced it would cut back on value items because of inflationary pressures and to speed up drive-thru lanes.

March 2022: Suspension of Corporate Support in Russia

In March 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Burger King claimed to have suspended all its corporate support in Russia, including operations, marketing, supply chain, investments and expansion; however, they retained its stake in the Russian franchises through an offshore joint venture.

March 28, 2022: Lawsuit filed against Burger King alleging false advertising of the Whopper

On March 28, 2022, a lawsuit was filed against Burger King, alleging the fast food chain falsely advertised the Whopper to "look about 35% bigger in its advertising than it is in reality".

2022: Burger King alters product configuration

In early 2022, Burger King altered product configuration because of inflationary pressures and to speed up drive-thru lanes.

2022: Release of "Have it Your Way" Commercials

In late 2022, Burger King released the "Have it Your Way" commercials, which went viral on social media platforms like TikTok after the 2022-23 NFL playoffs due to their repetitive and catchy nature.

February 2023: Josh Kobza appointed CEO of RBI

In February 2023, Josh Kobza was appointed as the CEO of RBI.

February 2023: "Have it Your Way" Commercials on Streaming Services

In February 2023, the "Have it Your Way" commercials, originally released in late 2022, gained additional media attention and were made available on music streaming services like Spotify.

October 2023: Announcement of "The Sizzle" Store Design

2023: Burger King UK to offer Vegan Royale Bakon King

In 2023, Burger King UK announced it would offer a Vegan Royale Bakon King, made with vegan bacon, vegan cheese and a vegan burger made by The Vegetarian Butcher, after successfully testing vegan products at meat-free temporary restaurants in Leicester Square and Bristol.

January 2024: Restaurant Brands International to purchase Carrols Restaurant Group

In January 2024, Restaurant Brands International, the owner of Burger King, announced it would purchase the largest franchisee of the chain, Carrols Restaurant Group, for around $1 billion. The goal was to remodel 600 of the restaurants, then sell them back to franchisees over five to seven years.