We tried Burger King's new hot dog - here's the one issue the chain needs to solve to make it the next Whopper
Kate Taylor
"We want this to be the Whopper of hot dogs," Alex Macedo, Burger King's North America president, said at a launch event on Tuesday. "We know the Whopper is America's favorite burger - we want this to be America's favorite hot dog."
The classic grilled dog and the chili cheese dog will launch at Burger King locations across the US on February 23.
The company tested the hot dog in five cities last year. According to Macedo, the company beat its targets in each city. Orders that included a hot dog resulted in larger average checks than orders without the new dish.
"We're not seeing grilled dogs as a product launch," Macedo said. "We're tapping into a whole new category."
Here's why, based on a recent tasting, the hot dogs may be able to do just that - and why they might fall short.
Kate Taylor
The classic grilled dog fulfills Burger King's goal of creating what Macedo calls "a hot dog that tastes like a backyard barbecue." Grilling was a great choice on Burger King's part. The hot dog has a nice smokiness that wouldn't be out of place at a family barbecue.
The classic is topped with ketchup, mustard, chopped onions, and relish. The onions and relish cut through the smokiness of the hot dog very nicely.
At $1.99, it's a quality frank that, should I be craving a hot dog, I would purchase again.
Kate Taylor
The chili cheese grilled dog is less of a delight. Don't get me wrong - the hot dog once again captures the smokiness well, and the chili adds a nice touch of sweetness. But without the relish and the mustard it feels as if I'm basically inhaling grease.
The dish is the same beef dog as the classic, topped with warm chili and shredded cheddar cheese, and it costs $2.29.
Kate Taylor
While I enjoyed both options and believe other hot dog lovers lacking in fast-food options will as well, I had one major issue with the dishes.
At risk of sounding like a glutton, one hot dog is simply not enough to fill me up. It makes sense that the check size is bigger for customers who order a grilled hot dog: They need at least one side to feel satisfied after a hot dog you can demolish in under eight bites.
AP Images
Burger King and I agree, however, that two hot dogs is too much. With the classic clocking in at 310 calories and the chili cheese at 330 calories, two hot dogs is not the solution. Plus, eating both would add up to 14 grams of saturated fat - more than the American Heart Association's daily limit.
If Burger King can persuade customers to add a hot dog to their orders, the company could have a winner on its hands. But making the new item the next Whopper will not be as simple as swapping burgers for hot dogs.
- Colon cancer rates are rising in young people. If you have two symptoms you should get a colonoscopy, a GI oncologist says.
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- An Ambani disruption in OTT: At just ₹1 per day, you can now enjoy ad-free content on JioCinema
- In second consecutive week of decline, forex kitty drops $2.28 bn to $640.33 bn
- SBI Life Q4 profit rises 4% to ₹811 crore
- IMD predicts severe heatwave conditions over East, South Peninsular India for next five days
- COVID lockdown-related school disruptions will continue to worsen students’ exam results into the 2030s: study
- India legend Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 ambassador
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market