Almost 70 years after its founding, Burger King said Thursday it is reinventing itself in 2021 with the chain’s first rebrand in over 20 years. The overhaul focuses on the “food journey” and includes new worker uniforms, a new logo, store redesigns and new packaging.
The redesign is expected to roll out at all domestic and international stores over the next few years and will take the brand well into the future with this more modern brand identity. This caps off a year of new drive-thru redesigns, prototypes and modernization for the second-largest burger chain.
“Design is one of the most essential tools we have for communicating who we are and what we value, and it plays a vital role in creating desire for our food and maximizing guests’ experience,” said Raphael Abreu, head of design at Burger King’s parent company Restaurant Brands International, in a statement. “We wanted to use design to get people to crave our food; its flame-grilling perfection and above all, its taste.”
Burger King wants customers to know they really can have it their way, with its new branding and focus on cleaner ingredients, plant-based menu items and easy-to-read signage in the increasingly digital age.
In October, Burger King completed the removal of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives from its Whopper nationwide as part of a campaign to remove all additives from its menu items. At the time, the company said more than 85% of its menu was now free from artificial ingredients.
Miami-based Burger King is focusing on social media and digital elements in this new branding. That’s what inspired the clean lines, bold, graphic shapes and simplistic uniform designs, the company said.
The logo was also redesigned for the first time since 1999.
This pared down design is meant to reflect the clean ingredients and bold flavors of the brand’s most famous menu item – the burger.
New outdoor and indoor signage, branding, menu boards and uniforms will transform the brand visually, though it has been transforming digitally and technologically for some time.
Last month, the burger chain launched integration to allow customers to order and pay through Google.
In October, Toronto-based RBI announced plans to modernize its brands, including bringing predictive menu boards, double-lane drive-thrus, outdoor digital menu boards and more to Burger King.
Burger King unveiled its “Restaurant of Tomorrow” prototype, set to launch in Miami this year, showcasing a “Next Level” kitchen on a separate floor with a conveyer belt, an expanded three-lane drive-thru, cleaner signage and a 100% touchless experience.
Burger King did not respond to Nation’s Restaurant News’ questions about how much the redesign could cost franchisees.
Get an inside look at the rebranding here.
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