Burger King

Burger King Franchisee Stan Paulauskas has been a force in the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry since 1963. He began his career in QSR at 16, starting as a crew member and steadily rising through the ranks to become Vice President of Restaurant Operations for a 25-store Franchise, before becoming a BK Franchisee in 1981. Now, nearly 45 years later, Stan says one of the most important aspects to running a successful business throughout his career has been his team, and he sets a strong example for Franchisees when it comes to building culture. He has implemented multiple systems to ensure his Team Members feel valued, such as internal incentive programs with monetary rewards, recognition programs, anniversary bonuses, an “Employee of the Month” program, and holiday cards each year. For Stan, the most rewarding aspect of being a Franchisee is when everything clicks – when the team culture, operations, and customer satisfaction all fall into place. Read more about Stan’s story here: https://lnkd.in/eVYQgQ4k

For the third year in a row, we hosted the “Royal Roundtables”, inviting nearly 7,000 Burger King Restaurant General Managers (RGMs) to join us in 40 cities across the country. The goal of our time together is to inspire some of the most important people behind the brand and give RGMs the unique opportunity to connect, collaborate and recharge for the year ahead.   As we wrap this year’s Roundtables, we can’t wait to see RGMs apply these learnings to give Guests an exceptional experience at their local BK restaurant. 

For BK Team Members, the relationships they build with Guests often feel like family. That’s why when the Burger King team in North Branch, Minnesota learned of the passing of their beloved regular customer, Jerry Parkin, they knew they had to recognize his legacy. Jerry visited the restaurant every morning for breakfast and coffee, always sitting in the same chair where he would chat with friends and staff alike. To pay tribute, the North Branch team showed up to his funeral with that very chair, now engraved with Jerry’s name. Today, Jerry’s chair sits in his favorite Burger King restaurant, serving as a heartfelt memorial to his daily visits and overall love for the brand. Learn more about Jerry’s lasting impact here: https://lnkd.in/ez2PUb5v  

Sara Crossman, a BK Restaurant General Manager from Springfield, OH was recently named the first ever “Restaurant General Manager of the Year” at our annual Franchisee conference. This award recognizes a BK Restaurant General Manager (RGM) who best exemplifies and sets the standard for excellence in restaurant leadership as a steward of operational excellence, financial performance, team culture and Guest experience. Sara has devoted her entire adult life to Burger King, starting at 16 and steadily working her way up through the ranks with dedication and hard work. Over the years, she has earned multiple promotions, always prioritizing the success of her team both professionally and personally. Her commitment to excellence has made a profound and lasting impact, not just within the company, but also in her community. We think Sara is truly exceptional, and although we may be a bit biased, her efforts have not gone unnoticed. She’s been featured in numerous local articles, and her hometown is honoring her with a special “Sara Crossman Day” this month to recognize the incredible contributions she’s made to Burger King and her community. Make sure to read more about Sara’s story here: https://lnkd.in/egYAPYrh

2024 was a milestone year for the Burger King Foundation, raising a record-breaking $9.1M to support local communities through impactful programs! Of the donations raised last year, more than $1M went towards the Emergency Relief Fund, a program that helps Burger King Team Members experiencing unforeseen hardships. The Foundation also allocated $4.5M to fund more than 4,000 scholarships through the BK Scholars Program, and in the inaugural year of BK Crown a Classroom, $1.1M in school supplies were donated to classrooms across the U.S. This incredible progress is just the beginning of the Burger King Foundation’s commitment to making a lasting impact. This year, the Foundation is celebrating its 20th anniversary of helping scholars pursue their dreams and supporting employees in their greatest time of need. Learn more about how the Foundation is looking forward to celebrating two decades of giving back from Katie M. Lewis, Executive Director of the Burger King Foundation.

Restaurant General Managers (RGMs) are the backbone of our business, tirelessly managing back-of-house operations, empowering their teams, and delivering exceptional experiences to Guests every day. Christian Furman’s journey with Burger King began nearly a decade ago as a Team Member. His passion for the brand and commitment to his team quickly stood out, earning him promotions as an hourly shift coordinator, an assistant manager, and now an RGM. Christian’s leadership and dedication were recently recognized at the Dream Big Awards, an annual award ceremony hosted by our parent company, Restaurant Brands International (RBI), where outstanding individuals who exemplify RBI values are celebrated. His journey at BK is a testament to the power of hard work and commitment. To learn more about Christian and the lasting impact he’s had on the Burger King community, be sure to read the full story on our Newsroom!

It’s a new year, and we’re excited to bring our new look to even more communities across the U.S.! In October 2023, we introduced our “Sizzle” restaurant image, and throughout 2024 we opened 62 Sizzle restaurants across 21 states. Sizzle features a modern interior with digital ordering kiosks, a King’s Booth, a light-up crown wall and more, and inviting exteriors like a canopy drive-thru, double drive-thru lanes, and a Home of the Whopper wall. We can’t wait for the magic of Sizzle to continue growing as we continue on our modern image journey in 2025, with the goal of achieving 85-90% modern image by 2028.

What a Whopper-ful year it has been!   2024 has been the year of the flame-grilled Whopper, with a variety of limited-time, premium Whopper builds for our Guests to enjoy. We want to take a trip down memory lane by celebrating some of our favorite Whopper innovations:   We kicked off the year by launching the Million Dollar Whopper Contest, inviting BK fans across the U.S. to submit their dream Whopper creation for a chance to win $1M and see their Whopper sold in restaurants across the country. To spark excitement, we launched the Candied Bacon Whopper, our version of a “Million Dollar Whopper”.   Then, we turned up the heat this summer with the Fiery Bacon Whopper, making its debut as part of the Fiery Menu line-up. Out of the 5 fiery menu items introduced, this spicy creation ranked number 3 on the mild-to-wild scale, bringing just the right amount of heat for our Guests to enjoy.   As Halloween approached, we introduced four spooky menu items inspired by the Addams Family animated films, including Wednesday’s Whopper – a Whopper with swiss cheese and a vibrant bun made from purple potatoes.   And, to close the year, we revealed the three Guest-created Million Dollar Whopper creations – Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper, Mexican Street Corn Whopper, and Pickle Ranch Whopper, which were all available for Guests to try at participating restaurants across the U.S.    We can’t wait to keep the flame lit in 2025 and beyond. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us, and here’s to many more mouth-watering moments ahead!

This past Monday, teams from our parent company, Restaurant Brands International (RBI), hosted the annual Big Dream Awards where we honor outstanding individuals across our brands that exemplify RBI values. We’re thrilled to highlight one of the winners from the Burger King team who perfectly embodies the RBI value of Creativity & Innovation – Amanda Torres. Amanda has been the driving force behind bringing the new “Sizzle” restaurant image that was first introduced in 2023 to life. With its fresh and inviting design, Sizzle is transforming BK locations across North America, and thanks to Amanda’s vision, BK Guests have started to experience the magic of Sizzle! She has played a key role in the design and launch of 35 Sizzle restaurants nationwide, working closely with her team and Franchisees to ensure the design was optimized to create a great Guest experience while yielding a strong ROI for the system. Amanda is the epitome of Creativity & Innovation, and we are thrilled that she could be recognized for her dedication and success at Burger King! We can’t wait to see Amanda’s continued efforts bringing Sizzle to more Guests across the country in 2025.  

As a brand that’s been around for 70 years, Burger King is lucky to have multi-generational Franchisees, many who have devoted themselves to the brand for most of their lives. Having successfully operated high-performing restaurants since 1981, the Barto family has passed down the torch through generations, ensuring their family-owned business remains strong. Throughout their years with Burger King, the Bartos have cultivated a strong, positive, and lasting culture that continues to define the success of their restaurants.