Most fast-food chains have secret menus, but some are bigger secrets than others.
Starbucks has been aggressive in moving items from its fan-created secret menu to its regular menu when demand suggests that it’s a good idea. That allows the chain to formalize a recipe and make sure that when someone orders a “Pink Drink” or a “Medicine Ball,” they get the same at every location.
DON’T MISS: Burger King menu adds unique Whopper, spicy new ‘fries’
McDonald’s embraced the same trends in 2022 when it had a July 2022 promotion where it promoted some of its secret menu items. The chain offered some fan favorites like the “Surf & Turf,” a sandwich with both the Filet-O-Fish and Cheeseburger patties), the Hash Brown McMuffin (an Egg McMuffin with the chain’s hashbrown in between the egg and sausage), and the Crunchy Double (chicken nuggets over a burger).
In a broad sense, secret menus, have become mainstream. What used to be sort of insider info, can now be Googled so you don’t really need to be an insider to be in on the secrets.
Burger King has long had a popular secret menu item that’s unique to the chain. McDonald’s and Wendy’s (WEN) – Get Free Report don’t have the items on their menus it would take to make this popular (sort of) secret combo.
Burger King has used free fries as a way to get people to sign up for its Royal Perks loyalty program.
Image source: Burger King
Burger King makes a secret menu item a menu item
Unlike Wendy’s and McDonald’s, Restaurant Brands International’s (QSR) – Get Free Report Burger King sells onion rings. This has been a popular side dish and it’s a major differentiator for the chain, albeit one it has not promoted much.
Fans of Burger King’s onion rings and fries have been buying orders of both and combining them to create what is popularly known as “Frings.” Some locations would sell a mixed order if you asked for Frings, but it was not company policy to do so.
Now, Burger King is adding Frings to its regular menu, although it’s not using that name. Instead, the chain will begin selling what it’s calling “Have-sies” at locations nationwide starting Oct. 12.
“Have-sies is a combination of the brand’s signature fries and classic onion rings. While Have-sies can be enjoyed a la carte in value, small, medium, and large sizes, the new offering offers Burger King fans even more ways to build a combo meal to suit their tastes and satisfy their cravings,” Chew Boom reported.
Burger King tested “Fries n’ Rings” at select locations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida in June 2023.
Burger King is investing in its kitchens
Burger King currently has a $250 million Royal Reset program designed to help restaurants upgrade their equipment.
“Participating franchisees have matched our spend dollar-for-dollar with investments in essential kitchen equipment like toasters and broilers, which will largely roll out in the back half of the year,” RBI CEO Josh Kobza said during the chain’s second-quarter earnings call.
RBI Chairman Patrick Doyle also talked about the progress Burger King has made during the call.
“At Burger King in the U.S., it’s about operational execution and modernization. All the fundamental work the team and franchisees have done is paying off, led by wins in both operations and marketing,” he said.
He noted that the company has been making investments in the stores through not just the Royal Reset program, but also through another massive investment.
“We already have our $400 million Reclaim the Flame investment being put to work and I think that long-term there is more we will consider doing, especially around digital-centric remodels,” he added.
