Whether it is an office party or an anniversary, it has almost become a tradition for everyone to order food from McDonalds or Burger King. Their burgers and French fries can make you nostalgic and the next time you visit any of them, you will create new memories over there. So, how difficult it is to decide who wins the war of McDonalds vs Burger King!
Both of them have proved their credit value in the market and have received huge love from their customers. No matter who wins the McDonalds vs Burger King War, in the end, the real winner is all you foodies. Why? Because you will get to enjoy the best burgers among other delicious items from their menu whenever you want. In this blog, you will read how the war between these fast-food giants started and what actually makes both of them unique from others.
History of Fast-Food Giants
Before knowing which one is the best, McDonalds vs Burger King: You should have an idea of where both of them started, what is the story behind their establishment, and more. In this section, you will explore the history of both brands.
McDonalds: In 1940, the famous food brand, McDonalds started as a single drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California by brothers Maurice and Richard McDonald. After a few years, in 1948, the restaurant started producing food in higher quantities with a limited menu that includes hamburgers, chips, drinks, and pie.
The restaurant became famous for its quick service and hence named Speedee Service System. Furthermore, it reduced operational costs and allowed owners to sell hamburgers at just 15 cents which was half the price of their competitors. The runaway success of the restaurant propelled its owners to start a new franchise program and the rest is history.
In the year 1955, McDonalds Systems Inc. was inaugurated in Des Plaines, Illinois. Later, it opened the first McDonalds franchise east of the Mississippi River, before buying out the McDonald brothers in 1961.
Burger King: The king of burgers, Burger King was started in 1953 by Keith J. Kramer and Matthew Burns after purchasing the rights to two equipment pieces known as ‘Insta’ machines. Its first store was launched around a machine called Insta-Broiler, which turned the brand into an instant success and became mandatory for all restaurants to carry the machine.
(Credit – ortsdienst.de)
Due to some distress, in 1959, the company was sold to Florida franchisees owned by James McLamore and David R. Edgerton. They renamed it ‘Burger King’ and ran the company as a separate entity for the next 8 years in addition to corporate restructuring in its functioning. Before selling it to Pillsbury in 1967, they widened the presence of the company to 250 new locations.
McDonalds vs Burger King – Which Is Best to Franchise?
McDonalds and Burger King are competing with other food franchising businesses like KFC, Taco Bell, and Domino’s, among others. If you want to choose between McDonalds vs Burger King for starting your franchise business then refer to these points:
Burger King Franchise: As of 2020, Burger King has successfully opened new 291 franchises every year which makes around 18,625 units worldwide. So, why choose Burger King for the franchise? It offers three franchise ownership options based on location:
- Institutional area: It is an airport, zoo, or corporate buildings-specific franchise.
- Non-traditional location: In this franchise ownership option, Burger King can be established inside a gasoline station or convenience store.
- Traditional location: In this section, the Burger King store is built in a non-shared building which is a full-sized BK restaurant.
McDonalds Franchise: According to a 2021 survey, McDonalds is the best food franchise. It has acquired 13,257 locations within the US by January 2022. Here are the top five locations in the US that have McDonalds franchises:
- Houston, Texas with 129 locations
- Chicago, Illinois with 113 locations
- Las Vegas, Nevada with 73 locations
- San Antonio, Texas with 73 locations
- Los Angeles, California with 72 locations
Apart from being a global brand, McDonalds carries a “we do the right thing” reputation. The company possesses a top society influencer in its brand name because of its active involvement in every local community. You might have noticed their ad campaigns on special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Diwali, Eid, etc. Moreover, it has a strong support system from its loyal customers to run the business independently.
Besides the basic differences in their functioning, McDonalds and Burger King are growing their businesses with the help of digital transformation schemes. Online orders are giving them an extra edge since for numerous customers, it is easier to sit back and order their favorite burger or nuggets on Uber Eats or Go Puff. Therefore, McDonalds vs Burger King War is taking a huge upsurge on these platforms in terms of giving extra offs on special occasions. Each of their food items is advertised on social media and they have started Twitter campaigns as well.
McDonalds vs Burger King: Product Comparison
French Fries: Being a fast food franchise chain, both brands offer French Fries on their menu. However, there is a difference in the consistency of their flavor. Burger King has brought different changes in the way it cooks French Fries as well as in the shapes. On the other hand, McDonald’s has maintained consistency in its taste and flavor.
The sole reason behind its ‘crispy from the outside and soft and fluffy from inside’ is its unique way of cooking, frying, and cutting fries. When it comes to ruling the market, McDonald’s French Fries are on top of any other fries.
Burgers: Both McDonald’s, as well as Burger King, are famous for their burgers. Every burger lover can differentiate between their burgers. Consistency and tempting taste are the unique ingredients when it comes to burger preparation.
At McDonald’s, its sesame seed plump bun is accompanied by the burger patty, slivered onions, mustard, cheese, and pickles. You will find everything in the right balance. However, its bun is slightly smaller than Burger King’s bun and costs lesser. The biggest difference between both is the ratio of the pickles, onion, patty, and sauces. The Burger King brand has to maintain uniformity in the ingredients.
Chicken Nuggets: They are always in demand just like every other product of McDonald’s and Burger King. Both brands produce succulent and flavorsome chicken nuggets that taste extremely delicious. However, Burger King’s ghost pepper chicken was trending worldwide since its launch in 2021. It ranks higher than the Chicken Nuggets of McDonald’s.
Burger King customers have explicitly appreciated its customer service which helped the company build customer engagement and its advertisements are highly entertaining. McDonald’s menu provides healthier options and serves better coffee and soft drinks than Burger King’s. Though both brands are serving various common products on their menu, there are significant differences in their tastes. One of them might be doing better than the other in a particular area, but both brands are ruling the food franchise business not just within the US but also at the international level.
(Credits – Tim ClarkAlamy)
Nowadays, McDonald’s and Burger King, both global fast-food giants are enjoying high popularity and demand. Additionally, being in the fast-food industry gives them an extra advantage that it will never go into loss as long as people are loving their food and taste. For a long time, both brands are competing against each other, coming up with menu items that continue to tantalize customers’ taste buds.
FAQs
1. McDonalds vs Burger King: Which food chain has a larger global presence?
McDonald’s has a larger presence at the global level as compared to Burger King. As of 2021, McDonald’s had around 39,000 locations globally, compared to over 18,000 for Burger King
2. McDonalds vs Burger King: Whose burger is better?
McDonald’s burgers consist of more fat than Burger King which makes you full easier and faster. If you are looking for good quality burgers in terms of carbohydrates then Burger King is the best.
3. McDonalds vs Burger King: Who sells more burgers?
Burger King sells around 275 burgers every single hour, which means 6,575 burgers every day and 2.4 million every year. However, it can’t beat McDonald’s unfathomable 75 burgers per second, which is still far greater than most other burger chains or restaurants in the world.
