Let's start with some facts. Founded in 1954, Burger King is the second largest fast food hamburger chain in the world. The original home of the Whopper, more than 12,600 BURGER KING restaurants serve over 11 million guests in 83 countries and territories every day. Approximately 95 percent of BURGER KING restaurants globally are owned and operated by independent franchisees many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades.
One of my favourite fast food chains not to say THE favourite, Burger King tried to maintain a premium quality and service in Lebanon since they first opened more than 10 years ago. This year was the big boom with the launch of their mobile application. With ups and downs in the service during the last decade, Burger King dispute all, managed to keep a certain level of professionalism.
My favorite sandwich, since school days is the Big King, and it still tastes the same.
The Big King sandwich is a hamburger that has been discontinued in the US but it is still being served in the Middle East. It is a hamburger, consisting of two juicy grilled beef patties, sesame seed fresh bun that is never microwaved like their competition does, King Sauce, iceberg lettuce, onions, sweet pickles and two slices of American cheddar cheese all layered one on top of the other and sticking on your teeth each time you bite it. I love the feeling, I love the taste.
I felt like eating 'junk food' today, I ordered a Chicken Royal meal. The Original Chicken Sandwich is a lightly breaded premium white meat chicken fillet topped with a simple combination of shredded lettuce and creamy mayonnaise on a sesame seed bun. I simply love it.
A couple of years ago, a meal used to cost only $5. A maximum of $6 if you add cheese to the Whopper and make it XXL. The price has gone high since then. What's happening today has become unacceptable. A familly of four will pay more at Burger King - $8,5 a person - than they would at any Lebanese fast food chain like falafel, shawarma... at least it's healthier.
The delivery guy arrived with a bill of 17,500L.L. Yes, 17,500L.L for a simple meal with a box of fries. I can order 4 falafel for the whole office, with fries and a soda for each for a total of 17,500L.L:
- 8,500L.L for the meal (burger and fries): A promotional price since the listed one is 11,500L.L
- 4,500L.L for the box of chewy french fries. I miss the days when BK had the best crunchy coated fries on the planet
- 2,000L.L for the delivery charge! BK is only 200 meters away from my office. (You can fill a motorcycle with 2,000L.L for a full day's worth of deliveries)
- 1,000L.L add on for a thin layer of cheese when the complete pack of 10 can be bought for 1000L.L from the supermarket
- 1,500L.L to go XL but I must point out that I received the same single coke can served with the normal meal and not two cans that should be offered (since the XL meal in-house is a 1 liter cup with free refill - so that's sort of a rip off)
I quote:
A meal in the UK - one of the most expensive places to live - is only 7$, in Malaysia it is for 5$ and the US for only 4,8$. Why should it be for 8$ in Lebanon? Lebanon should have a price lower than all others, considering we are a poor country, by reconsidering the 2,000L.L delivery charge and reducing the 2,500L.L for cheese and couple of additional fries sticks. A meal should be priced at 5$ maximum.
Wow! In a country struggling to survive, I won't be surprised to see Burger King limping.
