Burger King to sell beer at fast food joints

[B]Introducing the Whopper Bar: Burger King to sell beer at fast food joints
By Henrick Karoliszyn and Corky Siemaszko
Daily News Writers

Friday, January 22nd 2010, 12:45 PM

Getty/Daily News Photo IllustrationBurger King is unveiling its Whopper Bar, where customers can have a beer to go along with their fries. Take our PollAren't you thirsty?
Do you think beer should be served at Burger King?

Yes, sometimes I like to drink a brew with my food
No, it's a family place
I will stick to the bar either way

Related NewsArticlesFounder of Taco Bell dead at 86Burger King is going to be selling brewskis - and that's no whopper.

Hoping to tap a whole new customer base, the fast food chain has unveiled plans to peddle beer alongside their famous burgers at something they are calling a Whopper Bar.

The first one is opening in Miami Beach and will target thirsty tourists hitting South Beach, Burger King confirmed.

The chain is also reportedly looking to open more Whopper Bars in other tourist meccas like Times Square, as well as Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

Don't look for exotic brews - BK is starting out with domestic brands like Miller at Budweiser and will consider other beers down the road.

"You can have America's favorite beers with America's favorite burger," said Chuck Fallon, the chain's North America honcho.

Served in specially designed aluminum bottles, a BK beer will sell for $4.25 alone. And a Whopper combo with a beer will run $7.99, which is about $2 more than the same meal with a soda.

Burger King's beer n' burgers idea got mixed reviews from New Yorkers.

Arnold Lyons, 58, of the Bronx, said he didn't think it was a good idea because so many kids eat at Burger King.

"There's already enough trouble without Burger King selling beer," he said. "You don't take your kids to a bar."

Sharon McKnight, 49, of Manhattan, called serving beer at a fast food restaurant "ludicrous."

But Sonia Neal, 36, called the scheme "genius."

"I think it's a brilliant idea as long as it's done tastefully," said Neal, of The Bronx.

Burger King isn't the first fast food chain to embrace alcohol - Starbucks already sells beer and wine and some of its cafes.

Also, Burger King diners in beer-loving Germany and Venezuela can already buy suds with their Whoppers and fries.

But with the competition for America's fast food eaters getting fiercer by the day, Burger King needs novel ways to bring in more business, industry experts said.

Over the years, Burger King has launched some famous customer campaigns, including "Have it your way" which helped separate the chain from rivals like McDonald's.

There have also been some duds like "Flame," a men's body spray the company introduced two years ago and described as "the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat."

Burger King also tried to make itself hipper by referring to itself with just its initials, the same kind of makeover Kentucky Fried Chicken attempted when it started calling itself KFC.

It's also known for its Burger King character, the latest incarnation of which is an actor wearing a grinning, over-sized mask that has caught on with the public despite being so creepy.

[email]csiemaszko@nydailynews.com[/email]



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