In Malaysia this holiday season, the Burger King restaurant chain has wrapped up an “all new specially created gift” to present its clientele. Honey BBQ Beef and Honey BBQ Chicken Burgers are being offered with fries and a soft drink at the sweet price of RM 14.50 and RM 13.90, respectively, while supplies last.
In the USA, it’s serving up an “easy, cheesy yuletide season treat” for fans of Cheesy Tots Potatoes, as the snack is being brought back to participating restaurants for a limited time only. Cheesy Tots are a bite-sized combination of warm potatoes and melted cheese on the inside of a crispy exterior. They may be consumed as a side dish or as a snack.
“Fans have been craving the return of Cheesy Tots for some time now, so we wanted to give loyalists a holiday surprise after we heard so many of their requests. Now they’ll be able to warm up to these cozy cheese and potato bites this holiday season,” said Alex Macedo, President, North America, for the Burger King brand.
Cheesy Tots will be available for a limited time only on the lunch and dinner menu at a recommended price of $1.99 for a “snackable” 8-piece order.
Fresh Wake-up Call from McDonald’s?
Meanwhile, suppliers of frozen hamburgers to the McDonald’s restaurant chain in the United States are concerned that Ronald could become a Grinch that steals Christmas Future as far as their business in concerned.
The world’s largest burger chain is expanding the test marketing of so-called fresh beef patties to upward of 75 restaurants in Oklahoma. This follows a test that began earlier this year in the Dallas-Forth Worth area in which non-frozen patties were used in Quarter Pounder burgers and the Bacon Clubhouse Burger.
“These burgers are hotter and juicier than our previous quarter pound patties, and are made with fresh 100% North American beef that’s simply seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper,” said Chad Schafer, a McDonald’s chef.
The chain, which has long relied on frozen beef to supply 14,000 restaurants in the United States and many more abroad, seems to be gearing up to better compete with rising rival selling so-called fresh burgers in a growing number of markets.
However, food safety, convenience and logistics continue to be major concerns for franchise operators that must consistently provide fast service to large numbers of diners. They know all too well that the potential for food borne illnesses is higher when uncooked meat is kept at a temperature above 40°F.
