Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Burger King Is Making Major Changes to 2 Fan-Favorite Menu Items in an Attempt to Combat Inflation The company's largest franchisor is making some not-so-beloved changes in an attempt to offset labor and commodity inflation.

By Emily Rella Edited by Amanda Breen

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

If you're lucky enough, you might know the elated feeling that comes with accidentally receiving an onion ring in your order of French fries or an accidental extra nugget in your order of 10 at Burger King.

But thanks to continuing supply-chain issues that have plagued the fast food industry since the onset of the pandemic, it looks like there might be a lot less to love when cruising through the BK drive-thru.

Per a call transcript obtained by MarketWatch, the company has revealed some devastating news: Burger King's largest franchisor in the U.S. will begin dropping nugget order offerings from 10 piece orders to 8, as well as remove the Whopper from the menu's promotional discount offerings.

Related: Burger King Reveals Major Changes for Its Whopper and Other Menu Items

"As you may have recently read, the Burger King brand has about a dozen menu and promotional initiatives, some of which have already been implemented and some that will be implemented over the course of this year," said chief executive of Carrols, Daniel Accordino, per the transcript of the call. "Recent actions in this regard from our franchisor[s] include lifting price caps on value menu items and reducing the number of nuggets [in] meals from 10 pieces to 8. The Whopper, the brand's most popular product by a wide margin, has also been removed as a core discount item and is no longer available in the two-for-six or two-for-five promotions."

The franchisor company also reported labor inflation costs after raising hourly wages by an average of 14% for employees while also facing an overall commodity inflation of 16% in Q1 of 2022 as compared to that of 2021.

"While we cannot predict when these inflationary cost pressures will end, we can say that we believe that in the back half of 2022, the year-over-year percentage increases for labor and commodity costs will moderate," Accordino said hopefully. "We also intend to continue to move pricing to partially offset inflation to the extent possible without impacting traffic."

Related: Burger King Enters the Chicken Sandwich War With the Ch'King

Burger King had around 18,625 restaurant locations across the globe by the end of 2020, with a Whopping (pun intended) 18,573 of these restaurants being franchised.

The chain is a part of Restaurant Brands International, which also oversees Popeyes and Tim Hortons.

The parent company was down around 7.42% year over year as of Friday afternoon.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

You Have One Month Left to Buy a House, According to Barbara Corcoran. Here's Why.

"If you are planning on waiting a year and seeing where interest rates go, you are out of your mind," Corcoran said.

Social Media

How To Start a Youtube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube can be a valuable way to grow your audience. If you're ready to create content, read more about starting a business YouTube Channel.

Business News

These 3 Side Hustles Make the Most Money While Working Fewer Hours, According to a New Survey

The survey also found that having a side hustle doubled as a path to becoming more employable.

Side Hustle

I Made $14,000 in 1 Week With a Spontaneous Halloween Costume Side Hustle — Here's How

Sabba Keynejad was in art school when he started to refine his entrepreneurial skills.

Franchise

The McRib Is Back, But Only at Select McDonald's — Here's Where to Find It

This scarcity is nothing new. In 2022, McDonald's announced a "Farewell Tour" for the McRib, suggesting that it might be the last time customers could get their hands on it.

Business News

This New Restaurant Is Banking on One Dish — Because It's the Only Entrée on the Menu

The new hotspot is gaining buzz on social media for its innovative yet super simple concept.