Burger King Whopper Changes Are Now Live at All 7,000+ Locations Nationwide

The new Burger King Whopper is officially in restaurants across America this weekend. The revamped Whopper, featuring a more premium bun, creamier mayonnaise, and new clamshell box packaging, rolled out in Burger King's more than 7,000 restaurants nationwide this week — the first changes to the iconic burger in nearly a decade.

Why Burger King Changed the Whopper After Nearly 10 Years

Tom Curtis, President of Burger King U.S. and Canada, said the updates are tied directly to customer feedback. "Over the past several years, we've focused on strengthening our operations and modernizing our restaurants to build a more consistent foundation across the system. With that work well underway, we're now in a position to thoughtfully elevate our core menu."

The changes come after years of complaints about smashed burgers that were falling apart. "So the Whopper being smushed, literally, I've heard it — and we've seen it," Curtis told CNN. "We improved packaging that kind of holds it together." Curtis added that the goal was never to overhaul the sandwich entirely. "The Whopper is an icon, so we didn't set out to reinvent it. Instead, we elevated it based on direct Guest feedback."

Exactly What Changed on the New Whopper — and What Stayed the Same

Burger King worked with their bread companies to create a new bun with sesame seeds that don't fall off, thanks to a glaze that keeps them in place. The mayo has been elevated with a zesty zing of citrus, and the paper wrapper is now a clamshell box. The burger patty is not changing — they are not messing with the meat.

Still served with more than a quarter-pound of 100% flame-grilled beef, the Whopper now delivers an even higher-quality experience from bun to toppings to packaging, for the perfect bite, every time. The updated burger is stacked tall with freshly cut onions and tomatoes, crisp lettuce, tangy pickles, and better-tasting mayo.

The Seven-Month Test Kitchen Behind the New Whopper

For seven months, Burger King tested mayonnaise, burger buns, and packaging. No idea was discarded in the test kitchen, which even toyed with placing the burger upside down — meaning the beef patty would be the first layer, with the veggies underneath. Building the burger upside down was "actually distracting from the objective," said Amy Alarcon, Burger King's head chef, who joined the company in January. "Let's just build it the way it's meant to be done."

Franchisee Costs, McDonald's Timing, and the Recovery Plan

The "enhanced" Whopper will cost Burger King franchisees an extra $4,000 a year. Burger King advised local owners not to raise prices for inflation-weary consumers and suggested the investment will drive up sales. "It's very tricky" for franchisees, said Robert Byrne, senior director of consumer research at Technomic. "Cost of labor hasn't gotten any cheaper, so why are you asking me to spend more over here?"

The announcement also comes after McDonald's unveiled plans for its biggest burger ever — a competitive escalation that makes Burger King's timing all the more deliberate. Burger King is the eighth largest fast-food chain in the country by sales. It lost its way with customers around 2023, with complaints about out-of-date stores, cold food, and an overall lackluster experience. The company had to tackle those foundational problems before updating the menu, Curtis said.

Customer Direct Line: Call or Text the President of Burger King

Earlier this month, Burger King launched an initiative that allows customers to call or text Curtis directly with suggestions, creating a more immediate pipeline between consumers and leadership. The original Whopper sold for 37 cents when it debuted in 1957 — equivalent to about $4.36 today. The Whopper was created after Burger King co-founders James McLamore and David Edgerton spotted a rival restaurant advertising a big hamburger with a line out the door. McLamore ordered it, then went home and built something better. Nearly 70 years later, Burger King is still betting that same instinct — listen to customers, respond quickly, improve — is the formula for winning back a nation of lapsed Whopper fans.