In June of last year, Burger King celebrated its 50 years in Spain and has now reached 1,000 operating restaurants in our country, becoming the first restaurant brand to reach that number. And the company plans to continue developing its network by expanding its points of sale by at least 25% in the next five or six years.
This was stated by Borja Hernández de Alba, CEO of Restaurant Brands Europe, in a meeting with the media organized to communicate this milestone. “We want any Spaniard to have a Burger King restaurant less than 30 minutes away“, he commented. “1,000 establishments is not a final figure, it is one more step to continue growing the brand. We have the company prepared and in conditions to continue”.
Burger King’s ambition is a reflection of the willingness of big brands to get physically closer to consumers, given the growing presence and influence of the digital environment. Recently, in conversation with reason.WhyGabriel Ladaria, Marketing Director of Ikea Spain, assured that the objective of the brand was “be a 30-minute walk or two clicks away from any consumer”.
For Burger King, Spain is the first country in Europe by number of restaurants
In this sense, the company considers Spain as a strategic market. With one establishment for every 49,000 inhabitants, it is positioned as the first country in Europe by number of restaurants and the third in the world, only behind the United States and China. Burger King is on a trend of around 80 openings annually. It ended the 2024 financial year with a business volume close to 1,500 million euros, a figure that it hopes to revalidate compared to 2025.
“Burger King is home”, a tribute to consumers
Although they consider the milestone reached as “a historic moment for the brand and the sector”, those responsible for Burger King value consumer trust above all. “You can’t reach 1,000 restaurants without the support, closeness and affection of consumers. Thanks to them we are here today“, commented Borja Hernández.
The “Burger King is home” campaign, worked together with the agency OmnicomPR, will be aimed at them, which launches on March 20 to pay tribute to its clients and celebrate the role it has played over the years in people’s lives as a meeting point and place where moments, both everyday and special, occur and where bonds are built.
With this, it launches a national contest to highlight the real stories that have taken place in its restaurants. It has the participation of 17 influencers and content creators, one for each autonomous community, who make the initiative visible and invite their communities to participate.
From all the stories shared, the brand will choose a winner for each region. He may temporarily name his usual Burger King restaurant after himself, resulting, for example, in “Casa de Juan y María”. In addition, each winner will receive 1,000 euros in honor of the company’s 1,000 restaurants in our country.
The initiative highlights the capillarity of Burger King and what the brand represents for consumers. “We are present in the 50 Spanish provinces, in the two autonomous cities and in towns with less than 10,000 inhabitants“explained Jorge Carvalho, General Director of Restaurant Brands Europe. “In these areas, Burger King offers a quality restaurant service, but it also acts as another neighbor, acting as a meeting point in territories with fewer restaurants on offer.“.
Burger King’s strategy
What’s more, when it comes to taking stock, Carvalho has highlighted Burger King as “decentralization reference“, in reference to stores it has in municipalities such as Cala Millor (Mallorca), San Fulgencio (Alicante) or Ribadeo (Galicia). It also ensures that its activity is a driving force for the development of communities by having local suppliers, which, according to it, guarantees the quality of the product and supply in the event of a distribution crisis. Those responsible for the brand maintain that 7 out of every 10 ingredients on its menu are local.
The company has also stood out as a job creator, pointing out that its restaurants generate nearly 40,000 direct jobs.
“We have not touched the price of some products for years, and that is an example of our footprint”
Asked about reason.Why Regarding the perception that consumers have of Burger King as an agent of positive impact, those responsible for the brand assure that users go to their restaurants, which is a reflection that they understand the company’s strategy. “The consumer is the most beneficiary of our footprint of 1,000 restaurants. It’s the way we approach them and keep prices very competitive.“explains Jorge Carvalho, General Director of Restaurant Brands Europe. “We have not touched the price of some products for years, and that is an example of the benefits that the consumer perceives from our footprint. If we are able to continue growing, the consumer will continue to see more closeness, comfort, convenience and affordability.”.
Burger King has taken the opportunity to share the keys to its strategy and trajectory. Four key points stand out: accessibility and closeness to the customer together with affordable prices and consistency in service and experience; innovation in product and technology for optimization of operations; the commitment to sustainability to reduce the impact and, at the same time, be more effective and affordable; also the equipment and training they provide to their professionals.
