MIAMI -- Burger King Holdings Inc. (BKC), the operator of 7,500 fast-food restaurants in the United States and Canada, is trying out delivery service at some stores in Virginia and Maryland as a possible way to boost sales, according to a Bloomberg report.
"We are currently testing the service to bring this convenience to the U.S.," Kristen Hauser, a spokesperson for Burger King, told the news agency. The Miami-based chain will expand its test to 16 locations from four (one in Gaithersburg, Md., two in Germantown, Md., and one in Springfield, Va.) by January 23, she said, declining to say whether the service will be offered nationwide.
Available from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., deliveries cost $2 and there is a minimum order of $8 to $10, depending on the market, according to Burger King's delivery website, www.bkdelivers.com.
"The flame-broiled, made-to-order Burger King food you love is now delivered hot and fresh to you in specifically designed packaging. Enjoy at work, during a game and with your family and friends," touts the webpage.
The restaurant chain is delivering meals such as 40-piece chicken tenders and two bottled drinks for $10.99 and four large sandwich combos for $23.99.
Customers can order online or via phone. Burger King doesn't deliver fountain drinks, milkshakes, coffee and breakfast foods, Hauser told the news agency.
The chain also recently rolled out new french fries using a thicker cut of potato. The new fries became available at most Burger King restaurants across North America in early December.
Founded in 1954, Burger King is the second largest fast-food hamburger chain in the world. The Burger King system operates approximately 12,400 locations serving more than 11 million guests daily in 79 countries and territories worldwide. Approximately 90% of Burger King restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. In October 2010, 3G Capital Inc., a New York-based private-equity firm, bought Burger King for about $3.93 billion in 2010.
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