Burger King's Satisfries: The Failed French Fry

Details

Case Code : CLCB067
Publication date : 2017
Subject : Consumer Behaviour
Industry : Fast Food Industry
Organization :Burger King Worldwide Inc
Length : 6 pages
Teaching Note : Available

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Abstract:

Burger King failed to attract nutrition-conscious diners through Satisfries, a lower-calorie, healthier version of its French fries, with the result that the company withdrew the product from two-thirds of its restaurants. The failure of Satisfries was a major blow to the global fast food giant which was struggling to provide better dining experiences to customers by serving healthy fast food at its restaurants. Burger King introduced the lower-calorie fries with the objective of attracting more health-conscious consumers and boosting its health-friendly image among the fast food giants in the world. But critics questioned its claim about offering fewer calories and a heathier fast food option than its rivals. The product also failed to satisfy consumers who were not clear about the advantages of Satisfries compared to the company’s regular fries. Moreover, its overpricing, weak brand positioning, bad marketing decision, wrong social media advertisements, and lack of product differentiation among others, resulted in the failure of Satisfries.

Issues:

» Understand Burger King’s objective of providing lower-calorie healthy fast food through the introduction of Satisfries.
» Understand the appropriateness of the introduction of healthy menu items at fast food chains
» Understand the health-related challenges faced by Satisfries as a lower-calorie fast food.
» Understand the faults in the product promotion and marketing strategy undertaken by the company for Satisfries.
» Analyze the advantages of Satisfries as compared to the company’s regular fries.
» Analyze Burger King’s plan to provide better dining experiences to customers followed by the failure of Satisfries.

Introduction

In August 2014, Burger King Worldwide Inc. (Burger King) dropped ‘Satisfries’, the low fat French fries which it had introduced less than a year earlier, from the menus of about two-thirds of its restaurants across the US and Canada. The move was attributed to poor sales and failure on the part of the fast food giant to convince customers that Satisfries were a healthier option than regular fries. According to Drew Kerr, President and CEO of Four Corners Communications, Inc. , “People who consider themselves in good or excellent health have not been radically moved by Burger King’s efforts and in the long run, it was unable to sustain itself with this demo.” ...

Key words:
Burger King,Satisfries,Low-calorie fast food,Product positioning,Classic Fries,French fries,Healthy fast food,Fast Food Industry

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