Burger King

Financing

Burger King's parent buys the brand's struggling China business for $158M

Restaurant Brands International is acquiring Burger King China from TFI Asia Holdings but plans to find a new local operator.

Financing

For Patrick Doyle, franchisee health remains the key metric

The executive chairman of Burger King owner Restaurant Brands International has helped brands thrive with a simple idea: They do well when their franchisees do well.

The fast-food chain is giving away $1 million to one of three customers who came up with unique flavor ideas for its signature burger and customers will get to vote on it. The company believes it does well when it focuses on the Whopper.

The Bottom Line: Burger King and Popeyes saw improving sales in October behind better promotions. But lower gas prices and easing inflation may also be driving those results.

Parent company Restaurant Brands International has driven strong growth outside the U.S. But it has struggled to gain traction in the world’s second-biggest market and just terminated the burger chain’s master franchisee there.

The Mexican chain’s same-store sales rose 4% last quarter. But a host of other brands reported falling sales amid a difficult environment.

A pension fund and some shareholders have filed a lawsuit arguing that Restaurant Brands International coerced Carrols and its shareholders into accepting the $1 billion deal.

The fast-food burger chain’s $5 Meal Deal has generated more interest than Burger King’s $5 Your Way offer, according to the research firm M Science.

The Bottom Line: The three big burger chains, which have been in a value war for the past few months, are all pushing innovative products to win back customers.

The menu features “Wednesday’s Whopper” with a purple bun, Gomez’s Churro Fries and Morticia’s Kooky Chocolate Shake, all for Halloween.

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