Bite into the burger

One of the favourite delights to come from the fast food realm is a burger. Whether it has a big, juicy patty or an underfed one with negligible amounts of sauce, the ‘bunned’ quick bite has a large fan following around the world. A menu is not complete without having some version of this. With this knowledge in mind, ‘Burger King’, a popular fast food joint, has come to Bengaluru.

Although the company is no newcomer to the Indian market, with 17 stores up north, this is their maiden voyage into southern India. The store, which opens to the public today, has rapid expansion plans in mind, and is exploring different regions of the country. Rajeev Varman, CEO of Burger King India, first brought the burger joint to India on November 9, 2014. The Delhi outlet was a well-researched placement and soon, within 52 days, there were nine more outlets around the area. It was inevitable that this quick-paced growth plan should bring them to Bengaluru. This year, they have opened seven branches and have plans for 10 more.

Talking about the food, Rajeev says, “This is the first time a ‘Burger King’ store in a particular country has been given the freedom to experiment with the menu. Usually, the franchises maintain about 80 per cent of original menu, but here we got to do a little research and come up with the menu ourselves.” Rajeev and his team did an all-India tour and worked on the menu for a year before introducing them.

In order to cater to Indian tastes, they have given the classic ‘Burger King Whopper’ a new twist. “The ‘Whopper’ is made from beef but here, we have three sources of protein as filler – mutton, chicken and vegetables/ paneer. The menu is more vegetarian friendly, with options of everything for vegetarians,” he adds.

Although there is difference between the parent ‘Burger King’ joints and the ones here, the flavours don’t vary much in the country. Rajeev says that there are more similarities between people than differences, and although the country has varied traditions and cultures, the tastes are quite similar. “We might make it a little more spicy for the South but otherwise there is no difference,” he adds.

Some of the other tasty tit-bits are their onion rings, chicken strips, vegetarian strips, ‘Crispy veg burger’, ‘Chilli cheese burger’, ‘Paneer king’, ‘Xtra long chicken’, ‘Chicken tandoor grill’, ‘Xtra long Mexican veg’, ‘Cheesy Italian fries’ and ‘Veg chili cheezos’.

Desserts and beverages like ‘Bk chillz’, ‘Bk sundaes’ and ‘180 degrees’ are also available. There are no beef or pork items available.

He adds that although they maintain the standard, ethos and technology of ‘Burger King’, ‘Burger King India’ has made a path for itself.