By LI Ye
Burger King has announced plans to open a minimum of 200 new restaurants in the China every year.
Having entered China in 2005, the fast-food chain opened 300 stores in 2019, but has not added many more since then, with 1,500 stores in mainland China. In comparison, McDonald's has 6,000 stores and KFC close to 10,000.
Burger King came late to China. McDonald's and KFC appeared in the late 1980s and early 1990s, shaping Chinese perceptions of Western fast food. Burger King, being about 15 years behind them, missed out on early opportunities in site selection and customer appeal. Additionally, Burger King's relatively higher prices and a menu that doesn't align well with Chinese preferences have consistently constrained its expansion.
Burger King has changed the menu updates and introduced discounted combos at 9.9 yuan (US.40) to attract customers and plans to expand into lower-tier markets.
Restaurants focused solely on delivery and pickups will increase profits through lower operating costs, but these models have already been adopted by KFC and McDonald's. Given Burger King's tendency to lag behind, the key to expanding its market share could lie in finding a unique approach that suits its brand.
