DISCUSSION
Burger King launches $5-a-month coffee subscription service
Written by Tom Ryan
Burger King last week introduced a $5.00-a-month coffee subscription service. Will it be enough to disrupt the balance of power in the fast food breakfast war?
Available only through Burger King’s app, the subscription provides members one small hot coffee per day. For a 30-day month, the beverage cost would amount to 17 cents a day.
“We continue to leverage technology to enhance our guests experience in our restaurants,” said Chris Finazzo, president, North America, Burger King Corporation, in a statement.
The move supports Burger King’s recent revamp of its coffee offerings with the launch of the BK Café range of freshly brewed premium coffee, specialty iced coffees and frappes made from Arabica beans.
The deal is also expected to encourage subscription members to purchase other items at Burger King on their visits, particularly at breakfast time. For many restaurant chains, breakfast is seen as the fastest-growing and most profitable daypart.
In the breakfast hours, Burger King is seen as way behind McDonald’s, which recently added McCafé Donut Sticks and McCafé Bagels with Nutella as limited-time options to its breakfast menu. The McCafé line-up boasts 25 beverages. Taco Bell has also gained a strong foothold in breakfast since entering the category in 2014. Wendy’s and Subway have faltered.
Dunkin’ and Starbucks also have also been increasingly pushing breakfast options, actions not lost on BK. One ad supporting the new Burger King program carries the tagline, "Enjoy BK Café for a month for the price of a large cappuccino from Starbucks."
Many QSRs offer limited-time promotions to drive traffic. McDonald’s, for example, periodically offers any size hot or iced coffee for $1.00 with the use of its app. Burger King’s offer, however, is the first subscription in the QSR space.
- BURGER KING Restaurants Launches BK Café Subscription for Only $5 a Month – Burger King/Business Wire
- WELCOME TO THE BK CAFÉ SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM! – Burger King
- Burger King is selling a month of coffee for just $5 — the price of a large cappuccino at Starbucks – Business Insider
- Burger King Launches $5 Coffee Subscription Service – QSR Magazine
- Burger King Launches BK Cafe With Iced Coffee and Frappes to Compete With McCafe Drinks – Popculture
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