Burger King menu adds new Whopper, fiery fries

Back in the '80s and '90s, it seemed like every family-friendly movie had a tie-in with a fast-food chain. In many ways, you could tell how successful the movie was expected to be based on the chain it partnered with.

Big Walt Disney movies tended to have McDonald's partnerships. That makes sense, given that those are the giants of their respective spaces. It was also considered prestigious to partner with Burger King.

The Restaurant Brands International (QSR) burger company did not have a famous brand like McDonald's Happy Meal, but kids still order its less-famous children's meal. Include a good enough toy, and children will happily push their parents for a Burger King trip over one to McDonald's (MCD) .

You would question the chances for box-office success, however, when a movie company partnered with lesser brands like Arby's or even Taco Bell. Those are both big players to varying degrees, but they lack the cache of McDonald's and Burger King when it comes to reaching kids.

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These types of partnerships have become less common since there has been scrutiny over using toys to entice children into eating unhealthy fast food. Still, they do happen, and Burger King has a major partnership on tap this summer.

That deal will results in a new menu featuring a novel take on the chain's signature Whopper sandwich.

Burger King tends to lean on the Whopper.

Image source: The Packaging Company/TheStreet

Burger King offered a sneak peek at its new menu to select members of the media.

“The chain is teaming up with Universal Pictures to celebrate the upcoming live-action release of ‘How to Train Your Dragon.' Beginning Tuesday, May 27, fans can find a new, limited-time lineup of dragon-themed menu items, Ben Coley of QSR Magazine reported.

Here’s what’s landing on the menu:

Dragon Flame-Grilled Whopper: A fiery twist on the classic, featuring a red-and-orange-marbled bun colored with natural spices.
Fiery Dragon Mozzarella Fries: Mozzarella sticks with chili pepper breading, served in a collectible Toothless carton.
Soaring Strawberry Lemonade: A fruit-juice-based refresher with nods to the skies of Berk.
Viking’s Chocolate Sundae: Soft-serve with Hershey's syrup and black & green cookie crumbles.

These will be offered nationwide for an unspecified period of time.

Burger King did not share calorie or nutritional information for the new items.

Burger King struggles in the U.S.

Burger King is in the midst of a multi-year effort to “Reclaim the Flame” and turn around its business.

“Shifting now to Burger King in the U.S., where we saw a 1.1% decrease in comparable sales, or relatively flat results adjusting for leap day. Burger King U.S. continued to outperform the broader burger QSR category, reflecting the ongoing progress of our Reclaim the Flame plan in capturing share. Tom and the team are staying disciplined in our approach to marketing, balancing value, premium, and family while protecting franchise profitability,” shared CEO Josh Kobza during RBI's first-quarter earnings call.

He added that value and innovation helped drive the quarter.

“This quarter, strong value offerings like the $5 duos and $7 trios were complemented by premium innovation, including the Steakhouse Bacon Whopper, which achieved one of our highest product satisfaction scores to date. Looking ahead, we're excited to launch a bold new family activation that taps into our flame-grilled heritage and broadens the brand's appeal,” he added, likely referring to the “How to Train Your Dragon” menu.