Burger King is turning up the heat in more ways than one. As part of a bold marketing move, the fast-food giant has launched a new family-friendly menu inspired by the popular “How to Train Your Dragon” movie—just in time for the film’s release on June 13. But that’s not all. In classic Burger King style, it’s also taking jabs at McDonald’s and Wendy’s.
While it hopes to bring back families and boost sales, the brand still didn’t make it into the top 10 burger chains in the U.S., according to a new Yelp survey.
Dragon-Inspired Menu to Attract Families
Tom Curtis, the president of Burger King U.S. and Canada, appeared on CNBC to explain the chain’s new strategy. He said the company is trying to bring families back to its restaurants and is seeing better customer return rates when they do come back.
As part of this family-first push, Burger King teamed up with Universal Pictures to create a limited-edition menu inspired by the latest How to Train Your Dragon film. The new offerings include:
- Dragon Flame-Grilled Whopper
- Fiery Dragon Mozzarella Fries
- Soaring Strawberry Lemonade
- Viking’s Chocolate Sundae
The promotion starts next Tuesday and will run through early July 2025.
Burger King Throws Shade at Rivals
During the CNBC interview, Curtis didn’t shy away from talking about the competition. In a bold statement, he said, “I know that they’re scrambling,” referring to rivals McDonald’s and Wendy’s.
He accused them of copying Burger King’s ideas, saying, “Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery.” He added that when they see other brands doing similar things, it gives them confidence to stick with their plans.
Burger King has a long history of playfully trolling its competitors. In 2020, they posted an image of their mascot outside a Wendy’s store holding a sign that mocked their burger patties. Wendy’s clapped back by mocking Burger King’s spicy nuggets.
Burger Wars: Spicy Nuggets and Bold Ads
Burger King even launched its own spicy nuggets in 2023 right after Wendy’s removed theirs, annoying many Wendy’s fans. They went a step further by offering free nuggets to customers named “Wendy”, as part of their cheeky campaign.
In another clever dig, a hiring poster reportedly seen at a Burger King restaurant once read: “Work for a king, not a clown”—a clear jab at McDonald’s mascot, Ronald McDonald.
Burger King Wants to Grow Fast
Although Burger King’s sales per restaurant in the U.S. stayed steady at $205,000 last year, the brand wants to grow faster in 2025. Earlier this year, they introduced a premium coffee range, following the success of McDonald’s McCafe.
These new changes are part of Restaurant Brands International’s larger plan to improve the fast food chain’s performance in the U.S. market.
Yelp’s Top Burger Chains in the U.S.
Despite Burger King’s efforts, it still lags behind in popularity. A recent Yelp survey, based on 119,000 reviews, ranked the top 25 burger chains in the U.S.—and none of the big three chains (McDonald’s, Burger King, or Wendy’s) made the top 10.
Here are the top 5:
- In-N-Out Burger
- The Habit Burger Grill
- Shake Shack
- Culver’s
- Islands Restaurants
Meanwhile, McDonald’s ranked 17th, Burger King 19th, and Wendy’s 22nd.
This news comes just ahead of National Hamburger Day on May 28.
Burger King is clearly trying hard to win back families and fans with fun, themed promotions, and a bit of playful rivalry. But while its dragon-themed menu and spicy social media strategies may be bold, the numbers show that smaller, regional burger chains are still winning over customers in the U.S..
As the burger wars heat up ahead of National Hamburger Day, one thing is clear—taste, creativity, and fun marketing all play a role, but customer loyalty is harder to capture than ever.