Is The Whopper Actually 100% Beef?

Since its debut in 1957, the Burger King Whopper has been a fast-food favorite. In fact, it is estimated that 2.1 billion Whoppers are sold globally every year. But is the iconic flame-grilled burger actually made with 100% beef? 

It certainly is. Although you can customize your Whopper in over 200,000 ways, there is one thing that won't change: The burger patty will always be made with 100% beef. However, curious customers may have a hard time sourcing the origin of that beef. 

U.K. Burger King locations state that they get their beef from British and Irish farmers, but U.S. Burger King locations do not publicly identify their beef sources. However, we do know that Burger King's supply chain is managed by Restaurant Services, Inc. And last year, Burger King partnered with the Legacy Landscapes program, which supports U.S. beef farmers and promotes responsible land stewardship.  

Burger King's beef patties arrive frozen. Employees then cook the patties using a commercial proprietary broiler, which can handle up to 8 burgers at once. These flame-broilers are what give Whoppers their signature taste (and it's the reason why you can smell a Burger King from all the way down the street). 

Burger King employees generally will broil their patties ahead of time and then put the Whoppers under a warmer. Then, once a customer orders a Whopper, the Hopper comes into play. The Hopper is Burger King's take on a microwave, and it is used to make sure your Whopper (which might have been grilled an hour earlier) is hot and the cheese is melted. 

Since Burger King has recently committed to improving its customer service, you now have options if your Whopper didn't arrive with the right toppings or otherwise didn't meet your expectations. Whoppers will now come with a QR code inside their packaging. If you aren't happy with your Whopper, you can scan the printed code to receive a coupon for a free Whopper on your next visit.