BEHOLD, THY KING HAS COME! LONG LIVE THE KING!
ME LEAVING BK AFTER DOWNING MY WHOPPER AND FRIES:
From Bloomberg:
"Say it's a guy who's like 38 years old, no kids in the car, and I got to say to him: ‘Do you want a crown?' You can't help but smile when you say that, and he can't help but laugh back," said Deborah Derby, the chief executive officer of Burger King's largest US franchisee, Carrols Restaurant Group Inc. "It forces that extra two minutes of engagement."
This is all part of an effort for BK to emphasize friendliness and service over the machine-like environment of many fast food restaurants.
It's probably a way to distract from its wokeness too, since the chain planned to close 400 restaurants last year and has plummeted in popularity.
You better believe it: If I am offered one of those cardboard crowns I will, with severe humility and appreciation of the weight of authority, proudly accept the kingship.
Research at Burger King, owned by Restaurant Brands International Inc., has shown that customers can perceive friendly staff to be faster than they actually were. One way to make interactions with diners more memorable — and potentially curb complaints — is Burger King's requirement that workers offer guests the signature cardboard crown, Derby said. Staff is also required to say "you rule," a new spin on the company's decades-old tagline.
Me chowing down on my Bacon King or Original Chicken Sandwich:
You're right, BK. I do rule.
While corny, the exchange creates a "positive aura" that earns restaurants credit with diners, according to Derby. Her company, which operates more than 1,000 Burger Kings in 23 states, seeks to get food into customers' hands about a minute and 25 seconds after they order. But positive interactions earn workers a few extra seconds if the rest of the order is otherwise correct.
Can it beat Chick-Fil-A's "My Pleasure"?
I don't know. I'll have to think about it while I'm sitting on the throne later.
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