Burger King Reports 5.8% Same-Store Sales Growth in Q1 2026

S. 6% in 2025 after a customer-driven revamp of its flagship Whopper and other operational changes. Restaurant Brands International, the chain's parent company, reported better-than-expected results on Wednesday.

The three months ended in March marked a clear improvement even as competitors have warned about softer consumer spending. Burger King President Tom Curtis appeared on CNBC's Mad Money on Friday and credited customer phone calls with helping fuel the turnaround. "We've been listening to our guests a lot lately," Curtis said.

He personally took 1,800 calls from guests while the company received over 70,000 incoming calls. Customer feedback revealed strong attachment to the core Whopper but highlighted specific complaints. "What we learned is that people love the Whopper, but sometimes they think it gets smushed," Curtis said.

"Sometimes they didn't quite like the bun that it was presented on. " Burger King spent more than two years evaluating possible changes to the sandwich. It decided to make only modest adjustments after hearing that consumers wanted the product left largely intact.

The resulting Elevated Whopper features a new glazed bun, creamier mayo and clamshell packaging. Restaurant Brands International CEO Joshua Kobza said the revamped sandwich is driving positive guest feedback and the highest Whopper average unit volumes in over three years. The company's renewed focus on customer input extends beyond the menu.

Burger King has been renovating restaurants and improving the in-store experience as it works to attract more families. "When you bring your family to a restaurant, you're really entrusting that experience to a team and to what kind of facility they're visiting," Curtis said. " That strategy has shown results.

After implementing new King Junior meals and SpongeBob-themed family promotions, kids meal sales have risen roughly 40% over the past six months. Curtis described the progress as preliminary. "We feel like we're in the early innings of this transformation," he said.

He added that the company has years of runway ahead to continue growing the brand. com reported that customer feedback has been central to the chain’s turnaround, helping drive changes to the Whopper, restaurant upgrades and family-focused initiatives that are boosting sales.