Burger King first tested out tacos in western states. “We’ve seen success with tacos in those restaurants and knew it was time to bring this west coast favorite nationwide,” Chris Finazzo, president of North America for Burger King, said in a statement. The new item adds “variety” to Burger King’s snack offerings, he added.
“Tacos remain very popular with consumers,” Saunders said, adding that fast food companies that wouldn’t traditionally sell tacos may be “keen to get a slice of that action.”
Jack in the Box in particular has had great success with its taco. The item has been “a #1 seller and a fan favorite for years,” Jen Kennedy, VP of product marketing at Jack in the Box, told CNN Business in a recent interview. She said the taco has been a “stand out distinction for us.” Jack in the Box also just started selling tiny, bite-sized tacos, but it’s too early to say how they’re doing.
With its taco promotion, Burger King is likely trying to do more than just cash in on a specific, popular menu item, Saunders noted. It’s also trying to create buzz for the brand with something unexpected.
There is a possible downside to attention-grabbing stunts, even successful ones. They could distract Burger King from focusing on creating growth within its main menu, Saunders said.
“They have to be careful with some of these promotions,” he warned. “Burger King can be very haphazard with the menu.” That can be a good thing because consumers like to try new things. But “sometimes you get the impression that Burger King chases after the shiny objects rather than focusing on the core business.”
Source : CNN