Burger King Worldwide is putting its Yumbo ham-and-cheese sandwich back on the menu after a 40-year hiatus, aiming to entice customers with a taste from its past.
The Yumbo, which debuted in 1968 and was officially retired in 1974, will cost $3.69 and be available for a limited time, the Miami-based company said today in a statement. It also will be part of Burger King’s two-for-$5 menu.
Burger King has had success with the reintroduction of chicken fries earlier this year and is trying to boost sales by adding simpler menu items that are easy for workers to prepare. Customers have been asking about the Yumbo for years, and Burger King decided it was time to bring the sandwich back, said Eric Hirschhorn, chief marketing officer for North America.
“It got to the point where it’s one of those things we can no longer ignore,” he said.
Burger King didn’t specify how long the Yumbo will be on the menu at its approximately 7,360 North American restaurants.
The burger chain reported stronger-than-projected same-store sales last month, posting a third-quarter gain of 3.6 per cent for the US and Canada. Analysts had estimated a 2.5 per cent increase. Burger King also is planning to acquire Canada’s Tim Hortons Inc. in a bid to become the world’s third-largest fast-food company.
Bloomberg News, edited by Hospitality Ireland
