Burger King is one of the leading fast-food hamburger chains worldwide, with a 2020 revenue of $1.6 billion and more than 18,000 restaurants in operation worldwide.
But, are you wondering who the biggest Burger King competitors are in the United States and globally? Keep reading because I’m going to tell you the top 14!
Burger King Competitors
The biggest competitors to Burger King include McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, KFC, and Subway. Burger King doesn’t dominate the market in revenue or the number of locations, making competition fierce. Also, pizza chains compete with Burger King, including Domino’s and Papa John’s, as pizza is one of the most popular fast-food items globally.
Do you want to know more about the competitors of Burger King and how they stack up in the fast-food business? Read below to find out more and get all of your questions answered!
1. McDonald’s
McDonald’s is one of the top competitors to Burger King, which operates more than 39,000 locations worldwide, including locations in more than 120 countries.
Additionally, McDonald’s earned more than $19 billion in revenue in 2020, making it bigger than Burger King in both locations and revenue!
Still, you can find similar items at both McDonald’s and Burger King.
For example, Burger King offers the Whopper, and McDonald’s provides iconic burgers such as the Quarter-Pounder with cheese.
On top of that, both Burger King and McDonald’s offer fries, chicken nuggets, and breakfast items.
2. Wendy’s
Wendy’s has more than 6,500 locations worldwide and is found in more than 29 countries. Therefore, it’s one of the biggest competitors globally to Burger King.
Furthermore, Wendy’s offers burgers, chicken nuggets, and breakfast items and has delicious fries.
Additionally, Wendy’s made more than $1.374 billion in 2020, making it one of the leading fast-food restaurants and very close to Burger King in total revenue.
3. Domino’s Pizza
While not a burger chain, Domino’s Pizza is a competitor to Burger King in the fast-food industry and had global revenue of .12 billion in 2020.
On top of that, Domino’s Pizza is known for serving quality pizza and other Italian cuisines at low prices with a quick delivery service.
With over 18,300 stores globally and a presence in over 90 countries, Domino’s is a global competitor to Burger King but with different menu options.
4. KFC
KFC, Kentucky Fried Chicken, competes with Burger King in the fast-food market and competes explicitly with Burger King on chicken sandwiches.
Furthermore, KFC has more than 25,000 locations in more than 145 countries, making it a bigger global presence than McDonald’s or Burger King!
Moreover, KFC specializes in chicken but offers more than chicken sandwiches with wings, chicken buckets, and various sides such as mashed potatoes and gravy to go with your meal.
Also, KFC earned 289 billion in revenue in 2020, and it’s one of the biggest subsidiaries of Yum! Brands, which owns multiple fast-food restaurants.
5. Subway
Burger King and Subway compete, as both serve delicious sandwiches, although Subway offers cold sandwiches too.
Additionally, Subway makes around $11 billion a year in revenue and has more than 37,000 locations spanning more than 100 countries!
6. Taco Bell
Taco Bell is another fast-food restaurant that’s a subsidiary of Yum! Brands and also a competitor to Burger King for the fast-food consumer on a budget.
While Taco Bell doesn’t have hamburgers, it offers tacos, burritos, nachos, and other Mexican cuisines.
On top of that, Taco Bell has more than 7,000 locations total and around 300 locations in 26 different countries!
Taco Bell earned “.03 billion in 2020, making it more popular than Burger King if you’re looking only at revenue. Finally, Taco Bell has a more extensive menu selection than Burger King.
7. Papa John’s
Papa John’s is a competitor of Burger King and operates one of the most successful pizza chains globally since it’s in more than 45 countries with more than 5,600 locations total.
Furthermore, since pizza is one of the most popular fast-food items globally, it’s no wonder that Papa John’s made $1.81 billion in 2020.
On top of that, you can get a variety of Italian cuisine at Papa John’s, including pizza, pasta, breadsticks, wings, and much more!
8. Sonic
Sonic is known for having delicious hamburgers. So, it competes with Burger King directly in the hamburger department and has some fantastic fries and drinks!
Furthermore, there are various burgers that you can order at Sonic, and it’s always trying out new menu items to entice customers.
With more than 3,500 restaurants in 46 states, it’s not a surprise that 2020 sales for Sonic topped .7 billion, which is impressive considering it has fewer restaurants than Burger King.
9. Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A competes with Burger King, especially when it comes to chicken sandwiches and fries. In 2020, there were more than 2,700 Chick-fil-A locations globally.
Furthermore, Chick-fil-A is expanding into the international market with locations in the UK, although most sites are in Canada and the United States.
In 2020, Chick-fil-A’s revenue was $4.3 billion, which isn’t bad at all for a fast-food restaurant that’s always closed on Sunday.
10. Chipotle
Consumers have rated Chipotle as one of the healthiest fast-food options. That said, it’s a competitor to Burger King for those looking for quality fast food at reasonable prices.
Additionally, you can find quality food at Chipotle, including burritos, salads, tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, and much more!
With more than 2,700 locations worldwide, including in Canada, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, it’s no wonder that Chipotle made nearly $6 billion in 2020.
11. Hardee’s
I can’t talk about Burger King’s competitors without mentioning Hardee’s, which has insanely good burgers, fries, and drinks!
Furthermore, Hardee’s has over 1,800 restaurants in the United States and 14 other countries around the globe.
With that, Hardee’s is a very popular burger chain and has made more than $2 billion in revenue. Therefore, it’s a worthy competition to Burger King, with good customer service.
12. Huang Ji Huang (China)
Yum took over Huang Ji Huang! China and this particular restaurant operates more than 640 locations featuring famous Chinese cuisine.
While it might not be burgers, Huang Ji Huang offers some of the best Chinese food, and it’s very popular among those living around its 640 locations.
13. Starbucks
Starbucks is a competitor to Burger King when it comes to coffee and breakfast items. That said, it’s one of the most well-known coffee companies in the world.
Additionally, Starbucks made $23.5 billion in 2020 and has more than 32,600 stores globally, with locations in the United States, China, Japan, Canada, Korea, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.
14. Gourmet Burger Kitchen (UK & Ireland)
Gourmet Burger Kitchen was a chain of restaurants found in the United Kingdom and England specializing in prime beef burgers, making it a direct competitor to Burger King.
Furthermore, the food at Gourmet Burger Kitchen is incredible, and it’s some of the best-tasting burgers you’ll ever have, with a lot of variety and customization.
Although there are more than 60 locations in the United Kingdom, sadly, it has closed its doors for the time being, and the future of this restaurant remains uncertain.
To learn more about Burger King, you can also see our posts on McDonald’s vs. Burger King, how much is a Burger King franchise, and why is Burger King so cheap.
