Burger King announced Tuesday morning that it would be overhauling its coffee service this week, adding 10 new drinks, including lattes, to the menu for the first time.
Burger King lattes will retail for upwards of $2.29. One of the country's biggest burger chains, Burger King will also be serving a "Smooth Roast" coffee brewed by Seattle's Best for $1 a cup, plus several kinds of iced coffee for $1.49 and up. USA Today adds that Burger King may also start selling cappuccinos at some point in the not-too-distant future.
The announcement comes just days after it was revealed that Denny's was revamping its coffee offerings, switching out its old beans for new ones in several different varieties. I don't think it's going too far out on a limb to posit that there might be something of a trend here.
Both fast food chains are probably inspired, at a basic level, by McDonald's, which has had massive success with its McCafe line of coffee drinks. The Golden Arches sell more coffee than any chain in the country except Starbucks. Coffee sales are rising, while soda sales are dropping, so it makes sense that other fast food chains would try to get in on the (highly profitable) action.
On the other hand, Burger King isn't currently as well-known a breakfast destination as McDonald's or Denny's. (Can you name a Burger King sandwich as iconic as the Egg McMuffin or the Grand Slam?) By and large, people drink coffee in the morning. So unless the new Burger King's coffee is so good that it draws people into the stores in the a.m. on its own merits, it may wind up being a tougher sell than Burger King is anticipating.
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