Burger King, Jersey Mike’s, and tiered menu pricing
Get all the headlines in today’s Restaurant Daily podcast.
July 7, 2026
Burger King launches two new chicken sandwiches today. Both are boldly flavored versions of the chain’s Original Chicken Sandwich, identified by its iconic oblong shape. The Loaded Jalapeño Original Chicken Sandwich layers the oval white meat chicken patty with creamy jalapeño sauce, crispy and pickled jalapeños, crispy onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and American cheese, while the Club Original Chicken Sandwich starts with the same chicken patty, lettuce, mayo, and bun as the Original, but changes up the build with the addition of crispy bacon, melted Swiss cheese, and tomatoes. The sandwiches join the menu at participating BK locations for a limited time.
Jersey Mike’s initial public offering could rev up interest in restaurant chains on the public markets. The IPO promises to be one of the biggest the restaurant industry has seen. What do filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reveal about the private company as it prepares to go public? Jersey Mike’s appears to be doing quite well. The chain has enjoyed 20 consecutive years of same-store sales growth, and those comparable sales were up 50% since 2020. Last year, same-store sales grew 3.2% and the sandwich chain’s average unit volume was $1.4 million. The chain also moved from a format relying on area directors to recruit and support franchisees to one that relies on corporate employees and franchise consultants.
Tiered menu pricing programs may be reaching a saturation point, causing them to become less effective. During a recent webinar from Technomic, VP of innovation Rich Shank said there has been a huge influx of tiered value programs that have cluttered the market and getting attention with them is going to be harder than ever. He added that the industry needs to innovate on what the next big thing in value looks like.
Get all the headlines in today’s Restaurant Daily podcast.
About the Authors
Lisa Jennings
Executive Editor, Restaurant Business
Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Her experience includes other industry publications as well as the daily newspaper The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., where she was Food Editor. Her work has been cited in the Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, FoodBeast, The Huffington Post, Time.com and more.
Leigh Anne Zinsmeister
Managing Editor
Leigh Anne Zinsmeister is a managing editor for Informa’s Foodservice Media, with brands including Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Business, and Foodservice Director. Leigh Anne works on all of the brands’ special reports, including Nation’s Restaurant News’ annual Technomic Top 500 report. She also manages the group’s digital engagement team.
Leigh Anne lives in New York City, but also claims Phoenix, Dallas and Cleveland as hometowns. Leigh Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, where she also studied European history.
Email Leigh Anne at [email protected]
Leigh Anne Zinsmeister’s experience:
Group Managing Editor, Foodservice Media (June 2026-present)
Group Managing Editor, Informa’s Foodservices Vertical (Aug. 2021-June 2026)
Group Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (Feb. 2020-Aug. 2021)
Digital Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (April 2018-Feb. 2020)
Digital Content Producer, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (June 2016-April 2018)
Community Moderator, Mail Online (March 2014-June 2016)
Wire Editor, Gannett’s Phoenix Design studio (The Arizona Republic, The Reno Gazette-Journal, The Statesman Journal, The Great Falls Tribune, The Visalia Times-Delta, The Tulare Advance Register, The Salinas Californian, The St. George Spectrum, The Desert Sun, The Coloradoan) (Jan. 2012-March 2014)
Group Managing Editor, Foodservice Media (June 2026-present)
Group Managing Editor, Informa’s Foodservices Vertical (Aug. 2021-June 2026)
Group Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (Feb. 2020-Aug. 2021)
Digital Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (April 2018-Feb. 2020)
Digital Content Producer, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (June 2016-April 2018)
Community Moderator, Mail Online (March 2014-June 2016)
Wire Editor, Gannett’s Phoenix Design studio (The Arizona Republic, The Reno Gazette-Journal, The Statesman Journal, The Great Falls Tribune, The Visalia Times-Delta, The Tulare Advance Register, The Salinas Californian, The St. George Spectrum, The Desert Sun, The Coloradoan) (Jan. 2012-March 2014)
Source: This story originated with Nation's Restaurant News.
View Original Article →