We compared Burger King in the UK and the US. We noticed a few key differences but still see why it’s an international hit.

Mikhaila visited Burger King in the food court of Buchanan Galleries, a shopping mall in Glasgow’s city center. It’s one of 12 Burger Kings in the city, according to the company’s website.

There was a long line of people waiting to be served, but Mikhaila only had to wait five minutes before ordering her items on a mobile kiosk.

Burger King menus in the UK and the US are very similar, but there are a few differences. The UK’s menu appeared to have a more varied selection of burgers.

While the burger menu in the US features mostly different plays on the classic Whopper, the UK burger menu offers unique flavor profiles like burgers with caramelized onions and peppercorn mayo, or the Memphis BBQ King, which comes topped with full-size onion rings.

The UK also offers a full vegetarian menu, something the US lacks. Mikhaila had the choice of ordering everything from bean-patty burgers to a vegan chicken sandwich and vegan nuggets.

Unlike the NYC branch, Mikhaila noticed that the Glasgow brunch didn’t have balloons or any other notable decorations.

However, the color scheme was the same: red seats, booths, and gray tables spread across one floor of the food court.

Changes are coming to its dining rooms. Burger King has previously said the majority of its restaurants in the US will undergo full remodels or refurbishments in the coming years. The fast-food brand also plans to remodel restaurants in the UK. Forty-two restaurants were upgraded between 2022 and 2023, Burger King chief executive Alasdair Murdoch told QSR Media UK in October.

Even though it was busy, Mikhaila noticed plenty of empty tables and booths at the Glasgow location, so she chose a booth.

Mikhaila’s order cost £25.59, or around $33.68, including tax.

The packaging was mostly similar between the two countries, although the US fries came in a sturdy paper cup, while Mikhaila’s fries came in an arguably flimsy and small paper bag.

The Whopper wrapper in the US was also more colorful, with brightly colored illustrations of tomatoes, pickles, and other ingredients adorning the outside. The UK version also had illustrations, but they were more muted.

Mikhaila ordered a six-piece chicken nugget with sweet chili sauce, which cost £4.39, or around $5.78.

She thought the nuggets were tender and crispy, and the sauce provided a flavorful kick.

It cost £7.99, or around $10.52, in the UK.

Mikhaila thought the beef was a little thin but it tasted good, especially when paired with the onions.

She thought the sauce was lacking, but overall it was comparable to burgers served at other fast-food chains, such as McDonald’s.

Erin found that, if anything, her burger was too moist from the amount of sauce, showing a possible discrepancy between the two countries.

That said, menu items can vary slightly by whatever location you visit, even within the same country. While chains try to have consistency across their menus, human error can, of course, sometimes come into play.

In the UK, the sandwich cost £5.99, or around $7.88, making it slightly less expensive.

Mikhaila thought the sandwich was simple but incredibly tasty, and in this case, the saying “less is more” definitely applied.

We noted the chicken patty appeared more deep-fried in the UK. However, despite this slight difference, we thought the chicken sandwich was the best menu item we tried.

Erin really enjoyed the spicy flavor and crispy texture of the chicken sandwich. The sauce had a honey-like sweetness that covered each and every bite of the sandwich and balanced the fresh flavor of the toppings.

Mikhaila noticed the patty was much thicker and more substantial than the beef patty on the Whopper burger. It had a spicy flavor, which worked well with the juicy tomatoes.

However, she thought the ketchup and lettuce were sparing.

Erin thought the fries in the US were crispy and well-salted, and paired well with the chain’s signature Zesty sauce, which is similar to a spicy mayonnaise.

Mikhaila mostly agreed with Erin’s assessment. While a couple of the fries appeared a little overdone, she said they tasted decent and the portion size was ideal.

The portion sizes of the same menu items we tried appeared to be pretty similar. This surprised us — we expected the US versions to be much larger.

We did think the Whopper was slightly bigger in the US, but not by much, and the chicken sandwiches appeared to be exactly the same size.

Mikhaila also noticed some inconsistencies that Erin didn’t experience in the US. For instance, she found there was a lot more lettuce on the UK Whopper and chicken sandwich compared to her spicy bean burger. She also thought the Whopper and spicy bean burger were lacking in sauce, to the point where she could barely taste it.

The meal in the US was also slightly more expensive at $34.25, compared to £25.59, or around $33.68, including tax.

Despite a few differences, we both enjoyed our experiences at Burger King and can see why the chain has expanded worldwide.

We both enjoyed the classic Whopper burgers and thought the original chicken sandwich proved that “less is more.”