汉堡王送餐服务开辟快餐行业新战线？

    汉堡王很清楚薯条松脆的价值，它装运薯条的打包盒上有通风口，可以避免薯条变得湿软。而且打包盒会放在包裹当中，确保在抵达目的地时尽可能地保持原来的温度。

    汉堡王打包运送华堡的方法也很独特，让人想起麦当劳对麦克德尔特三明治（McDLT）的处理手法——夹生菜和番茄的部分跟夹肉馅的部分是分开存放的。在专门的食品制备手段之外，汉堡王给每辆送货车同时配备了冷隔间和加热袋，以确保食品可以保持合适的温度。

    送货上门服务只是汉堡王在竞争加剧背景下试图进行革新改进的部分努力。派杰公司的里根表示，这家连锁店针对妇女、儿童以及婴儿潮世代等人群在整个市场范围内发起了魅力攻势。汉堡王的菜单进行了更新和扩充，该连锁店在8月份推出了8款鸡肉菜式，看起来要比华堡更利于健康。

    甚至连汉堡王的广告也变得不那么以男性为中心了，该连锁店标志性的吉祥物“国王”已经好几个月没有在它的广告宣传中露面了，取代他的是“味道为王”的广告语。

    汉堡王表示，将根据客户满意度以及盈利能力对送货上门服务试点进行评估。这两项指标将会非常重要，但WD Partners公司的食品行业分析师丹尼斯·隆巴迪认为，最重要的因素还在于特许经营者是否能够全心全意地接受送货上门服务。这可能就是汉堡王选择佛罗里达州南部作为第二个试点区域的原因之一。它的总部设在迈阿密-戴德县，这个地区的大部分门店都属于汉堡王总部。隆巴迪说：“下一步是观察一般特许经营者的反应，它将真实反映送货上门服务的成本和收益情况。”

    特许经营者也许不会希望为了追求到头来可能只是小小的销售增长而花钱给自己的生意引入全新的元素。但隆巴迪表示，如果送货上门服务最终取得巨大成功，特许经营者跟汉堡王的竞争对手除了接受这种模式以外可能别无选择。

    译者：王灿均

    Burger King is well aware of the premium on crisp French fries. The fries' to-go boxes have vents to keep the food from getting soggy and are put into a package last to ensure that they are as warm as possible on arrival.

    The packaging of a delivery Whopper is also unique, harkening back to the McDonald's (MCD) McDLT -- with the lettuce and tomato part of the bun kept separate from the burger half. On top of the specialized food prep, each company delivery car is outfitted with cold compartments and heating bags to ensure that the food stays at the right temperature.

    Delivery is just one part of Burger King's attempt at modernization in the face of surging competition. The chain has gone on a market-wide charm offensive targeting women, children, and baby boomers, Piper Jaffray's Regan says. The restaurant's menu has been updated and expanded. In August, Burger King introduced eight chicken items, ostensibly healthier than their Whopper counterparts.

    Even the company's advertising has become less male-centric. The King, Burger King's iconic mascot, has been absent from commercials for months, replaced by a "Taste is King" motto.

    The company says it'll judge its delivery tests on customer satisfaction and profitability. Those two aspects will be important, but WD Partners food industry analyst Dennis Lombardi believes the most important factor will be whether franchise owners, or franchisees, whole-heartedly embrace delivery. That's perhaps one reason why Burger King chose south Florida for its second test area. Burger King's central headquarters are located in Miami-Dade County and a majority of the region's franchises are centrally owned. "The next step is to see the response of franchisees in general, which will be a real reflection of the costs and benefits of delivery," Lombardi says.

    Franchisees might not want to spend capital introducing a whole new element to their operations in pursuit of what may ultimately be a small sales bump. Still, in the end, if home delivery is wildly successful, both franchisees and Burger King's competitors may have no choice but to embrace the format, Lombardi says.