Are Burger King Whopper Patties Actually Flame-Grilled?

For decades, Burger King has proudly proclaimed that the hamburger patties in its flagship Whopper sandwich are flame-grilled on the spot. To the average customer, it's easy to believe — Burger King restaurants have a certain grilled meat scent to them that you can smell from the parking lot (at least, that's how it was in my hometown). But the truth about how BK makes its burgers is a little more complicated.

In official press releases, Burger King says it's been "flame-grilling [burgers] since 1954," the year the company was launched under its current name. There are plenty of videos and articles out there demonstrating how BK's frozen patties are cooked over an open flame, earning them those distinctive grill marks. Rather than a traditional grill, the restaurant actually uses a proprietary broiler.

A broiler isn't technically the same thing as a grill. A grill generally cooks using flames underneath the food, which is placed on grill grates. A broiler is more akin to an oven. Historically, Burger King used a conveyor belt system to cook its hamburger patties, which would travel over a flame before being deposited into a tray. In the 2000s, BK began using a fully enclosed broiler that cooked in batches. However, the company has relied on it less in recent years, favoring the old conveyor belt system.

Burger King's flame broiler is a workhorse, and these days it's cooking more than Whoppers. In June, the company rolled out flame-grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps in Nebraska and Alabama test markets. If it catches on, it'd be the latest flame-grilled product to join the restaurant's standard menu since the introduction of the vegan-friendly, plant-based Impossible Whopper in 2019.

Over the years, BK's gotten a little flame-grill happy, putting just about anything into the fire. In late 2023, the Breakfast Grill'wich Sandwich, another test item, was introduced in select markets with grill marks on the flatbread. BK used to serve flame-grilled hot dogs and once made Whopper-flavored dog treats. Doritos has partnered with the fast-food chain to make flame-grilled Whopper-flavored chips. But the flame-grilling culture goes beyond food. For its 70th birthday celebration this year, BK unveiled flame-grilled scented birthday candles on Shopify. Burger King Japan even released a "flame-grilled" unisex fragrance for April Fool's Day in 2015. It's been a great time for people who want to constantly smell like burgers.