Burger King

Burger King Corporation is a large international chain of fast food restaurants, predominantly selling hamburgers, french fries and soft drinks. It also operates over 200 restaurants in Australia under the name Hungry Jack's. more...

Company history

Burger King's first restaurant—originally called Insta Burger King—was opened in 1954 in Miami, Florida, USA by James McLamore and David Edgerton, who were both alumni of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. McLamore had visited the hamburger stand belonging to Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California; being able to sense potential in their innovative assembly line-based production system, he decided to create a version of his own.

Ironically, the first restaurant's milkshake machine was sold to them by Ray Kroc, who later bought the McDonald's restaurant chain from its founders and oversaw its worldwide expansion.

In August, 1992 their corporate headquarters in Miami, Florida was severely damaged by Hurricane Andrew.

On Friday, December 13, 2002, Burger King was purchased from British drinks firm Diageo for $1.5 (US) billion by a group of investors led by the investment firm Texas Pacific. The company planed to go public within the next two years.

Magic Johnson's company Magic Johnson Enterprises purchased 30 Burger King stores on June 7, 2004. Although they will feature sports memorabilia, they will retain the Burger King name. These locations reopened on December 3, 2004.

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