By Jon Johnson
THATCHER – After more than a year in planning, it took only a few short months to raze the old building and build an entirely new Burger King at its location in Thatcher at 2103 W. Highway 70.
Yes, the Thatcher Burger King is back open, with a refreshed building and an additional drive-through lane. That’s right: in traditional “whatever you can do, I can do better” competition, Burger King has matched McDonald’s two-lane drive-through refresh with one of its own.
The new building is full of right angles and is very box-like. A few parking spots are available for dine-in ordering. Still, with the restaurant located in the Safeway Plaza, there is ample adjacent parking for the family meet-up and more.
The new entrance doors are also located on the same south side. Upon entry, diners are welcomed into an ample, open space with three self-ordering kiosks to the west (left). There is a pickup area straight ahead, north of the touchscreen kiosks, with one register for those who cannot or do not wish to use the touchscreen kiosks. Immediately to its east (right) is the new drink station. Gone is the old all-in-one cabinet with a single dispenser; back is a familiar convenience-store-style layout with a separate lever and dispenser for each flavor. While Dr. Pepper is not available at the dispenser, a large sign directs customers to the front register. Will this beverage dispenser be easier to clean, helping keep the drinks tasting fresh? Only time will tell.
On our exploratory trip, I used the kiosk. I ordered a double bacon cheeseburger meal with medium Coke and fries for my taste tester, Blade Alexander Johnson, 11. I had a Whopper meal with medium fries/half onion rings, plus a medium Coke. The total cost was about $22.
After ordering, we proceeded to the seating area and found a booth. Seating is available in a long, rectangular area of the building with restrooms adjacent. I grabbed some napkins to wipe up debris from the table, and before too long, my name was called to pick up the food.
The food tasted as I remembered Burger King tasting, and Blade gave it a thumbs-up from a kid’s perspective. He also liked the crowns readily available. I mean, it is what it is, and that’s o.k. Would I rather have had the opportunity to review a new burger from Meg’s Place instead? Well, let’s say I wish they’d call me.
So, there you have it. The new Burger King refresh in a nutshell. It’s got a nifty new look, added a drive-through lane and three self-help kiosks for efficiency, and has a nice vibe about it – even if they are still touching up construction while open for business, and yes, the ketchup dispenser was out. The place was a little disheveled, but one kind of expects that sort of thing when a new restaurnant first opens and it should get more polished as time goes. Order online for pickup or delivery, or at the restaurant, and check out the refresh for yourself at 2103 W. Highway 70 in the Safeway Plaza.
Dining hours are 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with Sunday opening an hour later at 7 a.m. Drive-through hours are the same as opening hours, but they stay open later until 12 a.m. every day.
About Burger King
Burger King was founded in 1953 by Keith J. Cramer and Matthew Burns as Insta-Burger King in Jacksonville, Florida. Inspired by the McDonald’s model, they used “Insta-Broiler” machines to cook burgers quickly.
In 1954, Miami-based entrepreneurs James McLamore and David Edgerton opened their own location and upgraded the broiler to a flame-broiling system (a core feature today). By 1959, they acquired the chain, renamed it Burger King, and began rapid franchising.
In 2014, Burger King merged with Tim Hortons to form Restaurant Brands International, and today Burger King is the second-largest hamburger chain globally (behind only McDonald’s) with about 19,000 locations in more than 100 countries.
