Honestly, Burger King Hasn't Changed Much Since The 1980s
Change is a constant, whether this applies to life in general or the more specific field of fast food restaurant design. Take a peep at a retro '80s McDonald's or a Taco Bell throwback from the '90s and you'll see what we mean. They both seem considerably more colorful than the sterile, form-trumped-by-function environments we're familiar with today. With Burger King, on the other hand, the change is somewhat less noticeable.
Photos of Burger King dating from the 1980s show both an interior and exterior, as well as a logo, that are pretty much in line with what the chain is still showing. In fact, one abandoned Burger King in Delaware has been described as being straight out of the '80s despite the fact that it may not have closed down until the late '00s and, to be honest, a video tour of the place shows it to be not too dissimilar from BKs of today. Nor does this YouTube video of a 1985 Burger King look particularly unusual, either, with only the hairstyles and clothing seeming to have changed to any great extent. While Burger King employee uniforms as well as civilian fashion trends have altered significantly from what was in vogue 40 years ago, today, ironically enough, the chain is opting for a '70s-inspired look. Perhaps in the 2030s, though, it will revive the plaid shirts and visors that were worn during the Reagan era.
The menu, though, has changed quite a bit since then
Burger King's 2023 menu is all about variety and the chain currently touts the fact that its signature Whoppers are available in more than 200,000 custom combinations. (No, we're not going to delve into these, but here's what your favorite one says about you.) It also features no fewer than six different chicken sandwiches, which lines up with the current decade's chicken fixation. What's more, Burger King was early to board the Impossible meat train, introducing a soy-based Whopper back in 2019 that's still available to this day.
Back in 1985, though, the menu had but a single chicken sandwich and only three Whoppers: regular, cheesy, and junior. The chain did offer a few things you'll no longer find today, though, including a salad bar that was meant to appeal to the health-minded customer and, at the opposite end of the nutrition spectrum, a choice of both apple and cherry pies for dessert. (Today's BKs are sadly fruit pie-free.) A bit later in the decade, the chain introduced sliders packaged as Burger Bundles (a trio) and Burger Buddies (a pair). While these items reappeared once more in 2008 under the name Burger Shots, they were a failure in every incarnation so there's a good chance we won't be seeing them again.