Burger King leans on 'positive stereotype' of shy Finns to launch 'Silent Drive Thru'
Burger King has opened up the world's first '100% Silent Drive-Thru' in Helsinki, for Finns who would prefer not to talk - or more accurately, to illustrate the speed and ease of its mobile order app.
Burger King opens world’s first 'Silent Pick Drive' for the silent Finns
Known stereotypically for their quiet and shy nature, having to verbally order a Whopper burger and fries, the brand claims, can be quite a challenge for some Finns.
Building on this assumption, Burger King has launched a drive-thru service where customers can order, pay and pick up their food without opening their mouth. Using their mobiles, consumers make the process 7-8 minutes faster than normal drive-thrus. Using a Restil mobile app, customers can pay for the order with a credit card, and choose a time of their convenience to pick it up.
Instead of queuing in the traditional drive-thru lane, customers receive their order from a silent Burger King employer who brings it directly to their vehicle. Launching in Helsinki, Burger King has plans to expand to at least 15 Burger King restaurants by spring of 2019.
This isn't the first time that Burger King has taken an 'off the beaten track' approach to Finland. Back in 2016, it opened its first spa in Helsinki's Mannerheimintie branch. The spa contains a sauna that seats 15 people, where Finns can nibble on fries while enjoying a bit of downtime.
Commenting on launch, Burger King Finland's marketing director said: “It’s a bit of exaggeration, of course, but there’s an honest truth behind it. Many Finns are, in fact, private and shy people who don’t particularly enjoy having any conversation with someone we are unfamiliar with. Even while picking up their food.
"We wanted to use that positive stereotype of our fellow Finns and create a totally new kind of drive-thru service”, says Toni Flyckt, the Marketing Director of Burger King Finland.
Earlier today Burger King threw shade at KFC exclaiming that the King is more respectable than the colonel.