Burger King Debuts Pricey Ribs Meals

by Jennifer Lawinski, Posted May 19th 2010 @ 2:00PM

How much would you pay for ribs at Burger King?

The home of the Whopper is rolling out new Fire-Grilled Ribs this week in major markets around the country at prices that rival casual-dining restaurant fare, Nation's Restaurant News reported.

Burger King's six-piece combo with the bone-in ribs will set you back $7.99 in Dallas and $7.49 in Chicago. An eight-piece ribs meal -- including fries and a drink -- is priced at $8.99, according to NRN.

Burger King confirmed to Slashfood that the new ribs are available nationally in three-, six-, and eight-piece serving sizes but would not comment further on the Fire-Grilled Rib meals.

The company is looking to mix "extreme affordability" with value promotions, Burger King CEO John W. Chidsey said in February, when the company reported results for the second quarter of fiscal 2010. He added that the fast-food chain will balance its affordable offerings with "offerings with a strong, indulgent product pipeline that includes Steakhouse XT, ribs, stuffed burgers, chicken LTOs [limited time only] and others."

Meanwhile, industry analysts think Burger King's decision to launch an $8.99 menu item at a time when casual dining restaurants like Applebee's and Chili's are lowering prices is a bold one, NRN reported.

Burger King is currently promoting $1 menu items and 5 meals for $5, so introducing $8 and $9 items could send a message that confuses customers or at least creates some sticker shock," Leslie Kerr, president of the Intellaprice pricing advisory firm told NRN.

Kerr said the average price of a half-rack of ribs at casual-dining restaurants was $11.68 in 2009 and a riblet basket cost an average of $8.87 -- both including side dishes.

If customers can get comparable items for a similar price or just a few dollars more in a full-service environment, it could make the sale a bit challenging for Burger King," Kerr told NRN.

Filed Under: Fast Food
Tags: burger king, burger king ribs, john w chidsey, ribs

Chew on This

Royal Wedding Cake Details Revealed! - YumSugar

Make Your Own Pop Tarts - CHOW
Denny's Introduces a Maple Bacon Sundae - Eater
Whole Foods Opening Bars in Stores - USA Today
Rules Of Bar Etiquette -- For The Bartender - HuffPost Food

Reader comments (Page 1 of 3)

5-19-2010 @2:30PM randy said... the high cost should not surprise anyone...minimum age is now $7.25 an hour...how did you think companies would afford this??? thru $1 menus???
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

6-17-2010 @11:38AM phil said... are you really that clueless? the fact its ribs is why its expensive. you are a tool

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @2:55PM Max said... I have yet to try these "ribs" and I'm sure they will taste okay if not good, but this is still no substitute for the Glorious McDonald's McRib Sandwich... you will be forever missed!
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @2:58PM Analyze This said... Probably just prepared somewhere else reheated on the conveyor.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:10PM me said... idk.. when the mcrib is back @ mickey d's.. they are slammin.. im sure its the same sorta thing but flame-broiled..lol.. wish i was back in chicago 2 try 1 now
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:11PM aslsrc said... idk.. when the mcrib makes it annual comeback peeps bum rush mickey ds.. so im sure its the same concept but only better & flame-broiled....wish i was back in chi-town so i can try 1 now
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:15PM Larry S said... Stupid Stupid Stupid move by BK. Get back to grass roots. I understand that change is good but this is not a full service restaurant nor is it a chinese take out joint. Too much for the employees to handle and still do it right. The whopper is still confusing to alot of the workers in the kitchens of BK.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:42PM Janis said... That's right. They should bring back old favorites, make better quality burgers or even try some new burgers. Avacado burger, Hawaiian burger, Bleu cheese burger...you know, stuff like that.

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:20PM Great said... So are these pork or Beef ribs? The price is pretty steep most rib joints offer full slabs between 9-12 bucks so to get 6 for 8-9 is too much..Will they have dry rubbed sauce on the side mmmm good old memphis dry rubbed
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:31PM dooks said... I'd guess they were beef... mine looked nothing like the picture at all... you got a side of barbecue dipping sauce which was as gross as the big toe ribs.

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:23PM dooks said... I normally don't comment on things, but I love ribs and had to give these a try... OMG they were awful, like barbecued big toes dipped in and injected with liquid smoke, i threw them out. Just really bad, back to the drawing board burger king.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:52PM wayne said... Yesterday I ordered a Whopper, large onion rings and a soda at a Burger King in Delaware. The young lady behind the counter asked if I would like to try a new menu entry, BBQ Ribs. I ordered a 3 piecer to go with the rest of my meal.

My evaluation: The 3 SMALL pieces were overcooked (actually chared), did not have any sauce for dipping, were not bad tasting, but TREMENDOUSLY OVERPRICED for what I received! $2.99!!

For this new addition to their menu to be successful BK needs to have better control over the cooking, larger sized pieces (if kept at $2.99 for 3 pieces), or lower the price significantly. Also provide some sort of sauce.

As I ate my food, I observed and could overhear other patrons at this BK who also ordered the BBQ ribs (the full size). In particular, three diners (all Afro-Americans) ate their servings and came up with the same comments that I mentioned above. I'm Caucasian and really enjoy good BBQ ribs. But I believe, based upon my observations of these 3 fellows, that I was in the presence of truly knowledgable BBQ rib conossours! They found the new menu addition lacking, as did I.

Keep on trying BK!! Good luck!!

Thanks.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:57PM sevenout said... This will be another marketing failure for Burger King. I don't see many people willing to pay these kinds of prices for items at a fast food joint.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:46PM Barbara said... I can't wait to try them. Enough of the fried food crap. This is something good and I wish BK the BEST with them! They make a wonderful breakfast sandwitch too!!
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:47PM Jay Love said... don't think it will work out very well? I know for a fact fast food meals never are as good as they appear in advertising, add to that their cost? I know for a fact one can buy way better rib dinners then these at any number of rib shacks all around the area where I live, for the same money, or maybe even cheaper? we have a huge number of excellent small individual rib establishments where they make homeade and smoked ribs and pork, chicken, etc...with big following and reasonable prices.....I would pass on this one, I don't much care for Burger King anyway, even for their burgers which is their core business?
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:50PM Kevin said... This makes as much sense as when BK went full service with a hostess and servers. Very dumb.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:55PM michina said... I tried them yesterday... the flavor was really good.. the price is outrageous.. they dont even serve you the whole rib.. is just the tip.... I can't believe they'll even make it in todays economy. I added 3 ribs to my value meal.. the 3 rib tips equals 1 piece of rib dont get it twisted and paid 2.99+ tax......

I will never buy them again.. is not a meal.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @3:54PM Lil Tee said... Ok, so my husband sent me to Burger King today for Lunch...He ordered the whopper of course, and seeing the advirtisement looking very delicious, I ordered the BBQ ribs...... MY biggest mistake of the day... from the picture I was under the impression that I was getting 6 nice pieces of ribs, not rib tips. They were also burnt, no not char broiled, burnt. My fault for even thinking BK could make such a touchy meat. I do not recommend that anyone else repeat my mistake.

P.s and we all that we shouldn't be eating fast food anyways but that is besides the point.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

5-19-2010 @4:01PM Chris said... Burger King, McDonald's and Wendys could have a much better product if they took their current sandsiches and put them on a good quality roll. Everytime you order one of their larger signature sandwiches it comes on a crushed light weight roll that cannot handle the contents of the sandwches and gets sloppy wet with the grease and jusices of the meat and condiments. Build a better bun and your sandwiches will be ten times better to eat.
Reply