Burger Chef could have been the big one

http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/10/companies-that-vanished-burger-chef-could-have-been-the-big-one/

Companies that vanished: Burger Chef could have been the big one
Jun 10th 2008
Trey Thoelcke
Filed under: Products and services, Competitive strategy, Marketing and advertising, McDonald's (MCD)
This post is part of a series on some of the most memorable companies that have disappeared.

It's hard to believe these days, but at one time Burger Chef was the number two fast-food burger chain in the United States, second only to McDonald's. Its easy to forget as well that Burger Chef pioneered many of the things that its rivals became known for, including flame-broiled burgers, value combo meals, and a works bar that allowed customers to dress burgers their way.

Burger Chef had cartoon mascots, including the Burger Chef (voiced by Paul Winchell) and his sidekick Jeff, Count Fangburger, Burgerilla, Cackleburger and others. In the early 1970s, the company also offered a "Funmeal" with specially printed packaging and accompanying toys or puzzles. Burger Chef sued McDonald's after it introduced the Happy Meal in 1978, but ultimately lost.

Burger Chef offered a fish sandwich and fried apple or cherry pies. Some locations offered tale-side service, and others had windows that allowed customers to watch sandwiches being made. Burger Chef was also an early adopter of the media tie-in, with the Batman television series and the original Star Wars movie in the 1970s.

Founded in 1954 as a single restaurant in Indianapolis, Burger Chef grew rapidly, reaching 2,400 locations by 1970. General Foods bought Burger Chef in 1968, but the pace of growth stalled, and General Foods sold the company to the parent company of rival chain Hardees in 1982. Most Burger Chef locations were converted to Hardees, and by 1996 Burger Chef was no more.

It's not hard to image, though, some alternate universe where Burger Chef caught a couple of lucky breaks and became the global leader in fast food, while the Golden Arches faded away and was hardly remembered.

Tags: Burger Chef, fast food, Happy Meals, Hardees, MCD