Burger King makes changes to signature Whopper for first time in nearly a decade

Burger King is updating its signature Whopper for the first time in nearly a decade, the company announced Thursday.

After receiving feedback from customers, the fast-food chain said it will now serve the burger on a "more premium, better tasting bun," and in a box instead of the current paper wrapper.

"Over the past several years, we’ve focused on strengthening our operations and modernizing our restaurants to build a more consistent foundation across the system," said Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. and Canada. "With that work well underway, we’re now in a position to thoughtfully elevate our core menu. The Whopper is an icon, so we didn’t set out to reinvent it. Instead, we elevated it based on direct Guest feedback."

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The "elevated" burger will still be served with freshly cut onions and tomatoes, lettuce, tangy pickles, but will now have "better tasting mayo," the company said. The burger patty will remain the same.

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The Whopper was created in 1957 after Burger King co-founders James McLamore and David Edgerton were on a return trip to Miami.

McLamore spotted a restaurant with a sign advertising a big hamburger that had a line of customers out front, according to McLamore's autobiography. He ordered the burger, which consisted of a quarter pound hamburger patty on a big five-inch bun served with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, pickles, onions and ketchup, and later introduced a "big garnished hamburger" in the company's Miami restaurants.

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The original Whopper sold for 37 cents, about $4.36 today.

"You don’t want to just tear up the playbook and start all over," Curtis told CNN Business. "It’s like we’re putting our famous iconic burger in a tuxedo instead of a leisure suit."

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The changes will cost Burger King franchisees an extra $4,000 per year, the outlet reported.