Burger King marketing boss says 'guest does rule' but says one thing can't be forced

Burger King has spent decades telling customers to "Have it Your Way." Now, the Miami-based fast-food chain wants its employees to make sure guests feel like they rule.

The philosophy is reflected in Burger King's more recent "You Rule" slogan — and in how the company approaches hospitality inside its restaurants.

"We're certainly encouraging our restaurants to bring that conversation to the forefront," Joel Yashinsky, Burger King's chief marketing officer, told Fox News Digital. "We really want to make that real."

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That means working with franchise operators "to really think about how we can communicate very clearly to the guests that they do rule," Yashinsky said.

But those interactions can't feel forced, he added.

"It has to be authentic," he said. "We can't force it, but we are trying to, obviously, encourage that type of engagement to take place because we are truly trying to live it and mean it."

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The "You Rule" slogan was introduced in 2022. The newest catchphrase, "There's a New King and It's You," was introduced earlier this year.

Burger King leadership has been talking with general managers about how to make that philosophy a "natural engagement" with guests, Yashinsky said.

"The guest does rule," he said, "and we need to make sure that we acknowledge that."

Burger King isn't the only fast-food chain to make a signature interaction with customers part of its approach to hospitality.

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Chick-fil-A has become known for employees responding to customers with "my pleasure," a phrase closely associated with the chain's approach to customer service.

At Burger King, part of instilling its own hospitality philosophy begins with employee training.

Burger King employees are required to attend "Burger King University," which once had a physical campus at the chain's Miami headquarters, according to the Miami Herald. Today, however, the instructional program is solely online.

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An emphasis is placed on being hospitable, Yashinsky said.

"If we can give an authentic greeting and a welcome and a smile, it goes a long way," he said.

Making guests feel like they rule, however, doesn't mean employees can fulfill every request, including restrictions on when certain menu items can be sold.

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Burger King's breakfast menu features items like the Croissan'wich and hash browns, but guests who arrive too late might not be able to order them.

"We technically are not allowed to serve anything in any capacity that is not brand approved," someone claiming to be an employee said in a Reddit post about why ham couldn't be added to lunch or dinner items.

Breakfast hours vary by location, but the industry standard is 10:30 a.m. for the changeover to lunch, USA Today reported.