• WSJ (paid subscription required), Tuesday, February 28, 2006 11 AM

Burger King is hoping to lure customers into its stores by using one of the oldest marketing tactics in the book--cheaper prices. This week the fast-food marketer introduced a value menu of 10 products priced at up to $1.39 to attract cost-conscious consumers, offering Whopper Jrs., four-piece chicken tenders, small fries or onion rings, side salads, 16-ounce soft drinks and apple pies starting at $1. Restaurants in different regions can add to that list with items such as chili and tacos. The move follows similar tactics implemented by Burger King's main rivals, McDonald's and Wendy's, which have each had value menus for some time. Part of the strategy is to lure customers with the value menus in the hope they will spend more on premium-priced items. Burger King has had trouble with value menus, which it first tried in 1997. It ended its last national one in 2002 when customers bought less expensive items instead of higher-margin products, which cut into profits, the company has said.

Read the whole story at WSJ (paid subscription required) »