• by Emily Burg , June 13, 2007

Burger King and Visa are encouraging diners to pay with plastic when they dine at Burger King restaurants this summer by offering them the chance to earn a free meal.

The companies have joined forces to launch the "Fastest Way to a Free Meal" promotion, running through Aug. 31 at more than 7,500 participating Burger King locations nationwide, under which customers will have the chance to earn a Visa card statement credit for the amount of a free meal (up to $7) for every 10th purchase.

This is a new partnership for both companies. "Burger King looks forward to the success of this program and hopes it's the beginning of many partnerships together," Martha Thomas-Flynn, senior director of national promotions and sponsorships, tells Marketing Daily.

There is no limit on how many statement credits a customer can earn, nor is there a minimum purchase required for participation. However, PIN-based purchases, ATM transactions, cash withdrawals, Visa prepaid or gift card purchases or purchases made at non-participating Burger King restaurants are not applicable.

In order to participate, customers must already be Visa check or credit card holders, and they must register their names at visa.com/bkdeal. The site boasts the tagline that the contest is "the fastest way to a free meal (without crashing a wedding)." The site is equally co-branded among Visa and Burger King, featuring a juicy Whopper placed next to a Visa card, with a box for card registration.

The offer enables Burger King and Visa to jointly promote loyalty for their brands, as well as specific features of each of them: Burger King has extended its operating hours until midnight at many of its locations and is hoping the lure of earning credit toward a free meal will encourage customers to visit during its expanded hours, while Visa continues its campaign to promote use of its check and credit cards for as many transactions as possible, as those services generate the highest fees for it.

The companies complemented the announcement of their promo with statistics from a recent survey commissioned by Visa about service preferences at Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs).

According to the survey, 68% of respondents agree that purchases at QSRs are faster when using a credit or debit card instead of cash. The majority of respondents agreed that:

• Cards allow them to track spending from their account (84%)
• Cards are cleaner than paper money (83%)
• Cards are more convenient than cash or change (82%)
• By using their card, they don't have to plan ahead to have enough cash (82%)

"Cardholders want to be able to use their payment cards for more everyday purchases at their favorite places such as Burger King restaurants," says Nancy Krattli, vice president, Visa USA, in a statement detailing the survey results.

"Many of our customers find cashless transactions a convenient and efficient way to purchase their favorite Burger King menu items. By accepting electronic payments, we provide the opportunity for our customers to pay it their way," Thomas-Flynn says.