• New York Times, Monday, February 11, 2008 12:15 PM

Burger King's laser-like focus on 18- to-24-year-old males has prompted a turnaround that has been easy to miss, given the phenomenal roll McDonald's has been on. Although its rebound isn't nearly as profitable or sustained as McDonald's, BK is demonstrating success after years of misdirection and turmoil with its franchisees.

The company has recorded 16 consecutive quarters of growth in same-store sales. And in the last quarter, reported on Jan. 31, BK posted a remarkably strong 4.5% gain bolstered by the new ad campaign, the "Whopper Freakout." It also has sponsorships with the National Football League and Nascar and tie-ins with "The Simpsons Movie." It even came up with an Xbox game that sold more than 3.2 million copies last year.

BK's menu is focused on fast-food basics writ large, and its advertising gleefully pushes its gargantuan portions. "BK is pretty shameless with regards to portions," says Lisa Young, a dietitian who has tracked the increase in portion sizes at fast-food restaurants. "When all is said and done, we like to eat burgers and fries," says Bob Goldin, an executive vice president of Technomic, who notes that chains like Hardees have also embraced the big-is-better philosophy.

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