Motorway Services Online

Locations:	68 MSAs
Often accompanied by:	KFC, Little Chef
Used by:	Moto, Welcome Break, EG Group
Introduced:	1993
Predecessors:	Little Chef Express, Coffee Tempo!, Cafe Nescafe, Burger Express, Julie's Express
Successors:	Coffee Tempo!
Typical opening hours:	Most 10am-10pm
See also:	McDonald's

← Older edit

Latest revision as of 11:58, 28 February 2025

Burger King has become extremely common on the motorway, with Moto, Welcome Break and many of the lesser-known service area operators all making it available.

To encourage social distancing, some Burger Kings support online ordering. Depending on who owns the branch, online ordering is available either from Moto's website, Welcome Break's app or Burger King's app. Welcome Break are also trialling a 'deliver to car' service.

In response to the growing competition, Burger King spent the 2010s refurbishing their European restaurants to take on a more 'upmarket diner' appearance. In late 2020, the new furniture was contrasted by Burger King's plan to bring back a retro styling. A new logo was introduced, which was a hybrid of two logos they had used between 1969 and 1999.

Introduction

One of the original motorway Burger Kings, pictured in the early 1990s.

The chain was started in 1954, and has spread to more than 100 countries. On the motorways, burger bars like Julie's Pantry and Granada's Burger Express became common in the 1980s. Pavilion, who were keen on motorway brand names, began using Burger King at their service areas from 1993, and Granada soon followed by replacing their Burger Expresses with Burger Kings.

This was an era where chains from the high street were still very rarely seen on the motorway, and Granada were very impressed by how popular Burger King turned out to be. They soon pledged to open another 50 branches. When Granada acquired Welcome Break and Little Chef, most of those got Burger Kings too.

Granada would provide a Burger King wherever it would fit, with seemingly little consistency between branches. Some were just a sales point with no seating, others had a large, dedicated seating area. They boasted that food would be served in three minutes, and experimented with drive thrus and forecourt units.

From 1997, Granada regarded Little Chef and Burger King as their two most cherished brands, and promoted them both wherever possible. Including the branches within their Little Chefs, Granada were the UK's biggest Burger King franchisee. Granada inflated Burger King prices by as much as 87%.

Competition

Most of the branches opened by Granada are still trading, either as Moto or Welcome Break motorway services or within EG Group's former Little Chefs. This had given Burger King a huge roadside advantage against their long-time rivals McDonald's, who had been slower at embracing the franchising model.

Burger King's effective exclusivity came to an end in the late 2000s, when Roadchef, who had previously worked with Wimpy and The Burger Company, agreed a franchising deal with McDonald's. Meanwhile, McDonald's had been much faster than Burger King at opening stand-alone restaurants at key locations along A-roads.

As traditional restaurants became less popular, Welcome Break started replacing their restaurants with other fast food names, some of which proved more popular than (and even pushed out) Burger King. First, another motorway Burger King operator, quit the industry.

In 2012 Moto, who were the only motorway operator now relying solely on Burger King to fulfil its fast food demand, started experimenting with KFC and later specialist fast food brand Chow. In 2018, Moto committed to introducing more KFCs, implying Burger King could be about to be pushed to the side.

One reason for Burger King's long-lasting happy relationship with so many operators is their relaxed attitude to surcharging. The 2023 Transport Focus review found that customers of the Burger King operators were much less satisfied with the value for money they had been offered than customers of an operator who was loyal to McDonald's.

Locations

Burger King operate at most Moto, Welcome Break and EG Group service areas. They are: [view on a map - Download KMLrefine search]

Abington (M74/A74(M))
Birch (M62)
Birchanger Green (M11/A120)
Blyth (A1(M)/A1)
Bridgwater (M5)
Burton-in-Kendal (M6) (northbound only)
Cardiff Gate (M4)
Cardiff West (M4)
Charnock Richard (M6)
Cherwell Valley (M40/A43)
Chieveley (M4/A34)
Corley (M6)
Doncaster (North) (M18/M180)
Donington (M1/A42/A50)
Exeter (M5)
Ferrybridge (M62/A1(M)/A1)
Fleet (M3)
Frankley (M5)
Gordano (M5)
Gretna (A74(M))
Hartshead Moor (M62) (eastbound only)
Heston (M4)
Hilton Park (M6)
Hopwood Park (M42)
Keele (M6)
Kinross (M90)
Knutsford (M6)
Lancaster (M6)
Leicester Forest East (M1)
Leigh Delamere (M4)
London Gateway (M1)
Medway (M2)
Membury (M4)
Michaelwood (M5)
Newport Pagnell (M1)
Oxford (M40/A40)
Pease Pottage (M23/A23)
Reading (M4)
Rivington (M61)
Rotherham (M1)
Rugby (M6)
Sarn Park (M4)
Scotch Corner (A1(M)/A66)
Sedgemoor (M5) (northbound only)
Severn View (M48)
South Mimms (M25/A1(M)/A1)
Southwaite (M6)
Stafford (M6) (northbound only)
Stirling (M9/M80)
Swansea West (M4)
Tamworth (M42/A5)
Telford (M54)
Thurrock (M25/A13/A282)
Toddington (M1)
Trowell (M1)
Warwick (M40)
Washington (A1(M))
Wetherby (A1(M))
Winchester (M3)
Woodall (M1)
Woolley Edge (M1)

Northern Ireland

Both Northern Ireland's main motorway services have Burger King drive thrus:

Lisburn (M1)
Templepatrick (M2) (north-westbound only)

A-road Locations

Alfreton (A38)
Bangor drive thru (A55)
Barton Mills (A11)
Battlefield drive thru (A49)
Beacon Hill (A14)
Bicester drive thru (A41)
Brampton Hut drive thru (A1/A14)
Carcroft (A1) (northbound only)
Chippenham (A350)
Cirencester (A417)
Colsterworth drive thru (A1)
Cooper Dean drive thru (A3060)
Countess (A303)
Dover Port
Ely drive thru (A10)
Feering (A12) (northbound only)
Ferrymuir drive thru (A90)
Fontwell (A27)
Fourwentways (Abington) (A11)
Grantham North (A1)
Hickstead (A23)
Ilminster Drive Thru (A303)
Marston Moretaine (A421)
Mile End (A5)
Monmouth Drive Thru (A40)
Newark Drive Thru (A1)
North Muskham (A1)
Norwich (A11/A47)
Tiverton (A361)
Podimore (A303)
Rustington (A259)
Saltash (A38)
Seaton Burn (A1)
Shrewsbury (A5)
Sleaford (A15/A17)
Sourton Cross (A30)
Sutterton (A17)
Thame drive thru (A418)
Thorpe on the Hill (A46)
Thrapston (A14/A45)
Tunbridge Wells drive thru (A21)
Uttoxeter drive thru (A50)
Warminster (A36/A350)
Whitemare Pool (A194)

Ireland (Republic Of.)

Birdhill drive thru (M7)
Castlebellingham (M1)
Enfield (M4)
Lusk (M1)
Paulstown drive thru (M9)
Rathcoole (N7) (westbound only)
Wicklow drive thru (M11)

Former Locations

Burger King has been removed from the following official service areas:

Barnsdale Bar (A1)
Boship (A22)
Budbrooke (A46)
Burtonwood (M62)
Chiverton (A30)
Collingtree (A45)
Cross Hands (A48)
Derby (A50/A6)
Dreghorn (A720)
Eynsham (Acre Hill) (A40)
Family Farm (A34)
Fenstanton (A1307)
Folkestone (M20)
Four Pools (A46)
Grange Farm (A45)
Kate's Cabin (A1)
Kettering westbound (A14)
Leeds Skelton Lake (M1)
Magor (M4)
Markfield (A511)
Markham Moor (A1)
Middlewich (A54)
Musselburgh (A1)
North Muskham (A1)
Northop Hall (A55)
Oldbury (A419)
Old Inns (A80)
Ollerton (A614)
Oversley Mill (A46)
Parkway (A57)
Peartree (A34/A44)
Popham (A303)
Rhostyllen (A483)
Rainton (A1)
Rufus Stone (A31)
Saughall (A494)
Sedgefield (A689)
South Weald (A12)
Sutton Scotney (A34)
Whitchurch (A41)
Worksop (A57)
Winthorpe (A46/A17)
Wisley (A3)

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Infobox
-|colour = #B30337
+|colour = #d62300
-|image = Burger King Exeter 2019.jpg
+|image = Burger King Fleet North 2023.jpg
-|locations = 62 [[MSA]] sites
+|locations = msas
-|associated = [[EG Diner]], [[KFC]], [[Little Chef]]
+|accompaniedby = [[KFC]], [[Little Chef]]
+|usedby = [[Moto]], [[Welcome Break]], [[EG Group]]
+|seealso = [[McDonald's]]
 |introduced = 1993
-|predecessors = [[Little Chef Express]], [[Coffee Tempo!]], [[Cafe Nescafe]], Burger Express, [[Julie's Pantry|Julie's Express]]
+|predecessors = [[Little Chef Express]], [[Coffee Tempo!]], [[Cafe Nescafe]], [[Burger Express]], [[Julie's Pantry|Julie's Express]]
 |successors = [[Coffee Tempo!]]
 |website = www.burgerking.co.uk
 |facebook = burgerkinguk
-|twitter = BurgerKing
+|twitter = BurgerKingUK
+|instagram = burgerkinguk
 |country = both
+|openinghours = Most 10am-10pm
 }}
-[[File:Tamworth BK.jpg|250px|thumb|right|alt=Burger King restaurant.|The older style, with tiled flooring and red signage.]]
+Burger King has become extremely common on the motorway, with [[Moto]], [[Welcome Break]] and many of the lesser-known service area operators all making it available.
-Burger King has become extremely common on the motorway, with [[Moto]], [[Welcome Break]] and many of the lesser-known services all making it available.
+To encourage social distancing, some Burger Kings support online ordering. Depending on who owns the branch, online ordering is available either from [https://www.moto-way.com/at-moto/order-and-collect/ Moto's website], Welcome Break's app or Burger King's app. Welcome Break are also trialling a 'deliver to car' service.
+In response to the growing competition, Burger King spent the 2010s refurbishing their European restaurants to take on a more 'upmarket diner' appearance. In late 2020, the new furniture was contrasted by Burger King's plan to bring back a retro styling. A new logo was introduced, which was a hybrid of two logos they had used between 1969 and 1999.
 ===Introduction===
-The chain was started in 1954, and has spread to more than 100 countries. Its roadside success started when [[Pavilion]] opened the first four in 1993, aiming to provide a recognisable name and a quick service.
+[[File:Burger King Exeter.jpg|250px|thumb|right|alt=Burger King store with its logo in orange text.|One of the original motorway Burger Kings, pictured in the early 1990s.]]
+The chain was started in 1954, and has spread to more than 100 countries. On the motorways, burger bars like [[Julie's Pantry]] and Granada's [[Burger Express]] became common in the 1980s. [[Pavilion]], who were keen on motorway brand names, began using Burger King at their service areas from 1993, and Granada soon followed by replacing their Burger Expresses with Burger Kings.
-Meanwhile, intimidated by [[Welcome Break]]'s success with [[Julie's Pantry]], [[Granada]] launched four takeaway burger joints called '''Burger Express'''.
+This was an era where chains from the high street were still very rarely seen on the motorway, and Granada were very impressed by how popular Burger King turned out to be. They soon pledged to open another 50 branches. When Granada acquired [[Welcome Break]] and [[Little Chef]], most of those got Burger Kings too.
-When Pavilion were bought by Granada, they wanted to take advantage of the Burger King partnership and opened another 50. Under their watch, Granada added a Burger King to most of the sites they owned, including Welcome Breaks and [[Little Chef]]s.
+Granada would provide a Burger King wherever it would fit, with seemingly little consistency between branches. Some were just a sales point with no seating, others had a large, dedicated seating area. They boasted that food would be served in three minutes, and experimented with drive thrus and forecourt units.
-Granada would provide a Burger King wherever it would fit, with seemingly no consistency between brands. Some were just a sales point with no seating, others had a large, dedicated seating area. The Burger Expresses and Julie's Expresses were converted too.
+From 1997, Granada regarded Little Chef and Burger King as their two most cherished brands, and promoted them both wherever possible. Including the branches within their Little Chefs, Granada were the UK's biggest Burger King franchisee. Granada inflated Burger King prices by as much as 87%.
 ===Competition===
-Burger King's history with Granada had given them a big roadside advantage against long-time rivals [[McDonald's]]. Their effective exclusivity came to an end in the late 2000s, when Roadchef, who had previously worked with [[Wimpy]] and [[The Burger Company]], agreed a franchise agreement with McDonald's. At the same time, McDonald's had been opening stand-alone restaurants across the A-road network, making them the more common sight for drivers.
+Most of the branches opened by Granada are still trading, either as [[Moto]] or [[Welcome Break]] motorway services or within [[EG Group]]'s former Little Chefs. This had given Burger King a huge roadside advantage against their long-time rivals [[McDonald's]], who had been slower at embracing the franchising model.
+Burger King's effective exclusivity came to an end in the late 2000s, when Roadchef, who had previously worked with [[Wimpy]] and [[The Burger Company]], agreed a franchising deal with McDonald's. Meanwhile, McDonald's had been much faster than Burger King at opening stand-alone restaurants at key locations along A-roads.
-Meanwhile, Welcome Break have placed Burger King alongside a number of other fast food names, even removing Burger King where space is tight. First, another Burger King partner, sold their services to other operators. In 2012 Moto, the only operator now relying solely on Burger King to fulfil its fast food demand, started experimenting with [[KFC]] and later specialist fast food brand [[Chow]]. In 2018, they committed to introducing more KFCs, implying Burger King could be about to be pushed to the side. The two are still tied in a contract expiring in 2028.
+As traditional restaurants became less popular, Welcome Break started replacing their restaurants with other fast food names, some of which proved more popular than (and even pushed out) Burger King. [[First]], another motorway Burger King operator, quit the industry.
-At Little Chef, most of the Burger King franchises were removed in 2004. In 2015, new owners began to bring the Burger Kings back. [[Euro Garages]] then inherited these franchises.
+In 2012 Moto, who were the only motorway operator now relying solely on Burger King to fulfil its fast food demand, started experimenting with [[KFC]] and later specialist fast food brand [[Chow]]. In 2018, Moto committed to introducing more KFCs, implying Burger King could be about to be pushed to the side.
-In response to the growing competition, Burger King have tried to move away from their American roots by refurbishing their restaurants with a more modern look, with features such as self-service drinks machines and touch-screen ordering.
+One reason for Burger King's long-lasting happy relationship with so many operators is their relaxed attitude to surcharging. The 2023 [[Transport Focus]] review found that customers of the Burger King operators were much less satisfied with the value for money they had been offered than customers of an operator who was loyal to McDonald's.
 ==Locations==
-Burger King operate at most Moto, Welcome Break and Euro Garages services. They are: {{viewonamap}}
+Burger King operate at most Moto, Welcome Break and EG Group service areas. They are: {{viewonamap}}
 * [[Abington]] (M74/A74(M))
 * [[Birch]] (M62)
-* [[Birchanger Green]] (M11)
+* [[Birchanger Green]] (M11/A120)
 * [[Blyth]] (A1(M)/A1)
 * [[Bridgwater]] (M5)
@@ Line 49: / Line 59: @@
 * [[Corley]] (M6)
 * [[Doncaster (North)]] (M18/M180)
-* [[Donington Park]] (M1/A42/A50)
+* [[Donington]] (M1/A42/A50)
 * [[Exeter]] (M5)
-* [[Ferrybridge]] (M62/A1)
+* [[Ferrybridge]] (M62/A1(M)/A1)
 * [[Fleet]] (M3)
 * [[Frankley]] (M5)
@@ Line 70: / Line 80: @@
 * [[Membury]] (M4)
 * [[Michaelwood]] (M5)
 * [[Newport Pagnell]] (M1)
 * [[Oxford]] (M40/A40)
 * [[Pease Pottage]] (M23/A23)
 * [[Reading]] (M4)
 * [[Rivington]] (M61)
+* [[Rotherham]] (M1)
+* [[Rugby]] (M6)
 * [[Sarn Park]] (M4)
 * [[Scotch Corner]] (A1(M)/A66)
-* [[Sedgemoor (North)]] (M5)
+* [[Sedgemoor (North)|Sedgemoor]] (M5) ''(northbound only)''
 * [[Severn View]] (M48)
-* [[South Mimms]] (M25/A1(M))
+* [[South Mimms]] (M25/A1(M)/A1)
 * [[Southwaite]] (M6)
-* [[Stafford (North)]] (M6)
+* [[Stafford (North)|Stafford]] (M6) ''(northbound only)''
 * [[Stirling]] (M9/M80)
-* [[Swansea]] (M4)
+* [[Swansea West]] (M4)
 * [[Tamworth]] (M42/A5)
 * [[Telford]] (M54)
 * [[Thurrock]] (M25/A13/A282)
-* [[Tiverton]] (M5)
 * [[Toddington]] (M1)
 * [[Trowell]] (M1)
 * [[Warwick]] (M40)
 * [[Washington]] (A1(M))
 * [[Wetherby]] (A1(M))
 * [[Winchester]] (M3)
 * [[Woodall]] (M1)
 * [[Woolley Edge]] (M1)
@@ Line 104: / Line 115: @@
 ===A-road Locations===
+[[File:Tamworth BK.jpg|250px|thumb|right|alt=Entrance to a Burger King restaurant with a tiled floor.|The style used in the early 2000s, with tiled flooring and red signage.]]
 * [[Alfreton]] (A38)
 * [[Bangor|Bangor drive thru]] (A55)
@@ Line 109: / Line 121: @@
 * [[Battlefield|Battlefield drive thru]] (A49)
 * [[Beacon Hill]] (A14)
-* [[Bicester|Bicester]] (A41)
+* [[Bicester|Bicester drive thru]] (A41)
-* [[Bilbrough Top]] (A64)
+* [[Brampton Hut|Brampton Hut drive thru]] (A1/A14)
 * [[Carcroft]] (A1) ''(northbound only)''
 * [[Chippenham]] (A350)
 * [[Cirencester]] (A417)
-* [[Colsterworth]] (A1)
+* [[Colsterworth|Colsterworth drive thru]] (A1)
 * [[Spur End|Cooper Dean drive thru]] (A3060)
 * [[Countess]] (A303)
@@ Line 120: / Line 132: @@
 * [[Ely|Ely drive thru]] (A10)
 * [[Feering]] (A12) ''(northbound only)''
-* [[Fenstanton]] (A14) ''(eastbound only)''
+* [[Ferrymuir|Ferrymuir drive thru]] (A90)
-* [[South Queensferry|Ferrymuir drive thru]] (A90)
 * [[Fontwell]] (A27)
-* [[Fourwentways]] (A11)
+* [[Fourwentways|Fourwentways (Abington)]] (A11)
 * [[Grantham North]] (A1)
 * [[Hickstead]] (A23)
-* [[Ilminster]] (A303)
+* [[Ilminster|Ilminster Drive Thru]] (A303)
 * [[Marston Moretaine]] (A421)
 * [[Mile End]] (A5)
 * [[Monmouth|Monmouth Drive Thru]] (A40)
+* [[Newark|Newark Drive Thru]] (A1)
 * [[North Muskham]] (A1)
 * [[Thickthorn|Norwich]] (A11/A47)
+* [[Tiverton]] (A361)
 * [[Podimore]] (A303)
 * [[Rustington]] (A259)
@@ Line 140: / Line 153: @@
 * [[Sourton Cross]] (A30)
 * [[Sutterton]] (A17)
-* [[Thame]] (A418)
+* [[Thame|Thame drive thru]] (A418)
 * [[Thorpe on the Hill]] (A46)
 * [[Thrapston]] (A14/A45)
@@ Line 158: / Line 171: @@
 ===Former Locations===
-Burger King has been removed from the following services:
+Burger King has been removed from the following official service areas:
-* [[Alwalton]] (A1)
 * [[Barnsdale Bar]] (A1)
 * [[Boship]] (A22)
-* [[Brentwood]] (A12)
 * [[Budbrooke]] (A46)
 * [[Burtonwood]] (M62)
 * [[Chiverton]] (A30)
-* [[Crewe]] (A500/M6)
+* [[Collingtree]] (A45)
 * [[Cross Hands]] (A48)
-* [[Derby South]] (A50/A6)
+* [[Derby South|Derby]] (A50/A6)
-* [[Eynsham]] (A40)
+* [[Dreghorn]] (A720)
+* [[Acre Hill|Eynsham (Acre Hill)]] (A40)
 * [[Family Farm]] (A34)
+* [[Fenstanton]] (A1307)
 * [[Folkestone]] (M20)
 * [[Four Pools]] (A46)
-* [[Gateway]] (A55)
+* [[Grange Farm]] (A45)
-* [[Grange Park]] (A45)
+* [[Kates Cabin|Kate's Cabin]] (A1)
-* [[Kate's Cabin]] (A1)
 * [[Kettering|Kettering westbound]] (A14)
+* [[Leeds Skelton Lake]] (M1)
 * [[Magor]] (M4)
-* [[Markfield]] (M1)
+* [[Markfield]] (A511)
 * [[Markham Moor]] (A1)
 * [[Middlewich]] (A54)
-* [[Musselburgh]] (A1)
+* [[Monktonhall|Musselburgh]] (A1)
-* [[Newark]] (A1)
 * [[North Muskham]] (A1)
-* [[Oldbury]] (M5)
+* [[Northop Hall]] (A55)
+* [[Oldbury]] (A419)
 * [[Old Inns]] (A80)
 * [[Ollerton]] (A614)
 * [[Oversley Mill]] (A46)
-* [[Peartree]] (A34/A40/A44)
+* [[Parkway]] (A57)
+* [[Peartree]] (A34/A44)
 * [[Popham]] (A303)
 * [[Rhostyllen]] (A483)
 * [[Rainton]] (A1)
-* [[Ripley]] (A3)
 * [[Rufus Stone]] (A31)
 * [[Saughall]] (A494)
 * [[Sedgefield]] (A689)
-* [[Sheffield Parkway]] (A57)
+* [[South Weald]] (A12)
-* [[Sutterton]] (A16/A17)
 * [[Sutton Scotney]] (A34)
-* [[Swanston]] (A720)
 * [[Whitchurch]] (A41)
 * [[Worksop]] (A57)
+* [[Winthorpe]] (A46/A17)
+* [[Wisley]] (A3)
-{{bottomnav}}
+{{bottomnav|comments=Welcome Break}}
 [[Category:Brands]][[Category:Welcome Break]][[Category:Moto]][[Category:Irish Brands]]
+[[Category:Moto comments]][[Category:Applegreen]]