Burger King announced Feb. 26, 2026, the first significant enhancements to its signature Whopper sandwich in nearly 10 years, responding directly to customer feedback with upgrades to the bun, mayonnaise and packaging while preserving the flame-grilled beef patty that defines the iconic item.

The changes, described by the chain as an “elevation” rather than a reinvention, aim to deliver a “higher-quality Whopper experience” from the first bite to the last. The revamped Whopper now features a more premium, better-tasting bun, creamier and improved mayonnaise, freshly cut onions and tomatoes, crisp lettuce, tangy pickles, and new clamshell box packaging designed to prevent squishing and ensure the burger arrives looking as perfect as when it left the kitchen.

“Over the past several years, we’ve focused on strengthening our operations and modernizing our restaurants to build a more consistent foundation across the system,” Burger King U.S. & Canada President Tom Curtis said in the company’s press release. “With that work well underway, we’re now in a position to thoughtfully elevate our core menu. The Whopper is an icon, so we didn’t set out to reinvent it. Instead, we elevated it based on direct Guest feedback.”

The updates follow a recent initiative where Curtis invited customers to call or text him personally with suggestions, part of Burger King’s broader push to incorporate guest input into operations, restaurant aesthetics and menu decisions. Complaints about smashed burgers, soft buns that failed to hold up, and ingredients spilling out during transport prompted the packaging shift and ingredient tweaks.

The core remains unchanged: more than a quarter-pound of 100% flame-grilled beef, sesame seed bun (now upgraded), and classic toppings. The chain emphasized that the flame-grilled flavor — a hallmark since the Whopper’s 1957 debut — stays intact.

Rollout began this week across more than 7,000 U.S. restaurants, with franchisees absorbing an estimated additional $4,000 per location annually in costs. Burger King advised owners against raising prices to maintain affordability.

Social media and food blogs reacted quickly. Some fans praised the move for addressing long-standing gripes about presentation and texture, while others expressed skepticism about noticeable differences in taste. Early taste tests by outlets like CBS News and YouTube reviewers noted subtle improvements in bun freshness and mayo creaminess, with the box preventing the common “squished” look.

The Whopper has long been Burger King’s flagship item, often credited with helping the chain compete against McDonald’s Big Mac since its introduction. Past tweaks, like the 2015-2017 removal and return of artificial ingredients, focused on “cleaner” formulations, but this marks the most comprehensive structural update in recent memory.

Industry analysts view the changes as part of Burger King’s turnaround efforts under Restaurant Brands International. The chain has modernized stores, improved consistency and launched items like the Breakfast Whopper to boost traffic. The Whopper upgrades align with consumer demands for better quality in fast food amid rising expectations from premium competitors and home cooking trends.

No immediate price adjustments were announced, though franchise cost increases could pressure margins if not offset by higher sales volume. The company highlighted the changes as a way to enhance perceived value without altering the beloved formula.

Customer reactions varied online. Reddit threads in fast-food communities debated whether the premium bun would hold up better during drive-thru transport, with many hoping for less mess. Some longtime fans worried any alteration might dilute the nostalgic appeal, but most welcomed fixes to practical issues.

Burger King positioned the update as proof of its responsiveness, building on Curtis’ direct outreach. The president’s feedback line, launched earlier in February, already influenced other operational tweaks.

As fast-food chains navigate inflation, labor costs and shifting tastes, subtle premiumizations like this help retain loyalty without alienating price-sensitive customers. The Whopper’s enduring popularity — millions sold annually — makes it a safe bet for refinement rather than overhaul.

With the rollout underway, Burger King invites guests to try the elevated version and share thoughts, continuing the feedback loop that sparked the changes. Whether the updates translate to noticeable improvements or simply polish an already iconic sandwich remains a question for diners nationwide.

Francoise Dixon
Head of Investor Relations

And welcome to Mach7 First Half FY ’26 Results Briefing. My name is Francoise Debelak, and I’m Head of Investor Relations for Mach7. Today, our CEO, Teri Thomas; and our CFO, Daniel Lee, will provide an overview of the first half results. We will then open it up for questions. [Operator Instructions]

I’ll now hand over to Teri.

Teri Thomas
CEO, MD & Director

Thank you, Francoise. And hello, everybody, and thank you for joining us for the first half fiscal year 2026 results. Let me start with something that I think we can all align on. Sales matters. Sales fuels growth. It funds innovation and innovation fuels more growth. And ultimately, sales drives shareholder value.

Now I happen to love sales. I’ve spent more time in sales than any other role in my career, and I believe it makes the business world go around. But more importantly, I know that sustainable, disciplined sales growth is what you want to see from Mach7, and I do too. Good news is we now have an enhanced, growing and focused team driving progress, strengthening pipeline quality, improving conversion discipline and aligning our commercial engine with our strategy. You’ll hear more about that shortly, including a guest appearance later in the presentation.

So let’s begin. On our vision, before getting into performance, I really want to ground us into who Mach7 is and where we’re going. Our vision is simple, but it’s ambitious, to be the global imaging EMR. We win by completing the patient picture with the patient’s pictures, and we do it

Bill Gates has publicly apologized to staff at the Gates Foundation for his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, admitting his actions cast a shadow over the philanthropic organization while insisting he was never involved in Epstein’s crimes.

In a town hall on Tuesday, the Microsoft co-founder addressed foundation employees, acknowledging he made mistakes that affected the group’s reputation. “It was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein,” Gates said.

“I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made.” He added, “I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit.”

According to CBS News, Gates first met Epstein in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.

The billionaire admitted that he brought Gates Foundation executives to some meetings with Epstein in hopes of raising money for global health causes.

“Epstein talked about the kind of intimate relationship he had with a lot of billionaires, particularly Wall Street billionaires,” Gates said.

“Because he had other prestigious people at these meetings, that made it easier for me to feel like this was a normalized situation.”

Bill Gates Admits Affairs With Two Russian Women

He also explained that his former wife and foundation co-founder, Melinda French Gates, was skeptical of Epstein from the start.

“To give her credit, she was always kind of skeptical about the Epstein thing,” he told staff. Gates continued meeting with Epstein until 2014, flying on a private jet and spending time with him in Germany, France, New York, and Washington, though he denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island or staying overnight with him.

Gates also admitted to personal failings, saying he had two affairs with Russian women—one a bridge player, the other a nuclear physicist—that Epstein later discovered.

“I did have affairs, one with a Russian bridge player who met me at bridge events, and one with a Russian nuclear physicist who I met through business activities,” he said. Gates stressed that none of these relationships involved Epstein’s victims, FoxBusiness reported.

The billionaire acknowledged that the association with Epstein and newly released Justice Department files had affected the foundation’s work and public perception.

“It definitely is the opposite of the values of the Foundation and the goals of the Foundation,” he said. “And our work is very reputationally sensitive. People can choose to work with us or not work with us.”

A Gates Foundation spokesperson noted that Gates holds town halls twice a year and “spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions.”

Originally published on vcpost.com