What Is the Burger King Logo?
The Burger King logo is the name BURGER KING in red capitals, set between two orange bun halves. The flat design arrived in January 2021 and draws on the chain's logo of 1969.
Burger King is the fast-food chain that began as Insta-Burger King in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1953. Its signature burger, the Whopper, followed in 1957. The bun logo is available as the Burger King logo SVG.
Burger King Logo Facts
| Designer | Jones Knowles Ritchie (2021 redesign) |
| Introduced | 2021, based on the 1969 bun logo |
| Symbol | Two bun halves around the name |
| Logo type | Emblem: the name inside a bun |
| Earlier mark | The 1999 logo, with slanted type and a blue border |
| Owner | Burger King, part of Restaurant Brands International |
What the Burger King Logo Means
The Burger King logo is a burger: the name is the filling and the two orange shapes are the bun. Its owner, Restaurant Brands International (RBI), wanted a logo that made people hungry.
- The bun: the shapes and proportions were adjusted to look closer to the real burgers.
- The colours: warm shades from mustard to orange point to the food and to flame-grilling.
- The letters: streamlined and rounded, but kept playful.
Raphael Abreu, head of design at RBI, said the goal was to "use design to get people to crave our food".
Burger King Logo History
The Burger King logo has used the bun idea since 1969, with one break between 1999 and 2021.
| Year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1959 | Miami franchisees James McLamore and David Edgerton buy Insta-Burger King and rename it Burger King |
| 1969 | The bun logo appears: the name between two bun halves |
| 1999 | A new logo slants the name, gives the buns a 3D effect and adds a blue border |
| 2021 | Jones Knowles Ritchie returns to a flat bun logo, the first rebrand in over 20 years |
The 2021 logo dropped the blue border and the 3D shading. Burger King wanted a mark that works well on digital platforms. It also wanted the logo to match its newer focus on taste, quality and the removal of artificial ingredients.
The Flame Typeface and the 2021 Look
The 2021 rebrand went well beyond the logo, to packaging, menu boards, signs and staff uniforms. Its own typeface, Flame, was drawn by Colophon Foundry.
- Shape: inspired by the shapes of Burger King's food, described by the brand as "rounded, bold, yummy".
- Range: bold, regular and sans versions, plus a variable version that can be stretched and squeezed.
- Use: item names on packaging and the menu.
The main colours got food names too: Fiery Red, Flaming Orange and BBQ Brown.
Burger King's long-time rival took a very different route with its golden arches; compare the McDonald's logo. For more brands like Burger King, browse our food and drink logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Burger King change its logo in 2021?
It wanted a simpler mark that works on screens and reflects its focus on food quality. The new logo returns to the flat bun design used from 1969 to 1999.
Who designed the 2021 Burger King logo?
The agency Jones Knowles Ritchie, with the Flame typeface drawn by Colophon Foundry.
What was the Burger King logo between 1999 and 2021?
A tilted version of the name between glossy 3D buns, wrapped in a blue border.
Why is Burger King called Hungry Jack's in Australia?
A shop in Adelaide already held the Burger King trademark, so franchisee Jack Cowin opened under the name Hungry Jack's.