Satisfries: Burger King sees early promise in lower-calorie fries

Burger King says it's attracting more customers with its new lower-calorie fries but is being careful not to call them a home run yet.

The Miami-based company said Monday that it saw sales trends in North America turn positive after last month's launch of "Satisfries,"which have 20 per cent fewer calories than its regular fries because of a batter that absorbs less oil.

"It brought in incremental consumers who would otherwise not have come into Burger King,"said Alex Macedo, the chain's president of North American operations. He noted that other promotions also played a role in improving sales and stressed that the economic climate nevertheless remained challenging.

The move into positive sales territory in October comes after Burger King said that sales slipped 0.3 per cent at North America restaurants open at least a year during its third quarter.

As for Satisfries, the initial increase in customer visits Burger King saw may be tied to the fanfare and promotions around the launch. McCain Foods, which supplies the fries, has said it plans to work with other restaurant operators to sell the reduced-calorie fries.

"They've only been out there for four weeks, so it's premature to say whether it's a home run or not,"Macedo said. Either way, he noted that they weren't going to "turn around the business."

The fries are just the latest gambit by Burger King Worldwide Inc. to boost its image. The company has been revamping its business since it was purchased in 2010 by 3G Capital, an investment firm run by Brazilian billionaires. It has been selling more restaurants to franchisees to reduce overhead costs.