DALLAS, Oct. 21, 1996 — Burger King Corp. has built a worldwide restaurant empire by tailoring its menu items to the preferences of individual customers; its ads cheerfully urge customers to
“Have It Your Way® .”
Now, for the first time, a major technology vendor is offering Burger King the same benefits of flexibility and openness.
Microsoft Corp. today announced at FS/Tec ’96 that Burger King Corp. will install a new point-of-sale (POS) system at 3,000 terminals in 800 corporate-owned restaurants worldwide, based on the Microsoft® BackOffice
™integrated suite of server applications, including the Microsoft Windows NT® Server network operating system. The system is the Compris Restaurant System from Compris Technologies Inc., winner of the first Microsoft RAD Award for an outstanding independently developed Windows® operating system-based retail business solution. In addition to installing the retail solution at all company-owned restaurants, Burger King Corp. will offer the solution to its franchisees, who operate another 7,800 restaurants worldwide.
“This Windows-based solution gives us tremendous openness, flexibility and freedom of choice to integrate the best, most cost-effective hardware and software available. We believe this has a huge relevance for a retail operation,”
said Neil Foley, vice president of MIS at Burger King Corp.
“We will gain tremendous benefits from a simpler, more consistent enterprise environment that’s easier to learn, use and manage – as well as more powerful and functional.”
“Microsoft is committed to reducing the complexity of business computing in the retail environment and allowing customers to take advantage of the flexibility and cost savings a Windows-based solution provides,”
said Judy Dulcich, retail industry marketing manager at Microsoft.
“Compris is the pioneer in touch-screen technology for retail applications, and we continue to lead with cutting-edge technology today, including the most feature-rich software available,”
said Paul Eurek, president of Compris.
“We believe this commitment to innovative technology for retail use, combined with our strategic relationship with Microsoft as a Solution Provider with Microsoft Certified Professional staff, was an important factor in Burger King Corp.’s decision.”
Burger King Corp.’s Microsoft-Based Solution
A key strength of Burger King Corp.’s open POS strategy is its hardware and services independence. The Windows-based Compris retail solution runs on any POS terminal compatible with Windows NT. For the 550 company-owned locations in the United States, Burger King selected Par Microsystems’ new POS 4 terminals. A POS touch-screen terminal integrates with a complete Microsoft BackOffice-based network at each restaurant that also manages all kitchen subsystems, building energy controls, drive-through displays and other systems. The restaurants’ Microsoft BackOffice-based network, in turn, integrates with Burger King Corp.’s global Microsoft BackOffice-based enterprise wide area network via Microsoft Systems Management Server and Remote Access Services.
Burger King Corp. plans to complete the rollout of the new solution in the United States by September 1997, which will be followed by the international implementation. The solution will be implemented in a single night at each restaurant, with the goal of going
“live”
in each restaurant at 7 a.m. That way, crew training can begin by 7 a.m. and the restaurant can open on schedule with zero downtime.
Burger King Corp.’s migration to a Windows-based POS retail solution builds on the company’s continuing enhancement of its Windows NT Server-based enterprise environment. The company is running the SAP R/3 enterprise business software, and it is in the process of moving its file and print networks to Windows NT Server from Novell, OS/2 and other products. It is also currently building a data warehouse using an ODBC-compliant database running on Microsoft Windows NT Server on SMP Compaq processors. This client/server solution will replace existing mainframe information-reporting systems and provide Burger King Corp. with an enterprisewide business information system.
Burger King Corp. Plans Intranet Solution Based on Windows NT Server
Burger King Corp. also plans to implement an extensive intranet solution based on Windows NT Server using Microsoft Internet Information Server, the FrontPage
™
Web authoring and management tool, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 Web browser. Initially, this will enable all Burger King corporate staff, from the head office to the company-operated restaurants, to easily search and browse very large databases and bulletin boards containing the latest news and information.
In a second phase of development, Burger King Corp. will look to extend intranet access to its many global business partners via the World Wide Web. Foley said he believes this two-way link will overcome most of the infrastructure barriers to third-party integration and open up many new opportunities for business cooperation and collaboration.
Burger King Corp. and its franchisees operate more than 8,400 restaurants in 56 countries and international territories worldwide. In fiscal year 1995, Burger King had systemwide sales of $8.4 billion. Burger King is a subsidiary of Grand Metropolitan PLC, one of the world’s leading branded consumer products businesses that has annual sales of approximately $12 billion. Other Grand Metropolitan brands include Pillsbury, Green Giant, Haagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Progresso, Smirnoff Vodka, Bailey’s Original Irish Cream and J & B Rare Scotch Whiskey.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, BackOffice, Windows NT, Windows and FrontPage are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Burger King Corp. is the exclusive licensee of the registered trademarks Burger King and Have It Your Way.
Other product and company names herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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