Burger King Becomes First UK Fast Food Company to be Awarded Alcohol License

1st December 2015

Burger King becomes first UK fast food company to be awarded alcohol licence: Burger King has become the UK’s first fast food restaurant company to be awarded an alcohol licence. The company’s Bury St Edmunds branch in Suffolk will be the first to serve alcohol but there are stringent conditions in place over fears that children would be put at risk.

It has been granted a licence to sell alcohol from 10am-11pm, but will only be allowed to serve one beer per adult up to 9pm. In addition, patrons will not be allowed to take drinks outside over fears from police of increased crime and disorder. Burger King has also applied for alcohol licences for its restaurants in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Blackpool and Hull, but these are still under consideration. The Bury St Edmunds decision sets a precedent in the UK fast food industry, and potentially opens up the market for other big names to follow. Prior to the UK licensing decision, Burger King already sold alcohol in some parts of the US, Singapore, Venezuela and Spain in its high-end Whopper Bars, launched in 2009 as a more playful template that can compete with fast-casual and casual dining restaurants.