Contrary to popular belief, "The Burger King" is not an only child. For several years during the late 2000s, Burger King considered opening "Pho King," a Vietnamese Pho restaurant concept, to rival McDonald's/Chipotle's Shophouse Southeast Asian stir-fry restaurant. The idea gained traction among high level Burger King executives, many of whom believed that salty, high-margin Pho noodle soup would appeal to American tastes. Intent on developing their brand, Burger King named the mascot "The Pho King," an anime-inspired, yeoman-like version of The Burger King sporting a conical hat. Profit concerns after the 2008 US financial crisis officially ended the experiment, but a high-ranking former executive told Factopolis that the deal breaker was finding a reliable source for organic water buffalo meat in the United States.
Still, two of these concept restaurants remain. Both the Sacramento, CA and Oakland, CA stores feature unassuming storefronts and interiors, but don't let the restaurant's modesty fool you -- the Pho is really, really good.
The author is not affiliated with any of the listed restaurants in any way and cannot verify the information listed in this blog.
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ReplyDeleteI think Pho King 2 should start selling Menage a Trois wine (http://menageatroiswines.com/).
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