Burger King announced Thursday that it is making its first significant update to the Whopper in nearly 10 years, aiming to enhance the flavor and presentation of the chain’s flagship burger. The Whopper, a mainstay on menus since 1954, will now feature a “more premium” bun, improved-tasting mayonnaise, and will be served in a box rather than the traditional paper wrapper to maintain consistency from kitchen to customer.

Other core ingredients, including cut onions, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and the beef patty, remain largely unchanged. The company emphasized that the changes are designed to preserve the Whopper’s flame-grilled taste while elevating the overall guest experience. “Every Whopper is crafted to deliver the flame-grilled flavor Guests expect – now elevated from the first bite to the last,” the company said in a statement.

Tom Curtis, president of Burger King U.S. & Canada, said the chain has spent recent years modernizing operations and strengthening consistency across its system. “With that work well underway, we’re now in a position to thoughtfully elevate our core menu. The Whopper is an icon, so we didn’t set out to reinvent it. Instead, we elevated it based on direct Guest feedback,” Curtis said.

Early reviews of the updated burger have been largely positive. The update comes with added costs for franchisees, who will pay roughly $4,000 more annually for the premium ingredients. Burger King advised operators to absorb the cost rather than pass it on to customers. The chain has more than 19,000 locations worldwide, most of which are family-owned.

The rollout marks a rare adjustment to the Whopper recipe, reflecting the company’s focus on menu modernization while maintaining the iconic status of its signature flame-grilled sandwich.