As McDonald’s Turns 60, Burger King Reminds Everyone That It’s Slightly Older

Burger King’s trademark application seems to indicate the company’s intention to remind consumers that it’s 4 months older than McDonald’s Corp.

Though the McDonald brothers opened their first restaurant in 1940 in California, the McDonald’s Corp. company that came to dominate the fast food market was born on April 15, 1955, when Ray Kroc debuted his first McDonald’s in Des Plaines, IL. But as the Golden Arches turns 60, the competition at Burger King is reminding people that it’s a few months older.

The first Burger King was opened in Miami on Dec. 4, 1954, but unlike McDonald’s — which has played up its origin story with overseas offerings like the “1995 Burger” — BK rarely mentions its history (unless you count the misguided Yumbo idea).

However, as BurgerBusiness.com noticed, BK recently filed a trademark application for the phrase “Since 1954,” with an illustration of a muscly, apron-bedecked man flipping burgers. The company also trademarked the similar phrase/illustration combination in Spanish.

The mark has already been spotted on a press release from BK Japan, and BurgerBusiness’s Scott Hume expects that we’ll be seeing it a lot more going forward, especially if McDonald’s makes a big deal about its 60th anniversary.

Of course, both of these aging statesmen of fast food are relative youngsters compared to White Castle, which will hit the 95-year mark in 2016.