By Micah Hanks

It has been long lamented that overseas in countries like Germany you can order a beer with your Big Mac at McDonalds. However, soon one of the restaurant’s leading competitors, Burger King, will be making this a reality to US diners as well.

Investors.com reported today that the franchise plans to open a 24-hour “Whopper Bar South Beach,” that serves alcohol along with the chain’s popular burgers. This, in an effort to make certain Burger King locations appeal to the “sit down” crowd, will mark the first instance where alcohol has been sold in one of its US locations.

New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Malaga, Spain are all next on the list for “Whopper Bars” that serve a variety of Anheuser-Busch and Miller brewing products, in addition to a menu of “premium burgers” that will feature, among other items, a Bourbon Whopper sandwich, as well as a Pepper Bacon Steakhouse XT burger. Either of these, or a classic Whopper with fries, will be served along with a cold beer for under $10.

Will this trend lead to a revision of other restaurants marketing approaches? Also, will serving beer on the menu still allow these locations to appeal to families (it hasn’t seemed to hurt the business of locations like Applebee’s, Chili’s and other chain bar-and-grill style restaurants that offer pub-style burgers and a variety of alcoholic beverages.

Photo credit of homemade burger and Paulener’s Marzen mug by Neil Whittaker.

Tags: Anheuser-Busch, beer, Burger King