Who Owns Burger King?
Not an American company. Burger King belongs to a Canadian parent that also owns Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs, built by a Brazilian investment firm with financing from Warren Buffett. Here is how that happened.
Ask people who owns Burger King and most will say Burger King. The company that actually controls it did not exist until 2014, is not headquartered in the United States, and owns three other chains you have probably eaten at without connecting them.
Restaurant Brands International
Restaurant Brands International, usually shortened to RBI, is the parent. It is publicly traded, listed under the ticker QSR on both the New York and Toronto exchanges, and its corporate headquarters is in Toronto.
The four chains it owns are run as separate businesses with their own regional offices rather than being merged into one operation:
| Chain | How RBI got it | Based in |
|---|---|---|
| Burger King | Founding half of the 2014 merger | Miami, Florida |
| Tim Hortons | Founding half of the 2014 merger | Canada |
| Popeyes | Acquired in 2017 | Miami, Florida |
| Firehouse Subs | Acquired in 2021 | Jacksonville, Florida |
That is why nothing on a Burger King menu tastes of Tim Hortons and why the two brands share no branding. Common ownership does not mean common kitchens. Prices and items for the other two are on the Popeyes menu and the Firehouse Subs menu.
3G Capital, and how a Brazilian firm ended up owning the Whopper
This is the part that explains the rest.
3G Capital is a Brazilian investment firm with a reputation for buying large consumer businesses and running them on very tight cost discipline. In 2010 it bought Burger King outright and took it off the public market.
Two years later it brought the chain back to public trading, and in 2014 it engineered the deal that created RBI, combining Burger King with the Canadian coffee and doughnut chain Tim Hortons. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway helped finance that transaction, which is how one of the most famous investors in America ended up attached to a Burger King deal.
3G has reduced its position over the years rather than holding it forever, so RBI today is a normal public company with dispersed shareholders rather than a private holding.
So who owns your local Burger King?
Almost certainly an independent business, not RBI.
Burger King is one of the most heavily franchised chains in the United States. RBI owns the brand, the trademarks, the national menu and the advertising. The building you drive to is usually owned and staffed by a franchisee who pays royalties and advertising fees for the right to use the name.
The one notable move against that pattern came in 2024, when RBI bought Carrols Restaurant Group, which was by far its largest franchisee and operated around a thousand Burger King restaurants, in a deal worth about $1 billion. That brought a large block of stores back under company ownership, with the stated aim of remodeling them and then selling them on to new operators.
Franchising is why the things customers complain about are inconsistent:
Prices vary a lot. Burger King has one of the widest price spreads in fast food between markets, which is why a Whopper can cost noticeably more one town over.
Deals are not universal. Operators can opt out of national promotions, so a national advert does not guarantee the price at your restaurant.
Hours differ, including whether a location runs 24 hours and how late the drive thru serves.
Current national pricing is on the Burger King menu, with the usual caveat that your local figure may differ.
Who founded Burger King originally?
Worth separating, because the founders are not the owners and never were for long.
The chain began as Insta-Burger King in Jacksonville, Florida in 1953. It ran into trouble quickly, and in 1954 two franchisees, James McLamore and David Edgerton, bought the company, renamed it Burger King and rebuilt it out of Miami. They introduced the Whopper in 1957.
From there it passed through a long series of corporate owners including Pillsbury and Diageo before the 3G purchase in 2010. Burger King has changed hands more often than almost any other major American chain, which is a large part of why its strategy has swung around so much.
Can you buy shares in Burger King?
Not directly, but you can own the parent. Restaurant Brands International trades under QSR on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges, so buying it gives you exposure to Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs together.
Nothing here is investment advice, and ownership structures and stakes change, so check current filings before acting on any of it.
Related Questions
Who owns Burger King?
Restaurant Brands International, a publicly traded company headquartered in Toronto, Canada, listed under the ticker QSR on the New York and Toronto exchanges. RBI also owns Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs. It was formed in 2014 when the Brazilian firm 3G Capital merged Burger King with Tim Hortons, with financing from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.
Is Burger King an American company?
The brand is American and its operations are still based in Miami, but its owner is not. Restaurant Brands International is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, a result of the 2014 merger with Tim Hortons that placed the combined company’s base there. That arrangement drew significant political attention in the United States at the time.
What other restaurants does Burger King’s owner have?
Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs. Tim Hortons came through the founding 2014 merger, Popeyes was acquired in 2017 and Firehouse Subs in 2021. All four are run as separate businesses with their own regional offices, which is why they share no menu items or branding.
What is 3G Capital’s role at Burger King?
3G Capital is the Brazilian investment firm that bought Burger King outright in 2010, returned it to public markets two years later, and then engineered the 2014 merger with Tim Hortons that created Restaurant Brands International. It has reduced its stake over the years rather than holding it indefinitely.
Does Warren Buffett own Burger King?
Not as such. Berkshire Hathaway helped finance the 2014 merger that created Restaurant Brands International, which is where the association comes from, but that is a financing role in a transaction rather than ownership of the Burger King brand. RBI is a public company with dispersed shareholders.
Is Burger King a franchise?
Yes, and heavily so. Restaurant Brands International owns the brand, trademarks, national menu and advertising, while the large majority of individual restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees. That is why prices vary widely between markets, deals are not always honored everywhere and hours differ by location.
Who founded Burger King?
It started as Insta-Burger King in Jacksonville, Florida in 1953. When that business ran into trouble, two of its franchisees, James McLamore and David Edgerton, bought the company in 1954, renamed it Burger King and rebuilt it from Miami. They introduced the Whopper in 1957.
Can I buy Burger King stock?
Not as a standalone company. Burger King has no separate listing, so the route is buying its parent, Restaurant Brands International, which trades under the ticker QSR on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges. That gives you exposure to Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs at the same time. This describes the structure and is not investment advice.
More on Burger King
About this guide. USA Food Menu is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with Burger King Corporation, Restaurant Brands International or 3G Capital. Ownership history and corporate details were checked against public filings, company announcements and industry reporting, and change over time. Nothing here is investment advice. Current prices and calories are on the Burger King menu.
More Restaurant Guides
Who Owns In-N-Out Burger?
Lynsi Snyder, the granddaughter of founders Harry and Esther Snyder. She is the company’s president and has been its sole owner since 2017. In-N-Out has never…
Who Owns Five Guys?
The Murrell family. Jerry and Janie Murrell started Five Guys with their sons in 1986, and the family still owns and runs it. It is a private company that grows…
Who Owns Chili’s?
Brinker International, a Dallas based public company that also owns Maggiano’s Little Italy. Chili’s started as a single burger joint in Dallas in 1975 and has…