Flameout: The Rise and Fall of Burger Chef

Flameout: The Rise and Fall of Burger Chef

This is the story of the greatest might-have-been in the history of fast food. In 1971, Burger Chef Systems commanded an empire of 1,200 restaurants, adding one every 48 hours. Less than 100 locations stood between them and slower-growing McDonald's Corporation. They were winning big. Fast forward to 1982: reduced to less than half of their peak size, Burger Chef disappears from the landscape, merged into a larger rival. How did the people responsible for more fast-food innovations than any other lose their way? Author and historian John P. McDonald guides you through the experiences that forged Burger Chef and it's leadership, and shows you what happens when corporations replace scrappy business savvy with process and control. It's a lesson as relevant today as it was a half century ago.