Despite Typhoon, South Korea Customers Won’t Go Without Whoppers

A typhoon won’t stop hungry customers in South Korea from getting their Whoppers.

About a week after Typhoon Lingling damaged the Korea Distribution Center and caused Exchange Burger Kings in the country to run low on food, the Pacific Regional Distribution Center in Japan came to the rescue by shipping nearly 26,000 Whoppers to 10 BKs throughout the country.

“The high frequency of typhoon activity in the Pacific has caused challenges, but it has not kept us from providing our service members and families in South Korea a taste of home,” said COL Scott Maskery, the Exchange’s Pacific Region commander.

The typhoon damaged so much of the warehouse that associates had to toss $1.3 million worth of food, $88,000 in Whoppers alone, said Nick Devicenzo, the regional distribution center manager.

“The Whoppers were flown from Japan to South Korea’s Incheon airport Sept. 18 for movement to stores.

History FunFact Whopper

1984

The year the first Burger King in Korea opened—in a Quonset hut at Camp Casey. The Casey BK was among the original four Exchange BK restaurants; the first was in Ansbach, Germany, followed by Frankfurt, Germany; Camp Casey; and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

At left, a later-day Burger King at Camp Casey.