A Finnish Burger King has won third place in Euromonitor’s ‘2016 New Concepts in Foodservice Contest: Customisation, Technology, and New Experiences,’ for its in-store sauna.
Designed by Finnish celebrity designer Teuvo Loman, the sauna, located inside a Helsinki Burger King, features benches with the fast food giant’s colours, as well as a television with gaming capabilities. Showers, dressing rooms, Burger King towels and a lounge are also on-site, and servers from the restaurant visit the sauna to take food orders.
“The concept takes the idea of a unique dining experience to an extreme, offering both entertainment and functionality for Finnish consumers who see saunas as an integral part of their local culture,” said Euromonitor analyst Elizabeth Friend in the announcement.
“Saunas in Finland are taken frequently as social, health and wellness rituals, and it is not uncommon for friends and business associates to sauna together. In this way, Burger King’s in-store sauna offers a powerful example of localisation, demonstrating an understanding of local preferences while also offering customers the novelty experience of a sauna alongside their Whopper and fries.”
The 10-person sauna can be rented for €250 (US$285, £197) for three hours, and can be used for birthday parties or work events.
