Burger King reclaims kingdom in $2.2M Maine Turnpike conversions
Burger King is the king of the Maine Turnpike — at least between Portland and Lewiston — prompting the Maine Turnpike Authority to foot part of the bill for a $2.2 million conversion from a pair of Starbucks coffee shops.
The projects at Mile 58 southbound in Cumberland and Mile 59 northbound in Gray, which will also be paid in part by the company that runs the rest stops, HMS Host, was spurred by the drop in revenue at the plazas following the closure of the two Burger King locations a decade ago. In 2005, the last full year the locations were open, total revenue at the plazas were nearly $1.9 million. In 2015, it was approximately $1.6 million — and that was higher compared to other years — turnpike spokeswoman Erin Courtney told the Portland Press Herald.
But that’s not to say Starbucks shops don’t bring the other bucks in — two Kennebunk plazas, both of which have had a Burger King since before 2007, had a jump in revenue from $9.4 million to $13 million after Starbucks locations were added that year.
So what’s the reasoning behind drivers preferring flame-broiled patties to triple, venti, half sweet, non-fat, caramel macchiatos?
Peter Mills, executive director of the turnpike authority told the Press Herald that it’s likely that the high number of tourists stopping at the Kennebunk prefer Starbucks, compared to the traffic passing through Cumberland and Gray, which is visited more by commuters and commercial truck drivers, many of which are on their way to a Wal-Mart distribution center in Lewiston.
“I think out-of-staters are coming in to go on vacation, and they’ve got money to spend, and they want to stop and get a fancier cup of coffee,” Mills told the Press Herald.
The project converting the Starbucks back into Burger Kings will start Monday.
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