Deutsche Post & Burger King Launch Packstation Cooperation

“Packstation is King”: The Deutsche Post DHL Group (DHL) and Burger King® are creating a new service offering for customers and guests in Germany: The world’s leading logistics company and the second-largest hamburger fast-food chain in the world are starting a cooperation to set up DHL Packstations. Initially, at three pilot locations of Burger King®, DHL will install the machines for convenient, flexible package shipping and receiving. With an impressive length of ten meters, post-yellow compartments, and a Whopper® printed on it, the first Packstation has now been put into operation in Gütersloh to kick off the cooperation.

(Bonn/Hannover) “We are pleased to have gained a new strong partner in Burger King and to realize the first cooperation in the field of system catering. This way, DHL customers can conveniently use the Packstation at many more attractive locations and contribute to more sustainable logistics,” says Tim Ewering, Head of Strategic Partner Management at Deutsche Post DHL Group. Other pilot locations, in addition to Berliner Str. 242 in Gütersloh, are Stadthagen and Hameln. Later this year, additional outdoor Packstations with the special branding of both brands will be set up and made accessible to customers. Thus, DHL customers and restaurant visitors at Burger King® can conveniently pick up and send their packages around the clock. In the long term, the cooperation is to be further expanded. The machine in Gütersloh has 171 compartments. Currently, there are more than 10,000 DHL Packstations with over 900,000 compartments and around 750 Burger King® restaurants throughout Germany.

The restaurant at Berliner Str. 242 in Gütersloh itself offers its guests some special features. The elongated design resembles a pavilion. For the first time nationwide at Burger King®, there are two drive-in lanes. A transparent lobby provides a bright and inviting atmosphere. The interior has 80 seats, the outdoor area has 50 seats, and there is a children’s playground. “Burger King stands for an uncomplicated restaurant experience. The cooperation allows our guests to conveniently combine delicious burgers with picking up and sending their packages,” says Daniel Polte, spokesperson for BURGER KING Deutschland GmbH. “Short distances make this unique collaboration in system catering very attractive. The chosen locations are optimally situated in busy neighborhoods and on streets heavily frequented by commuters. I am pleased that the post is officially going out at Burger King now and I am confident that many will gladly take advantage of this offer.”

The use of the free Packstation service contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions and traffic within cities. Compared to home delivery, an average of 30 percent CO2 is saved when using a Packstation for package deliveries. This is because delivery personnel can drop off and pick up several dozen packages per stop at the Packstation. Customers can also actively reduce their CO2 footprint by saving trips. Both due to environmental aspects and high customer demand, Deutsche Post DHL plans to expand the network to over 15,000 machines by 2023. The Packstation is a core element in implementing sustainable logistics and sustainable city concepts: DHL Packstations are usually located in central places of daily life, such as supermarkets, gas stations, or on company premises.

Burger King® is also increasingly focusing on sustainable solutions. As part of the pilot project “Reusable is King” launched in 2022, hot and cold drinks were offered in reusable alternatives for the first time in Germany at twelve restaurants in Cologne and Frechen. Recycling capability and waste reduction are also gaining importance. With the largest plant-based variety in German system catering, Burger King® offers its guests, who want to consume meat more consciously or refrain from it, a plant-based patty option for almost all burgers.

Photo: © DHL Deutsche Post