USA Today reported last week that Burger King was making a series of changes to its menu in an effort to create a new image. It wanted to offer more healthy options.
“It doesn’t sound like Burger King,” the article said. “There’s a quiet whir of blenders crafting made-to-order smoothies with real strawberry, banana and mango pieces. Nor does it taste like Burger King. Not when one of its three new salads is topped with tangy apple slices and dried cranberries, and covered in an apple cider vinaigrette. You can even get made-to-order frappes.”
The fast-food chain’s home page shows pictures of the new items, but none of the juicy patty of meat for which it is named. Why Burger King wants to reinvent its image is beyond me.
McDonald’s did the same the thing a few years ago, and now offers sliced apples as an alternative to french fries in Happy Meals. But show me two kids who want apples with their Happy Meals, and I’ll show you 200 who want fries.
Marketing Burger King as a healthy place to eat is akin to promoting a brothel as a great place for exercise. The reason BK is one of the most popular restaurants in the United States is the whopper, a 670-calorie behemoth of a burger. I go to the chain every so often for comfort food because it’s unhealthy.
A burger now and then is good for the soul. (Photo by Tiffany Tan)
If Burger King and McDonald’s were really committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle, they’d close their drive-thrus and make people walk inside to order. Taking a cue from the alcohol industry, they’d also promote moderation: “Try our new $0.99 bacon cheeseburger for lunch, just not every other day!”
I have no problem with businesses marketing products that are unhealthy, as long as they are honest with the consumer about what they’re selling. When cigarette manufacturers began advertising on television in the 1950s, they used slogans such as, “More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette.” Today, because of federal legislation, packs carry labels warning of lung cancer and birth defects from smoking tobacco.
Regardless of how many fruity smoothies or leafy salads it offers, Burger King is never going to change its image from a diet buster unless it drops the word “burger” from its name.
Slightly Reworded 
Great article. I too, loved the brothel comparison. Replace french fries with carrot sticks and cucumber slices as the typical side dish and watch the lunch time line ups decline. They should stick to what works!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the post!
Jimmy
I think that is also interesting that they seem to waist a lot of food when it comes to pnprarieg this tasty burger. She explains how she goes thought heads and heads of lettuce just to find the perfect one. I wonder what happens to the extra food that is rummaged though when pnprarieg this burger.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/burger-king-bacon-sundae_n_1414601.html
Happy?
Ha, I hadn’t seen that. Thanks for sharing.
You make me laugh! Favorite line: “Marketing Burger King as a healthy place to eat is akin to promoting a brothel as a great place for exercise”
My thought is…hamburgers of much better quality are available everywhere now and the price of fast food meals has risen so much, that other than the convenience of the drive through, BK and Mac’s have outlived their usefulness to me. However, after a good burger, going for a fruit smoothie at Burger King followed by a work out at the local brothel…that sounds like living right!
Hmmm Salad King just doesn’t sound right? Frappe Queen? How about the Fresh Prince Of Romaine? you could capitalize there, maybe use “gettin’ jiggy wit it” as your theme song?
You raise some interesting points, because (like the tobacco companies) the fast food masters are suddenly needing to “RE-BRAND” themselves and undo decades of ingrained brand association.
A fun read. Also I believe that the Hamburger is the ultimate comfort food.
Thanks for the compliment. Out of the three, I like the Fresh Prince Of Romaine the best, with Weird Al Yankovic doing the remix.
Jimmy
Agreed.