What better way to promote peace than with a mammoth, mouth-watering burger?
Burger King, Denny's, Wayback Burgers, The Krystal Co., and Giraffas have teamed up to produce a massive burger comprised of the restaurants' ingredients -- all to raise awareness of the International Day of Peace, which is observed annually on Sept. 21. An Atlanta pop-up shop handed out 1,500 of them today in the name of global peace. The tradition was established by the United Nations in 1982.
Burger King first reached out to McDonald's and proposed they set aside their differences for one day in honor of the International Day of Peace and create a burger that combined both restaurants' ingredients -- a "McWhopper," if you will. But McDonald's passed.
However, four restaurants -- Denny's, Wayback, Krystal, and Giraffas -- all wrote to Burger King expressing interest in collaborating on this effort. The result? A gargantuan sandwich that melds ingredients from the restaurants' most popular burgers.
However, McDonald's and Burger King did end up joining forces, only for a different cause. They joined Facebook, Mastercard, Google, and other big names in donating ad time and social media space to bring attention to the refugee crisis and ask for donations to the World Food Programme. All donations will go toward the emergency response fund, which is currently assisting those affected by conflict in Syria and other countries.
I applaud Burger King for its ingenious idea to partner up with its single biggest competitor. At first, I didn't understand why McDonald's had declined. It certainly seemed like something with the potential to generate positive publicity and, in turn, more sales for the fast food giant. And the time is opportune: McDonald's revenues have taken a nosedive in recent years as consumers continue to gravitate to more healthful options like Subway and Chipotle.
But then I realized McDonald's was conveying that the so-called "fast food wars" are petty compared to the hardships faced by people living in countries mired in war and poverty. Thus, their reasons for saying "no thanks" are perfectly legitimate, and I'm glad they're working together for a more far-reaching cause.
I think Burger King will come out the big winner in all this. It was BK's idea to devise the Peace burger, and I can only imagine they've strengthened ties with the other restaurants partaking in the initiative.
It'd be nice if competing businesses -- no matter the industry -- did things like this more often. It would certainly help to rid consumers of the perception that big business is all about raking in the big bucks.
Do you think this was a great idea on the part of Burger King? Did McDonald's miss a great opportunity? Would you have eaten a McWhopper?
Share your thoughts and be sure to check out more posts at How to Understand People, including:
Why do so many people cheat?
Burger King, Denny's, Wayback Burgers, The Krystal Co., and Giraffas have teamed up to produce a massive burger comprised of the restaurants' ingredients -- all to raise awareness of the International Day of Peace, which is observed annually on Sept. 21. An Atlanta pop-up shop handed out 1,500 of them today in the name of global peace. The tradition was established by the United Nations in 1982.
Burger King first reached out to McDonald's and proposed they set aside their differences for one day in honor of the International Day of Peace and create a burger that combined both restaurants' ingredients -- a "McWhopper," if you will. But McDonald's passed.
However, four restaurants -- Denny's, Wayback, Krystal, and Giraffas -- all wrote to Burger King expressing interest in collaborating on this effort. The result? A gargantuan sandwich that melds ingredients from the restaurants' most popular burgers.
However, McDonald's and Burger King did end up joining forces, only for a different cause. They joined Facebook, Mastercard, Google, and other big names in donating ad time and social media space to bring attention to the refugee crisis and ask for donations to the World Food Programme. All donations will go toward the emergency response fund, which is currently assisting those affected by conflict in Syria and other countries.
I applaud Burger King for its ingenious idea to partner up with its single biggest competitor. At first, I didn't understand why McDonald's had declined. It certainly seemed like something with the potential to generate positive publicity and, in turn, more sales for the fast food giant. And the time is opportune: McDonald's revenues have taken a nosedive in recent years as consumers continue to gravitate to more healthful options like Subway and Chipotle.
But then I realized McDonald's was conveying that the so-called "fast food wars" are petty compared to the hardships faced by people living in countries mired in war and poverty. Thus, their reasons for saying "no thanks" are perfectly legitimate, and I'm glad they're working together for a more far-reaching cause.
I think Burger King will come out the big winner in all this. It was BK's idea to devise the Peace burger, and I can only imagine they've strengthened ties with the other restaurants partaking in the initiative.
It'd be nice if competing businesses -- no matter the industry -- did things like this more often. It would certainly help to rid consumers of the perception that big business is all about raking in the big bucks.
Do you think this was a great idea on the part of Burger King? Did McDonald's miss a great opportunity? Would you have eaten a McWhopper?
Share your thoughts and be sure to check out more posts at How to Understand People, including:
Why do so many people cheat?
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