Burger King in the hot seat: from the lettuce scandal to breakfast sambos in the post-Pi Day fallout
Yesterday, March 14, the world went a bit nuts for Pi Day. Social media was flooded with pics of pie, $3.14 deals at cafes everywhere you looked, and enough maths memes to last a lifetime. But while geometry fans were tucking into their slice of pie, the fast-food world was anything but quiet. Because if there's one name on everyone's lips in the last 24 hours, it's Burger King. And not just because of their round burgers.
See, right when the nerds among us were celebrating the mathematical constant, the fast-food chain found itself in the middle of the lettuce scandal. Yep, you read that right. What started as a few stray comments has blown up into a full-blown viral drama: customers from various outlets have been sharing pics of wilting lettuce, weird brown spots, and in one case, even a creepy-crawly taking a stroll on a leaf. Internal sources at the company have hinted they're looking into it and that quality's their top priority, but the memes about "extra protein" lettuce are already running wild.
Breakfast: the unsung hero
And in the middle of this green storm, let's not forget that Burger King is still the morning go-to for plenty of Kiwis. Because before Pi Day and the lettuce drama, there were the Burger King breakfast sandwiches. That winning combo of egg, melted cheese, sausage or bacon all stacked in a brioche bun or a croissant that hits the spot first thing.
Which is why on a day like today, March 15, when plenty of folk are feeling a bit over all that pie and need something savoury to kick things off, these sambos are the star player. Just maybe hold the lettuce on your brekkie order, given the current situation. Because while the scandal's centred on the burgers, the mistrust is spreading faster than butter on a hot toastie.
What you need to know before hitting up Burger King tomorrow
- The guts of the issue: complaints are mainly about poorly washed lettuce and sad-looking leaves; in extreme cases, some uninvited guests. The company says it's reviewing its suppliers.
- The brekkie to beat: the Croissan'wich is still the undisputed fave, but the Breakfast Muffin with sausage and the French Toast Sandwich are battling it out for the top spot.
- Flash deals: although the Pi Day specials ended yesterday, some stores still have $3.14 signs up. Ask at the counter – you might be in luck.
The truth is, the lettuce scandal has hit Burger King at the worst possible time, right when competition's heating up and consumers are more clued up about food hygiene. But if there's one thing this brand has, it's staying power. Like a fine wine (or a bad joke), these hiccups usually fade away after a few days. In the meantime, fans of their breakfast sambos will still be lining up at eight in the morning – they might just be ordering their brekkie without the greens.
So, will you be game for a Burger King breakfast after all this, or are you gonna wait for the dust to settle? Either way, Pi Day's done and dusted, and unfortunately, so is that lettuce.