Burger King is refusing to give up on its attempt to release a showpiece burger in conjunction with rival fast-food chains to mark the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, despite being publicly rebuffed by McDonald’s.
A week after asking its rival for a ceasefire in their “burger wars” by creating a special McWhopper burger for the occasion, Burger King has now invited four other US fast-food chains to help create a “peace day burger”.
In an open letter to Denny’s, Wayback Burgers, Krystal, and Giraffas, Burger King said it had received a “significant number of unexpected responses from other restaurants, large and small” after its initial proposal to create a “peace burger” was pointedly rejected by McDonald’s.
The company said it wanted to merge the “individual proposals” it had received from its four rivals into one burger, which it will sell on world peace day, on 21 September, from a pop-up restaurant already under construction.
The letter from Burger King was published a week after it booked full-page adverts in major US newspapers to ask long-time rival McDonald’s to cooperate on the creation of the McWhopper. The burger would have combined elements of McDonald’s Big Mac and Burger King’s Whopper.
However, the advert was greeted with a withering response from Steve Easterbrook, chief executive of McDonald’s. “We love the intention but think our two brands could do something bigger to make a difference,” Easterbrook wrote on Facebook.
“We commit to raise awareness worldwide, perhaps you’ll join us in a meaningful global effort? And every day, let’s acknowledge that between us there is simply a friendly business competition and certainly not the unequalled circumstances of the real pain and suffering of war.”
Easterbrook added the disdainful postscript to his statement: “P.S. A simple phone call will do next time.”
Burger King’s latest open letter was also addressed to McDonald’s and insists the initial offer remains on the table. “Although they haven’t yet agreed to come on board, our original proposal still stands. McDonald’s, please take your time. We’re totally at peace with that,” it read.
Burger King has said the proceeds from the burger will go to Peace One Day, a not-for-profit organisation raising awareness of the UN’s International Day of Peace. It has asked its four rivals to make a donation to the organisation in order to go ahead with the burger.
