Burger King is expanding its menu with the debut of two new sandwiches, including a “Candied Bacon Whopper”.
One of the new bunned delights is a limited-edition, bacon-heavy take on the chain’s classic Whopper. The gut-busting burger hit restaurants on Jan. 29, USA Today reported, and is only available while supplies last.
Dubbed the Candied Bacon Whopper, the menu item features sweet bacon jam, garlic aioli, candied bacon and crispy onions — alongside a beef patty, lettuce and tomato — all sandwiched between BK’s classic seeded bun.
Snack news account Snackolator posted about the bacon-clad Whopper on Instagram, where the user described the bacon jam as having “a little bit of a spicy kick to it.”
Meanwhile, Whopper is set to debut a spicy take on its classic Big Fish sandwich as of Feb. 14.
The Fiery Big Fish sandwich will boast a spicy glaze on a brioche-style bun, with lettuce, pickles, tartar sauce and a fried fish filet, according to USA Today.
It’s unclear if both sandwiches will be at all of Burger King’s nearly 7,000 locations across the US.
Representatives for the Florida-based fast-food chain did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Burger King has teased new menu items on its own Instagram with close-up shots of what appears to be a burger and a fish sandwich, with a vague caption that reads: “02.05.24.”
The images of the sandwiches feature a disclosure that says they were generated using artificial intelligence.
The photos were “not not AI-generated,” the oddly worded notice says, triggering an influx of comments that said the offerings “will look nothing like this in the real world,” while another asked: “Why are you lying to me?”
The new offerings come just after Burger King ordered employees to start telling customers, “You rule,” and giving them a cardboard crown as a gesture of thanks for ordering off the menu — no matter the customer’s age or what they ordered.
“You rule” has also been featured on Burger King’s advertising campaigns, though it’s not ditching its iconic “have it your way” slogan.
Deborah Derby, the CEO of Carrols Restaurant Group, Burger King’s largest US franchisee, told Bloomberg News of the new initiative: “Say it’s a guy who’s like 38 years old, no kids in the car, and I got to say to him, ‘Do you want a crown?’ You can’t help but smile when you say that, and he can’t help but laugh back.”
“It forces that extra two minutes of engagement,” Derby said, adding that the interaction between employee and customer creates a “positive aura.”
Burger King management has placed a premium on restaurants that have proven their capabilities in leaving customers satisfied.
The chain is only allowing the top franchise operators — those who have on average generated profits 65% higher than the rest of the system — to expand their footprints.
Burger King has stated that it measures franchise performance on its ability to serve food quickly at the right temperature and “with great service.”
This story originally appeared on NYPost
