While there’s no bad time of the year to bite into a hot, juicy cheeseburger, one can’t deny that sometimes the idea of it doesn’t sound so good when it’s the peak of the summer season.
There’s a reason people turn to colder foods like salad so frequently during the summer months. Being hot and eating something hot just don’t sound like a particularly appealing combo, especially when there’s sweat pouring down your brow and all you can think about is wrapping yourself around the nearest air conditioner.
Fast food chains know this, of course, and many try to come up with ways to keep customers interested during hotter months. Drinks are a popular choice, naturally, and several companies have taken that route this summer. Starbucks (SBUX) offered remixes of several of its drinks, and Yum Brands’ Taco (YUM) Taco Bell came up with a dragonfruit-flavored take on Brisk Iced Tea.
Finding ways to serve food cold other than salads seems to be a tougher order for these fast food chains, but as we already know, Restaurant Brand International’s (QSR) Burger King is always up for a challenge, and now it’s got plans to deliver a brand new item that is very creative indeed.
What’s Burger King’s Newest Whopper?
Burger King’s newest take on its iconic Whopper is simply called the “Ice Whopper,” because, as anyone with eyes can clearly see, this burger has a layer of ice on it.
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Yes, ice.
Sold in Japan only as part of a limited time special set called the “Natsukoi Set,” you’ll get this chilly burger and a frozen bottle of Coca-Cola (COKE) for 1000 yen ($7.45 U.S.). To order one, you’ll need to reserve it in advance here, as it will not be sold at any Burger King locations at the counter.
The Natsukoi set will only be sold on August 19 and 20, and only via the Burger King pop-up location at Umi no le Oasis on Morito Kaigan Beach in Kanagawa Prefecture. In other words, you gotta be in a very specific place at a very specific time to be able to try out this icy lunch.
Burger King Loves Marketing Stunts
While many fast food chains are willing to try unusual stunts to draw customer interest, Burger King is indisputably, well, the king of them.
From its pregnancy cravings campaign showing off everything from ice cream to fried herring stuffed into Whoppers to its absolutely massive Tokyo Teriyaki Tower Burger, Burger King shows admirable courage in what its willing to do to get consumers to pay attention.
The stunts usually work, too, but especially well outside of the U.S. In Restaurant Brand International’s Q2 earnings call on August 6, chief executive officer José E. Cil said that Burger King’s international business contributed an incredible 60% to global systemwide sales.
“Burger King’s international business continued to gain significant traction across key global markets and delivered another quarter of robust system-wide sales growth expanding 28% and adding about $600 million of sales year-over-year,” Cil said.
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