Burger King is bringing Whopper fans’ creativity to the forefront with the Million Dollar Whopper Contest, a campaign aimed at engaging customers and revitalizing the brand’s menu.
The contest invited Burger King enthusiasts to dream up their own Whopper creations. After receiving more than 1 million submissions, three fan-created variations made it to the finals, carefully selected with input from franchisees and tested for operational feasibility across various kitchen formats. Now, these unique takes on the Whopper are set to debut in Burger King locations across the U.S. on November 14.
Here are the choices:
- Fried Pickle Ranch Whopper – This creation, developed by a fan from California, combines flame-grilled beef with fried pickles, bacon, and a creamy pickle ranch sauce, complemented by Swiss cheese.
- Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper – Another fan-favorite from California, this Whopper takes a sweet-and-smoky approach with maple bourbon BBQ sauce, candied bacon, crispy onions, and jalapeños.
- Mexican Street Corn Whopper – Representing Nebraska, this Whopper infuses flavors of Mexican street corn with creamy corn spread, spicy queso, and crunchy tortilla crisps.
“We built several to try and then really relied on the culinary expertise of the team on which ones were the best,” said Burger King CMO Patrick O’Toole. “And then also they had to be on brand for the Whopper. … What you see on the Whopper is a flame-grilled patty, you have produce, and you have texture. It has to feel and taste like a Whopper. And we made sure that as we tried some that they met our guardrails.”
Burger King is encouraging customers to try each Whopper and vote for their favorite on the app or website, with one of the three creations eventually earning the Million Dollar Whopper title. The winning creator will receive the $1 million grand prize, while second and third-place finalists will take home $200,000 and $100,000, respectively.
The voting period runs through December 5.
“I think the big goal is really to drive trial of the Whopper or drive traffic into a restaurant,” O’Toole said. “So buzz is going to be one of the inputs that goes into that ultimately happening. We know we have an amazing burger and we know that because of the size, the flame-grilled taste, the quality ingredients. And we did a great job of getting the Whopper back top of mind in the U.S. with our jingle but we really didn’t talk about why it’s great and how ‘Have it Your Way’ can be brought to life through the Whopper.”
The Million Dollar Whopper Contest is also a way to connect with Royal Perks loyalty members, as evidenced by a significant spike in loyalty sign-ups during the contest. Burger King’s efforts to integrate consumer input at this level, from the contest to the voting process, reflects its strategic push toward personalization and increased loyalty.
“We feel great about our program, program dynamics, and setups from a competitive standpoint,” O’Toole said. “We feel great about our app. We’re always trying to improve it. We’re always trying to make sure that we are over-delivering on the guest experience that comes through not only our restaurants but for our guests that choose to come through our app and loyalty program.”
To spark excitement, beginning November 12, loyalty members can order an original Whopper for $1 via the app while supplies last.
Burger King is hoping the Whopper menu innovations can boost traffic after a tough Q3. U.S. comps slid 0.4 percent, and the chain’s gap versus the industry took a step back in August after several quarters of outperforming peers.
