Burger King has sparked a debate after launching a meat-free burger with a whopping 20 slices of cheese. The "intense" burger is currently only available in Thailand - but interest in it has piqued all over the world as fast-food lovers debate whether it's a joke or not.
Named the "real cheeseburger", the entire burger consists of just 20 slices of American cheese inside a sesame seed bun - with no sauce or other dressings. Announcing the burger on Facebook, a statement from Burger King Thailand reads: "Not for fun, this is for real! Real cheeseburger from Burger King! Carrying up to 20 slices of American cheese! The cheeseburgers scream! Those who press Like admin will be grumpy if they don't order."
It's available until August 20 at a reduced price of 109 Thai baht ($3.10 or £2.40) at participating branches. But if 20 slices isn't enough cheese, customers can add another two for just 20 Thai baht. (57c or 44p).
Tucking into the burger in Bangkok today, Thanaporn Chatcharaporn, 26, said: 'It's very, very salty. Almost too salty to eat. The smell is also very strong. At the first bite, it gave me goosebumps, but I couldn't finish the whole thing. I wanted to try it just to see what it was like.'
But she isn't the only one who has shared her thoughts on the new burger, as one social media user said: "I like it very much. Very satisfied. I am your target group." Another user added: "For real?" A third user said: "So much cheese. Only cheese. Cheese lovers will be satisfied." One more user added: "This has to be a joke."
It comes after Burger King closed the most US stores in its recent history, according to CEO Josh Kobza, with the company usually only closing a couple of hundred branches annually. According to its earnings release, the iconic chain has already shut 124 locations in the year up to March across the US.
Although there are plans to shut 300 to 400 restaurants, not all of them will shut, according to Mr Kobza, who admitted there is "a fair degree of uncertainty" around the plans but admits the proposed closures are a 'historic high.' He says sales figures have fluctuated between different Burger King stores across the US but the company is seeking to find additional franchisees this year.
Chairman Patrick Doyle said: "There will always be a minority [of franchisees] who aren’t dedicated, enthusiastic operators. We’ll work with them to leave the system and move on to do something else. "There simply is no room for franchisees who are not willing or able to work hard to operate restaurants that are better than the system average over the long term."
Despite the fast-food chain having better-than-expected sales in the first quarter, the axing of the stores is being made to "improve the overall health of the system." Mr Kobza said: "If they can't, we have operators ready to step in and do what's required. We're feeling increasingly positive about the case path forward this year and into the future."
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