20 Slices of Cheese Without Meat... Burger King's 'Cheese Bomb Burger'

NYT·CNN "Fast Food Chain Strategy"
Attracting Consumers with Exciting New Menu Items

A 'Real Cheeseburger' topped with 20 slices of cheese on a hamburger bun has been released in Thailand, causing a sensation.

According to major foreign media on the 15th, Burger King Thailand launched a new hamburger menu featuring only 20 slices of square cheese on a hamburger bun, without meat patties, pickles, or sauce. The price is 109 baht (about 4,000 won).

Burger King Thailand promoted the Real Cheeseburger on Facebook on the 9th, saying, "This is not a joke, it's real." This menu was sold temporarily until the 13th.

Consumers who tasted the hamburger made only of bread and cheese poured out harsh criticism. One consumer said, "It was too much," and "I could only eat half." Another consumer criticized, "There is no sauce, no patty," and called it "the worst hamburger I have ever eaten."

This is not the first time Burger King Thailand has released provocative menu items. In January this year, they introduced a chocolate hamburger bun and French fries with chocolate sauce.

The news of the Real Cheeseburger release, which became a hot topic in Thailand, was widely covered by foreign media such as the New York Times (NYT) and CNN in the United States. Foreign media analyzed that the somewhat absurd new menu release beyond the novelty level is a marketing strategy of fast-food chains. The NYT reported this news, stating, "Fast-food chains have long relied on the strategy of presenting shocking food menus to attract new customers." CNN also reported that global fast-food chains often launch new menus through social networking services (SNS) to catch consumers' attention.

In fact, KFC released the 'Double Down' sandwich in March this year, which places two pieces of chicken instead of hamburger buns on the top and bottom, with cheese, bacon, and sauce in between. After temporarily offering the menu twice in 2010 and 2014 and gaining great popularity, the same menu was temporarily sold again this time. Earlier, Dunkin' Donuts also launched a breakfast sandwich by cutting their signature sweet glazed donut in half and putting egg and bacon inside.

As news of the 'Cheese Bomb Burger' spread worldwide mainly through SNS, Burger King Thailand is evaluated to have certainly succeeded in 'noise marketing.'

Eric Surbano, who works at the media company Lifestyle Asia, said, "That sandwich, which tastes like nothing, shocks the digestive system," and "if it’s not viral marketing, I don’t know why Burger King released this menu."