Fast-food giant Burger King is marking Pride Month with a new version of its signature product.
At the chain’s location in Austria, customers have the choice to order a whopper with two top buns or two bottoms.
Sandwiches are also being sold in rainbow wrapping printed with the saying “We are all the same inside.”
The “Pride Whopper” honors “the LGBTQI+ community [who] celebrates their freedom and works for recognition and equality in society,” according to a translation of Burger King’s press release. The identical buns are “for equal love & equal rights.”
“We are setting an example for individuality and freedom and stand for a respectful interaction with each other,” said Burger King Austria. “Equal rights. Empathy. Understanding. No matter where you are from, no matter who you love, no matter what you look like or what you believe in: #TimeToBeProud.”
The company added that the matching buns do not “just mean same-sex love” as “the PRIDE WHOPPER ® breaded the same way symbolizes all possible love constellations.”
Customers cannot choose which combination, two bottom or two top buns, they get when ordering a Whopper.
Besides the bun, the Whopper is in no way altered or changed from the regular recipe and is available until June 20.
Burger King has planned marketing campaigns and philanthropic efforts around Pride months in the past. In June of 2021, the company vowed to donate 40 cents of every Ch’King Sandwich sold to the Human Right Campaign. The company capped the donation at $250,000.
Although the company never confirmed, the entire stunt push may have represented a dig at Chick-fil-A, whose founder, S. Truett Cathy, was a devout Southern Baptist who included Christian values in the company’s mission statement. The company has been accused of supporting anti-LGBTQ sentiment by donating to The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Salvation Army, and the Paul Anderson Youth Home.
Burger King said the 2021 chicken sandwich promotion would be available “even on Sundays,” possibly a reference to Chik-fil-A’s policy of closing on Sundays.
The same-bun “Pride Whopper” is not currently available in the United States.
Burger King is not the only fast-food chain marking pride month this year.
“We’re thrilled to hit the streets in McDonald’s hometown of Chicago by hosting a float in the city’s annual Pride Parade on Sunday, June 26,” McDonald’s said in a statement on June 1. “We hope to see you there!”
McDonald's noted its values “hinge on inclusion and integrity, meaning we open our doors to everyone and we do the right thing.”
“We strive to maintain inclusive workplaces for LGBTQ+ employees and their allies,” the burger chain said. “It’s why we’re so proud to achieve the highest possible ranking on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index, which has earned us a spot on the list of ‘Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality’ for seven consecutive years.”
It included a list of benefits it offers its LGBT employees including “a queer- and trans-led LGBTQ+ Concierge Health team from Included Health for guidance, advocacy and support” for those enrolled in its corporate health care plan as well as “inclusive parental leave.”
McDonald’s also offers employees “coverage and support for gender reassignment surgery” and “paid time away or short-term disability … during recovery.”
Wendy’s changed its logo – which features a red-haired, freckled girl on a red background – to the blue, white and pink colors used to represent transgenderism. However, the Ohio-based company has not released a public statement regarding Pride Month.
It also launched its strawberry frosty on June 6, although the product is marketed as a summer release rather than a limited edition pride product.
