Burger King Responds to the Ad Driving the Mental Health Community Crazy: "We Respect All Our Guests." (Even the Crazies.)

steakhouse.jpg
Crazy for you, Steakhouse.
In this era of sagging fast-food sales and campaigns to RetireRonald.com, burger chains aren't having the easiest of times these days. Burger King is getting its turn to squirm this week with backlash against its ad for the new Steakhouse burger priced at the insanely low price of $3.99. In the spot, the Burger King himself is tackled by men in white coats and called "crazy" for offering such a great deal.

"I was stunned. Absolutely stunned and appalled," Michael Fitzpatrick, executive director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness told the Washington Post, calling the ad "blatantly offensive."

A spokesperson for Burger King emailed to say that the company "values and respects all of its guests." (Even the crazies, you mean?) And went on to say:

"The ads in discussion were intended to highlight the premium value and affordability of the Burger King Steakhouse XT burger line. The creative concepts used to bring this to life were meant to highlight the King's unchecked enthusiasm about giving his guests a Steakhouse-quality sandwich at a great price and were not intended to reflect any group or situation."

Click through to witness the madness.


Have a restaurant tip or other food-related news? Send it to fork@villagevoice.com.


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