Here in Massachusetts, we’re getting hit with ads for a Burger King test campaign, during which they’re serving “brunch” until 10:30 AM. The first problem here is that a real brunch doesn’t end at half past ten. The second, much bigger, problem is that nothing at Burger King could ever qualify as actual brunch food.
Hard-hitting news organization CNN has the full story on the Burger King Brunch menu. A breakfast sandwich made with scrambled egg, cheese, tomato, ham, bacon, and smoky tomato sauce is available. That’s sort of brunch-y, I guess. Also on sale is the Whopper, which normally can’t be purchased so early in the morning. Because nothing says brunch quite like a 670-calorie hamburger with 60% of your recommended daily allowance of fat in it.
Mmm-MMM! That’s brunchtastic!
Brunch is also known for its beverages, such as bloody marys and mimosas, so Burger King has added their own “BK Mimosa” to the menu. This version of the traditionally alcoholic cocktail actually contains Sprite instead of champagne. Of course, Burger King is very forthright about this in their ad:
See? I’m sure this disclaimer was placed during a shot of a scantily-clad woman by sheer coincidence. But you can see it. It’s right there, in tiny text under the hot blond in short shorts slurping on a…I’m sorry, what were we talking about?
At least one group besides early-morning alcoholics is up in arms about this bogus mimosa. The Marin Institute’s Michele Simon was quoted in an article in AdWeek:
“This normalizes to children at a young age the idea that drinking is fine to do, and something we do everywhere,” said Michele Simon, research and policy director for the Marin Institute, a watchdog group.
Perhaps that’s a problem, yes. It seems to me that there’s a bigger problem here worth raising though. You see, drinking alcohol once you’re 21 is fine to do. But drinking soda at 7 in the damned morning? That’s never ok.
