Burger King "Medium" or "Large"

[Guest greatness]

I can't believe Burger King is using a deceptive tactic to increase their revenue. I went there today and when the cashier asked whether I want "Medium" or "Large". I asked for a small combo. I know Burger King is bought by a private equity company. I hope they don't mess with people's food though.

[seeker630]

I can't believe Burger King is using a deceptive tactic to increase their revenue. I went there today and when the cashier asked whether I want "Medium" or "Large". I asked for a small combo. I know Burger King is bought by a private equity company. I hope they don't mess with people's food though.

I'm not a BK regular so I'm not sure what's changed? Most franchsies avoid the word 'small' - does BK really have anything smaller than 'medium'?

Is this any different from coffee shops where the smallest size is 'Tall'?

 

Update: ok - I've done my homework & now realize that they have 'small' fries, so I understand they were steering you to larger sizes.

[instudiocity]

I can't believe Burger King is using a deceptive tactic to increase their revenue. I went there today and when the cashier asked whether I want "Medium" or "Large". I asked for a small combo. I know Burger King is bought by a private equity company. I hope they don't mess with people's food though.

Same old game different verse - it's called 'up-selling' and I did it in the movie theater concession stand 30 years ago. Remember when Starbucks has a Short, Tall and Grande? Now it's Tall, Grande, Venti and now, Trenta - a 31-ouncer that's 916 millilters which is larger than the human stomach's "average" 900 milliliter capacity. But you can still get a 'Short' at Starbucks, if you ask for it and you're willing to wait for them to 'find' the little cups.

[+ Gar1eth]

I can't believe Burger King is using a deceptive tactic to increase their revenue. I went there today and when the cashier asked whether I want "Medium" or "Large". I asked for a small combo. I know Burger King is bought by a private equity company. I hope they don't mess with people's food though.

 

Greatness,

 

This kind of advertising has been going on for years. The 1st time I remember coming across it was when I was 12 ( a loooong time ago). My older sister had just obtained her 1st 'real' job working behind the candy counter at a movie theatre. She told me-- and I remember being fascinated at the time- that when they were training her, if a customer asked for a soft drink or popcorn, she was supposed to reply,"Medium or Large?" totally forgetting poor "Small". I was impressed enough by this neat sales marketing technique that I still remember her telling me this 38 years after the fact.

 

Gman

[josephga]

I always go for the large i tend to forget there's a small or medium

[Guest greatness]

They do have small for 50 cents less.

 

I'm not a BK regular so I'm not sure what's changed? Most franchsies avoid the word 'small' - does BK really have anything smaller than 'medium'?

Is this any different from coffee shops where the smallest size is 'Tall'?

[Guest greatness]

Well my local Burger King wasn't like this until recently. I know they got sold and they want to make money. The picture behind the counter reads go medium for 50 cents more or larger for a dollar more. They totally ignore small.

 

Greatness,

 

This kind of advertising has been going on for years. The 1st time I remember coming across it was when I was 12 ( a loooong time ago). My older sister had just obtained her 1st 'real' job working behind the candy counter at a movie theatre. She told me-- and I remember being fascinated at the time- that when they were training her, if a customer asked for a soft drink or popcorn, she was supposed to reply,"Medium or Large?" totally forgetting poor "Small". I was impressed enough by this neat sales marketing technique that I still remember her telling me this 38 years after the fact.

 

Gman

[Luv2play]

And you wonder why there is an obesity epidemic in North America???

[Guest greatness]

You mean the same thing happens in Canada too? When I visited last time their portion at a fast food restaurant was much smaller than the US? Is it just me?

 

And you wonder why there is an obesity epidemic in North America???

[+ deej]

Well my local Burger King wasn't like this until recently.

 

Perhaps their less-than-exemplary marketing at point of sale is why BK is on a list I read today of 10 corporations that *should* be on the rebound but aren't.

[nate_sf]

My very first job was at a Haagen-Dazs store when I was 16. When people ordered their cone, we were trained to ask "will that be a double?" Nearly half would hesitate for a moment, then answer "yes." Classic upselling!

 

So what's worse... a double Haagen-Dazs ice cream cone, or a large order of BK fries? I'm afraid of the answer :-)

[+ glutes]

KMEM upselling!

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6a/Super_Size_Me_Poster.jpg/220px-Super_Size_Me_Poster.jpg

[+ kontor1]

I can't believe Burger King is using a deceptive tactic to increase their revenue. I went there today and when the cashier asked whether I want "Medium" or "Large". I asked for a small combo. I know Burger King is bought by a private equity company. I hope they don't mess with people's food though.

 

They sure as hell messed with my food in 2008... Flying back to SFO (at that time I lived there) from LAS and at the McCarran airport I got food poisoning from their burger... It had one major advantage... I never EVER eat fast food again... which is pretty healthy for my future

[leigh.bess.toad]

All I know is that, believe it or not the highest calorie count item on the Mcdonald's menu is their large (32 ounce) triple thick shake. It's about 1100 calories. A meal of a big mac, large fries and a large triple thick shake has 2150 calories -- more than the daily needs of most americans in one meal.

 

Does anybody have the number for the American Diabetes Association because we need to tell them their work has just begun. 2150 calories in one meal. 80 grams of fat -- 125 % of your daily recommended intake. Truly, truly frightening.

[KMEM]

gloats-

 

I think most people recognize you for the boor and bore that you really are.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[+ glutes]

Thank you Brother KMEM! At least you didn 't call me a boar...

[leigh.bess.toad]

So what's worse... a double Haagen-Dazs ice cream cone, or a large order of BK fries? I'm afraid of the answer :-)

 

Unfortunately, the Haagen-Dazs is the worst. Probably a good 600-800 calories depending on who's serving, but the french fries are about 500 probably. Of course the Haagen=Dazs is better nutritionally than the fries. Not great, but better at least.

 

IMHO

[nate_sf]

Unfortunately, the Haagen-Dazs is the worst. Probably a good 600-800 calories depending on who's serving, but the french fries are about 500 probably. Of course the Haagen=Dazs is better nutritionally than the fries. Not great, but better at least.

 

IMHO

 

:-) I knew there would be someone here who would know the answer! Many thanks. Now if we're talking about cheese fries... oh no, don't want to go there, these calorie counts are all pretty scary!

[AdamSmith]

I hope they don't mess with people's food though.

 

I like BK and eat there, but I don't know I would go so far as to call their product "food."

 

However ... http://darrengarnick.wordpress.com/2009/08/08/julia_child_in_the_cia/

[Guest greatness]

I bet it's not that bad since a hot guy like you eat there too. I should go there more but specify that I just want a kid's meal.

 

I like BK and eat there, but I don't know I would go so far as to call their product "food."

 

However ... http://darrengarnick.wordpress.com/2009/08/08/julia_child_in_the_cia/

[Mark450]

Yes I hate that they changed the sizing. It's very deceptive. On the drive thru menu they don't even mention a small size. I also remember when McDonald's small fries came in a little paper pouch, not the current cardboard container. I think I just seriously dated myself :-)

[+ deej]

Yes I hate that they changed the sizing. It's very deceptive. On the drive thru menu they don't even mention a small size. I also remember when McDonald's small fries came in a little paper pouch, not the current cardboard container. I think I just seriously dated myself :-)

 

McDonald's small fries STILL come in a paper pouch, but you have to explicitly order SMALL FRIES. If you just order fries, they default to medium. Small is an exception.

 

This isn't the only place you need to be careful what you order, guys. If you like your coffee black, you'd better specify it that way in NYC. Otherwise you'll end up with "coffee regular", which is with sugar and milk.

[Guest verymarried]

Does anyone remember the old Burger King joke where the guy tells the check out person "I have Burger King underwear on...home of the whopper"

[bostonman]

Same old game different verse - it's called 'up-selling' and I did it in the movie theater concession stand 30 years ago. Remember when Starbucks has a Short, Tall and Grande? Now it's Tall, Grande, Venti and now, Trenta - a 31-ouncer that's 916 millilters which is larger than the human stomach's "average" 900 milliliter capacity. But you can still get a 'Short' at Starbucks, if you ask for it and you're willing to wait for them to 'find' the little cups.

 

Same kind of thing at Dunkin' Donuts. I remember back 20 years ago or so, they had an extra big coffee size called "The Big One" - and it was a big styrofoam cup, different than the small/medium/large sizes that were in cardboard cups. Now, that same styrofoam cup is called a "medium." (They still offer a "small" in a cardboard cup, but I'm not sure what size it corresponds to from the old days - I don't think it was the old "large" - maybe the old "medium.")

 

And though I'm a devoted Starbucks guy, lol, I have to say that I wish everyone would just stick to terms like small/medium/large instead of alternates like tall/grande/venti etc. It's just confusing when you go from one place to another. (For instance, I will usually get a "grande bold" at Starbucks, but a "medium dark roast" at Dunkin. But many times I've gone into Starbucks and ordered a "grande dark" and of course they know I mean "bold" - so why don't they just call it dark instead? lol)

 

The worst is Cold Stone (ice cream), which instead of small/medium/large sizes, offers something like "like it"/"love it"/"gotta have it" sizes. Just too cutesy for me. (And cumbersome to say - like..."I'll have a 'gotta have it' chocolate cone"?? nah, too many words to juggle for a simple order...) I've always used small/medium/large when ordering there, and no one ever corrects me - which again leads me to ask why they go for the cutesy terms instead of just being normal, lol.

[Guest greatness]

Aww

 

That is so cute.. I love cutesy terms...

 

"I'll have a 'gotta have it' chocolate cone"?? nah, too many words to juggle for a simple order...) I've always used small/medium/large when ordering there, and no one ever corrects me - which again leads me to ask why they go for the cutesy terms instead of just being normal, lol.