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Burger King is adding fuel to the fast-food fire with a hot new summer menu item.
Its new Loaded Jalapeño Whopper promises plenty of heat, but some burger lovers say the chain’s latest creation is little more than a spicy copy of a Wendy’s sandwich.
Earlier this week, Burger King announced three seasonal food additions, including the Jalapeño Whopper, a limited-time sandwich topped with American cheese, crispy jalapeños, pickled jalapeños and a creamy jalapeño sauce.
“As the weather heats up, we know our Guests are craving for fun flavors that they experience and share,” boasted Joel Yashinsky, chief marketing officer for Burger King US and Canada. “These new limited-time menu items deliver the type of innovation Guests have been asking for, and we’re continuing to listen and give them what they want.”
But the fiery burger, which the chain says delivers the spicy kick guests have been asking for, has a strikingly similar profile to Wendy’s recently debuted burger.
That chain’s Jalapeño Ranch Cheeseburger, which returned to menus this spring, also features beef, American cheese, pickled jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, and a creamy spicy sauce. The biggest difference? Wendy’s uses “jalapeño ranch,” while Burger King opted for a “creamy jalapeño spread.”
But pulling a fast one on fast-food enthusiasts wasn’t likely, and fans were quick to brand the Whopper iteration as Burger King’s response to Wendy’s.
The new sandwich arrives just months after Burger King made its first major changes to the classic Whopper in nearly a decade, upgrading the bun, mayonnaise and packaging after customer feedback.
“Tried the Loaded Jalapeño Whopper today,” critiqued one Reddit user. “A decent effort, but still just mid-tier. The Jalapeños were good, the “crispy jalapeño mix” was fine, I was barely able to detect the sauce at all. I really wish they had gone for some pepper jack cheese and a better sauce for this one. I think it is pretty much on par with the jalapeño ranch burger at Wendy’s.”
Others called it out more bluntly.
“Ngl if y’all want back in the game you gonna have to match Wendys food quality. Frozen slop ain’t it no more,” wrote one heated X user.
But despite the copy-cat claims, Burger King has been known for making some sizzling versions in the past — ones that still have fans in a chokehold.
The Angry Whopper was first introduced in 2008 and featured melted habanero cheese, bacon and fresh jalapeño slices with spicy onion petals, topped with Angry sauce. Over the years, BK has brought back the fan favorite for a limited time, but this is the one that the internet clings to.
Other fast-food chains have made spicy iterations like Carl’s Jr. and Jack in the Box, so it’s not exactly an out-of-left-field addition on Burger King’s part.
For burger lovers, the winner may come down to taste.
Burger King’s latest Whopper certainly packs a kick. The bigger question, according to critics, is whether the chain cooked up something new — or simply reheated Wendy’s recipe.
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