Burger King has two new additions to its Whopper Jr. lineup.
What are the new Whopper Jr. sandwiches?
Burger King has begun putting two new Whopper Jr. sandwiches on its menu across the United States. These two new Whopper Jr. sandwiches are as follows:
BBQ Bacon & Cheese Whopper Jr.
The BBQ Bacon & Cheese Whopper Jr. features a flame-grilled beef patty topped with crispy bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, pickles, sliced white onions, American cheese, and smoky BBQ sauce on a toasted sesame seed bun.
Bacon & Swiss Whopper Jr.
The Bacon & Swiss Whopper Jr., on the other hand, features a flame-grilled beef patty topped with crispy bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, pickles, sliced white onions, and Swiss cheese on a toasted sesame seed bun.
While there’s nothing really special about the two new Whopper Jr. sandwiches, adding bacon, a new sauce, and/or a different type of cheese has been a formula that works fairly well for Burger King.
In case you’re wondering, both Whopper Jr. sandwiches don’t have Whopper versions. Although you could technically upgrade the patty to the classic Whopper burger, the website The Street pointed out that the fast-food chain may not allow you to switch to the larger Whopper bun.
How many calories do the new Whopper Jr. sandwiches have?
The BBQ Bacon & Cheese Whopper Jr. has 390 calories. For some reason, the Bacon & Swiss Whopper Jr. has yet to be added to Burger King’s website, so its calorie count is not yet clear. For comparison, a regular Whopper Jr. has 330 calories.
Are the new Whopper Jr. sandwiches included in Burger King’s $5 Whopper Jr. Duo deal?
Yes, the BBQ Bacon & Cheese Whopper Jr. and the Bacon & Swiss Whopper Jr. are included in Burger King’s $5 Whopper Jr. Duo deal, which offers two Whopper Jr. sandwiches for just $5.
Other Whopper Jr. varieties included in the promotion are the regular Whopper Jr., Whopper Jr. with cheese, Whopper Jr. with bacon and cheese, and BBQ Bacon Whopper Jr.
A regular Whopper Jr. costs around $4.29, so the $5 Whopper Jr. Duo deal gives you the second Whopper Jr. for just 71 cents. The offer officially launched on May 18th, but some locations started offering the promotion as early as May 15th.
The launch of Burger King’s $5 Whopper Jr. also comes just a few days after the restaurant chain introduced a Spider-Man Whopper. Themed with the upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse movie, this Whopper variation is a cheeseburger with a red bun. It is available at participating Burger King locations across the United States through June 21st.
Who invented the Whopper Jr.?
Contrary to what some may assume, the Whopper and the Whopper Jr. were not introduced by Burger King at the same time.
The Whopper was invented by Jim McLamore, one of the founders of Burger King. He created the burger in 1957 as a way to compete with other fast-food restaurants that were selling larger burgers. The Whopper was an instant success, and it quickly became one of the most popular items on the Burger King menu.
The Whopper Jr., on the other hand, was invented by Luis Arenas-Pérez, a Burger King franchisee in Puerto Rico. In 1963, Arenas-Pérez was opening his first Burger King restaurant in Carolina, Puerto Rico, but the molds for the regular Whopper buns hadn’t arrived yet. Instead of delaying the opening, Arenas decided to use the smaller regular hamburger buns and top them with the same ingredients as the Whopper. The result was the Whopper Jr., which was a hit with customers and quickly became a menu staple at Burger King restaurants worldwide.
Arenas-Pérez was inducted into the Burger King Hall of Fame in 1999 for his contributions to the company. He served as the president and CEO of Burger King Puerto Rico from 1963 to 1999.