Burger King wants you to know that it’s OK to feel, that it’s just fine for your state of mind to be something other than “happy.”

To promote this message, the fast food chain has launched its “Real Meals” campaign, which is both timed to coincide with Mental Health Month and an obvious dig at McDonald’s Happy Meals.

A commercial (see clip below), which debuted on social media Wednesday, shows people — mainly millennials and younger — expressing various states of mind that don’t necessarily fall into the “happy” category. (“I can’t believe my student loan,” says one man in the rhyming spot. “I’m never moving out of my parents’ home.”)

“No one is happy all the time,” the ad says, directing viewers to the website for the nonprofit Mental Health America. “And that’s OK.”

The Real Meals selection, which is a collaboration with Mental Health America, includes the “blue” meal, the “yaaas” meal, “DGAF” meal, the “salty” meal and the “pissed” meal. Customers get a Whopper, fries and a drink.

not sure who needed to hear this today, but it’s ok not to be happy all the time. all that matters is that you #FeelYourWay. https://t.co/vPmy1sT0cC pic.twitter.com/XmF0GvMjCg — Burger King (@BurgerKing) May 1, 2019

But the rollout of the campaign — dubbed “Feel Your Way” — drew criticism that gained momentum on Thursday.

Many objected to the commodification of mental illness and the company’s decision to equate struggles with depression with a colored box of fast food. Others simply roasted the concept.

Here’s just a sampling of the backlash and mockery that ensued.

Brands: [consistently get in trouble for tweeting about mental illness]



Burger King: DO YOU EVER FEEL SAD — sarah schauer 🦂 (@SJSchauer) May 2, 2019

health insurance becoming more expensive because you indicated you were predisposed to depression by buying the sad burger king meal — Jack Koloskus (@koloskus) May 2, 2019

Just punched a hole in my wall thinking about all the money I could have saved last year by just having Burger King instead of having to go to the psychiatric hospital — Your Grace (@GraceSpelman) May 2, 2019

Fast Food Employee: Hello there. How may I help you?

Me: I’m dead inside. I can’t keep going on like this ...

Fast Food Employee: Sir, this is Wendy’s. I think you are looking for Burger King across the street.



See, kids. I am hip with the trends. Just like the folks over at Bu https://t.co/sJ235a4haF — Will Ashton (@thewillofash) May 3, 2019

PATIENT: I wish I was happy all the time but I am not

DOCTOR: have you tried enjoying an affordable burger

PATIENT: but doctor...I am the Burger King — “waterslide attorney” keith wemple is a WIFE THIEF (@KrangTNelson) May 2, 2019

hi yes burger king? i'll have the "can't satisfy a woman" whopper and a large fry. thanks. thanks for understanding. — Law Boy, Esq. (@The_Law_Boy) May 2, 2019

Hello I would like to order one “catastrophically horny meal”



ma’am this is a wendy’s... burger king is down the street heyyyo — Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) May 2, 2019

this is what happens when there’s a great pissedness running through the nation but all our culture is snappy dialogue and CGI. no nu metal, no drywall punching, so it falls to Burger King. no one is happy with this solution https://t.co/ARKBce8AMV — sending sexy SMSes to my ex’s new man (@ByYourLogic) May 2, 2019

burger king just include two orders of french fries in every real meal u can not get more real than that burger king https://t.co/PpCi9E2vRt — darth™ (@darth) May 2, 2019

Dear Burger King,



Do you have a Snitty Meal? — Myrna Tellingheusen (@PearlsFromMyrna) May 2, 2019

Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.

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