Burger King proposes making 'McWhopper' with McDonald's

Aamer Madhani | USA TODAY

Burger King has proposed to McDonald’s that the two fast-food chains come together to make “The McWhopper.”

In a full-page advertisement published Wednesday in the Chicago Tribune and The New York Times, Miami-based Burger King says the two rivals should call a one-day cease-fire in the “burger wars” to make a sandwich that combines elements of the Big Mac and the Whopper, the two chains’ signature burgers.

Burger King says the McWhopper would be sold for one day at a pop-up store in Atlanta, and sales would benefit Peace One Day, a non-profit organization campaigning to raise awareness of the United Nations-recognized Peace Day of Sept. 21.

“Let’s make history and generate a lot of noise around Peace Day. If they say no, we’ll hopefully have, at the very least, raised much-needed financial support and consciousness for the great cause that is Peace One Day,” Fernando Machado, senior vice president for global brand management at Burger King, said in a statement.

McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook responded to Burger King via a public letter, shared on social media, that McDonald’s executives “love the intention but think our two brands could do something bigger to make a difference.”

He did not directly address if McDonald’s would commit to the idea of a making a McWhopper.

“We commit to raise awareness worldwide, perhaps you’ll join us in a meaningful global effort?” Easterbrook said in the response, which was provided by McDonald’s. “And every day, let's acknowledge that between us there is simply a friendly business competition and certainly not the unequaled circumstances of the real pain and suffering of war.”

Easterbrook added, “P.S. A simple phone call will do next time.”

Burger King might not be the first to come up with the idea of the Big Mac/Whopper mashup. The YouTube food critic Daymon Patterson combined the two burgers for a video in June and gave the Franken burger a rave review.

Follow Aamer Madhani on Twitter: @AamerISmad