Burger King to offer whopper of a breakfast sandwich

Burger King is about to thumb its nose at the food police — right at the breakfast table.

On Monday, the No. 2 fast-food chain launches its Enormous Omelet Sandwich. How enormous? For those counting: one sausage patty, two eggs, two American cheese slices and three strips of bacon. On a bun.

For those still counting, that's four layers of breakfast with 730 calories oozing 47 grams of fat. For about $2.99, depending on the market.

The move flies in the face of many of the industry's better-for-you new products in the past two years — from salads to fruit bowls to bunless burgers.

Sandwiches by the numbers
The nutritional contents of Burger King's Enormous and Western omelet sandwiches compared with the FDA's recommendations:
Enormous Omelet Western Omelet Daily Value*
Calories 730 320 2,000
Total fat 47 grams 17 grams 65 grams
Cholesterol 415 mg 200 mg 300 mg
Sodium 1,860 mg 1,130 mg 2,400 mg
* — recommended daily limit of a nutrient; fat, cholesterol and sodium amounts based on 2,000 calories per day.

Sources: Burger King, Food and Drug Administration

But few expect it to leave Burger King with egg on its face. The move plays right into an industry counter-trend that strongly appeals to the gut belief of fast-food's favorite, young male customers: Bigger is better.

"The critics will still label it food porn," says Sherri Daye Scott, editor at QSR, a fast-food industry trade magazine. "But the average male fast-food customer does not have a problem with this."

In fact, they love it. That's why the Monster Thickburger has been such a hit for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's. It's why Pizza Hut introduced its Full House XL Pizza. And it's why more are certain to follow. This could also make Burger King more of a player in the breakfast market, where it seriously lags behind McDonald's.

Morgan Spurlock, who ridiculed McDonald's in Super Size Me, says Burger King's new item, "should come with a $5-off coupon for your first angioplasty."

Nutritional experts are aghast. "Eating like this is a step on the way to a heart attack," says Fred Pescatore, author of The Hamptons Diet. "It's irresponsible."

Burger King says it's not irresponsible — it's a choice.

"There are plenty of options on our menu for anyone who wants to make sensible choices," says Denny Marie Post, chief concept officer.

Burger King introduced several salads in the past year and offers kids meals that substitute applesauce for fries and milk for soft drinks. It's also introducing a Western Omelet Croissan'wich with about half the calories and one-third the fat of the Enormous Omelet.

"We're about having it your way," says Post. "The guy who is a Whopper-head will find this appealing."

That's a male 16 to 24 years old, says Bob Sandelman, a restaurant researcher. A core of young men eat fast food 20 times a month, he says. With the Enormous Omelet Sandwich, "Burger King is going 180 degrees away from politically correct food," he says. Many young males "like that attitude and couldn't care less about nutrition." They just want to fill up — cheap.

Ask Andy Puzder. He's CEO of Hardee's and Carl's Jr., home of the 1,420-calorie Monster Thickburger. One year after the giant burger rolled out, same-store sales at the chain were up more than 7%, he says.

Why would anyone buy such a behemoth burger? That's easy, Puzder says: "Because they're good."