Over the years, fast food restaurants have launched many ads and promotions to garner attention for their newest menu items. Not all of them have had the success they were hoping for, in fact – these 7 promotions ended up backfiring, doing more harm than good to these fast food brands reputations.
Without further adieu, here are the 7 worst offenders:
7. McDonald’s “Super Size” Debacle
McDonald’s once offered a ‘super size’ option, which significantly increased the portion size of their meals. However, after the 2004 documentary “Super Size Me” showcased the health risks associated with consuming these enormous meals, the promotion turned into a PR nightmare.
6. Burger King’s “Whopper Sacrifice”
Public backlash led to McDonald’s discontinuing the ‘super size’ option in 2004, stating it was an effort to simplify their menu and promote healthier choices.
In 2009, Burger King launched a promotion on Facebook, asking users to ‘unfriend’ 10 people to get a free Whopper. The campaign, known as “Whopper Sacrifice,” was intended to highlight the value of the Whopper over online friendships.
However, it resulted in a significant public backlash for promoting negative online behavior, leading Facebook to disable the application.
5. Domino’s “30 Minutes or It’s Free” Guarantee
Domino’s Pizza in the 1980s implemented a “30 minutes or it’s free” policy, promising customers that their pizzas would arrive within half an hour or they wouldn’t have to pay.
The campaign, however, backfired when drivers, in their rush to meet the deadline, were involved in traffic accidents. The policy was discontinued in the ’90s due to a series of lawsuits claiming reckless driving.
4. Starbucks’ “Race Together” Campaign
In 2015, Starbucks attempted to initiate conversations about race in America with their “Race Together” campaign, where baristas were encouraged to write “Race Together” on cups and engage customers in discussions about racial issues.
However, the campaign was seen as a tone-deaf corporate attempt to address a deeply complex issue, leading to widespread criticism on social media. Starbucks ended the campaign prematurely in response to the backlash.
3. McDonald’s “Arch Deluxe” Flop
In 1996, McDonald’s launched the Arch Deluxe, a burger specifically marketed towards adults, in an attempt to reach a more mature audience. Despite a $150 million advertising campaign, the Arch Deluxe was a failure.
Customers found the product and its ‘sophisticated’ marketing campaign confusing, ultimately sticking with their classic favorites.
2. KFC’s “Chicken Tuesday” Chaos
In 2019, KFC in the UK ran a promotion offering nine pieces of chicken for £5.99 ($7.68) every Tuesday. However, the company hadn’t anticipated the overwhelming response and found itself unable to cope with the surge in demand. Many stores ran out of chicken, leading to disgruntled customers and negative publicity.
1. Quiznos’ Million Sub Giveaway
Quiznos attempted to boost its customer base with a 2009 promotion offering a million free subs. However, the campaign was poorly handled. Many customers who signed up for the promotion never received their coupons for a free sub, while some franchises refused to honor the coupons that were distributed.
The promotion led to customer frustration, bad press, and a lawsuit marking it as a significant failure.
Know When To Fold Them
These promotional failures serve as important case studies for marketing and business strategies. They highlight the importance of understanding consumer behavior, carefully considering the possible repercussions of a campaign, and adequately preparing for the outcomes of a successful promotion.
They also emphasize that sensitive topics, like race relations, are often best left out of corporate campaigns unless handled with utmost care and genuine intention.
