Burger King will pay $1 million to fan with the best Whopper idea

Joseph Lamour
·3 min read
11

Burger King is crowdsourcing its next million-dollar idea.

On Feb. 5, the fast-food chain announced the Million Dollar Whopper Contest, which asks fans to submit the ingredients in their ideal Whopper for the chance to win $1 million and have their creation sold in stores nationwide for a limited time.

Burger King’s Million Dollar Whopper Contest runs until March 17. (Burger King)
Burger King’s Million Dollar Whopper Contest runs until March 17. (Burger King)

“The flame-grilled Whopper currently offers more than 200,000 possible customized combinations, but if you’ve ever wanted to top the flavorful burger with savory sensations or sweet and sour showstoppers, then your moment to shine has officially arrived,” Burger King wrote in a press release.

Here’s how the contest works:

  • Visit Burger King Million Dollar Whopper page or the BK App to create and submit your creation now through March 17 at 11:59 p.m. ET using your Royal Perks account. You must be a Royal Perks member to enter.

  • Follow the prompts to submit your Whopper sandwich concept, which can feature between three and eight toppings.

  • After submitting your Million Dollar Whopper idea contest entry via a snazzy text-based module, an image of your completed concept will be generated by artificial intelligence.

  • While previewing, you may add a personalized AI-generated jingle as well as a thematic background. The final image or video of your Whopper can then be downloaded and shared across social media platforms.

  • You may submit up to three contest entries.

  • Check out the contest’s official rules here.

An example burger idea on the contest page. (Burger King)
An example burger idea on the contest page. (Burger King)

Later this year, three Whopper sandwich creations will be selected by contest judges, then the three finalists will be invited to Burger King headquarters in Miami, Florida where they’ll be able to fine-tune their concepts before they appear on menus nationwide for a limited time later in the year.

In something that sounds like “American Idol: Burger Edition,” customers will then have a chance to try out the three final Whopper creations and vote on their favorite Million Dollar Whopper. The finalist who receives the most votes takes home $1 million.

Whether or not you take home the prize, your first entry will earn you a free Whopper with a $1 purchase, available at participating U.S. restaurants and redeemable in the BK App.

“Burger King is all about Having It Your Way, and this contest is a true embodiment of that. More than 50% of Guests customize their Whopper sandwich, and now, the possibilities of what those customizations include are endless,” said Pat O’Toole, chief marketing officer, in a press release.

The contest has already inspired a chatter on social media, with folks sharing their creative ideas on TikTok, X and Reddit.

I even joined in on the fun, creating a burger that included cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and a fried egg, among other accoutrements. Whether that’ll net me $1 million is anyone’s guess.

My million dollar idea? Maybe! (Burger King / Joseph Lamour)
My million dollar idea? Maybe! (Burger King / Joseph Lamour)

Created more than 67 years ago, the original Whopper has gone through its fair share of creative iterations, from the Angry Whopper to the Ghost Pepper Whopper, and the Green Bay Whopper to the Impossible Whopper — and many more.

Also, on Feb. 17 and 18, Burger King fans in the Los Angeles area can visit “Million Dollar Whopper World” at the Santa Monica Pier. In addition to merch, the pop-up experience promises will allow people to sample a California-inspired Whopper sandwich or create their own Million Dollar Whopper Contest-inspired sandwich using a number of ingredients that can’t be found in-restaurant — for now, at least.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com