Whatever Happened To Burger King's Enormous Omelette Sandwich?
What better way to start off the day than with a hearty breakfast? Not just a plain bowl of cereal at home or a lukewarm cup of coffee at the office — we're talking about eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, biscuits, the works. Of course, you really can't get a big, filling breakfast nowadays, what with those hectic morning commutes and the go-go pace of today's modern world. Fortunately for us all, that most important meal of the day need not be sacrificed for convenience so long as you live near any fast food restaurant.
When we say "fast food breakfast," you may automatically think of McDonalds and their McMuffins, hotcakes, and fancy coffees. But how often do you consider McDonald's long-time rival Burger King for a quick breakfast bite? Having started serving breakfast as early as 1979 — a whole seven years after McDonalds, according to The Balance Small Business – Burger King offers a pretty big selection to get your morning munch on. The Crossian'wich, hash browns, and French toast sticks, are all very good choices. But perhaps, none were as willing to take on the challenge of being cheap and filling as the Enormous Omelette Sandwich. Launched in 2005 (via NBC) and stuffed with eggs, cheese, bacon, and sausage, the sandwich offered customers a three-course breakfast between two hoagie rolls.
These days, however, the sandwich is no longer on BK's regular menu. The reason for its downfall? A textbook case of being too big for your own good.
The Enormous Omelette Sandwich had more fat than the Whopper
One of the consequences of getting a quick and easy fast-food breakfast is that you know it may not be very healthy. Thus, it's unsurprising that the Enormous Omelette Sandwich was pretty unhealthy, clocking in at over 330 milligrams of cholesterol and 1,940 milligrams of sodium. The breakfast sandwich even beat out the Whopper by 30 calories, making this not only a sizable breakfast but also a pretty impressive BK meal overall.
Health-minded consumers voiced out their criticisms over such a "filling" meal. Penny Kris-Etherton, a professor of nutrition at Penn State, was quick to note the sandwich's high fat and sodium content, bluntly stating: "Americans do not need an Enormous Omelet Sandwich" (via CNN Money). Despite criticisms, Burger King defended the sandwich, claiming that it was an option for customers who wanted a truly hearty breakfast. "By expanding our indulgent breakfast sandwich menu, Burger King restaurants now offer even more alternatives for our guests who want a convenient and filling breakfast," explained Burger King's chief global marketing officer Russ Klein (via CBS News).
Although the sandwich started off popular and raised Burger King's breakfast sales by 20% (via CNBC), people eventually began to realize the sheer amount of fat and salt they were consuming, and the Enormous Omelette Sandwich slowly faded away. Still, although the Enormous Omelette Sandwich is no longer part of the menu, BK offers plenty of other sandwiches that'll get you out of bed.