Burger King fish sandwiches facts for kids
The BK Big Fish sandwich
|
|
| Nutritional value per 1 sandwich (188.35 g) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 510 kcal (2,100 kJ) |
|
51g
|
|
| Sugars | 7g |
| Dietary fiber | 2g |
|
28g
|
|
| Saturated | 4.5g |
| Trans | 0g |
|
Protein
|
16g
|
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Sodium |
79%
1180 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| cholesterol | 30mg |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Did you know that fast-food chains like Burger King and Hungry Jack's (which is Burger King in Australia) have been selling fish sandwiches for a long time? Since 1975, they've offered different kinds of fish sandwiches. The very first one was called the Whaler. It was made to compete with the Filet-O-Fish sandwich from their rival, McDonald's.
Over the years, Burger King's fish sandwich has changed its name and recipe many times. In 1978, it became the Long Fish sandwich as part of a new line of "Specialty Sandwiches." Later, it went back to being called the Whaler. When Burger King introduced its grilled chicken sandwich, the BK Broiler, the fish sandwich changed again and was named the Ocean Catch Fish fillet.
In 2002, the fish sandwich got another makeover and was renamed the BK Big Fish sandwich. By 2015, it had even more changes and was known as the BK Fish and Premium Alaskan Fish Sandwich. Today, it's usually sold as the BK Big Fish sandwich in the United States and Canada. In other countries, you might find it called the BK Fish, BK Fish'n Crisp burger, Fish King, or Fish Royale.
Burger King doesn't offer many different types of fish sandwiches. However, they sometimes create special versions for different countries to match local tastes. During the Christian religious period called Lent, Burger King often brings out limited-time (LTO) fish sandwiches with different ingredients.
Even though the sandwich itself has never caused big problems, there was a time when some people called for a boycott of Burger King. This happened because the company bought fish from suppliers in Iceland, a country that was involved in whaling. This was despite an international agreement from 1982 that aimed to stop whaling.
The Story of the Fish Sandwich
The first fish sandwich from Burger King was called The Whaler. It started appearing on menus in some places in the mid-1960s and was available across the country by the mid-1970s. Ads for it used the slogan The Genuine Burger King Fish-steak Sandwich. It was a small fish sandwich with tartar sauce and lettuce on a sesame-seed bun.
In 1978, the sandwich changed. It got a longer bun and was renamed the "Long Fish Sandwich." This was part of Burger King's new "Specialty Sandwich" collection. But soon after, the sandwich went back to its original recipe and name.
When Burger King launched its grilled chicken sandwich, the BK Broiler, they also updated the fish sandwich. They changed its breading to a panko style and used the same oatmeal-dusted bun as the BK Broiler. With these changes, the sandwich was renamed the Ocean Catch fish sandwich.
Big Fish, New Buns
Later, when Burger King made its BK Broiler chicken sandwich bigger and served it on a Whopper bun, they did the same for the Ocean Catch. It became the BK Big Fish. This new fish sandwich had a larger fish patty and was also served on a Whopper bun. Besides the bigger size, the other ingredients stayed the same.
Burger King then replaced the BK Big Fish with a smaller sandwich called the BK Fish. This happened when they introduced their Chicken Baguette sandwiches. The new BK Fish sandwich was very similar to the original Whaler, but it also had a slice of American cheese. In 2005, the BK Big Fish came back when Burger King changed its grilled chicken sandwich again to the TenderGrill chicken sandwich.
In 2012, the BK Big Fish was updated once more. It got a bakery-style bun and was renamed the Premium Alaskan Fish Sandwich in the United States. Starting in 2015, the sandwich's recipe went back to how it was in 1978, during the "Specialty Sandwich Line" era. This time, pickles were added. Its name was changed again to the Extra Long Fish Sandwich. However, the BK Big Fish name is still used in Canada and other countries.
Advertising the Fish Sandwich
Burger King has used different advertisements to promote its fish sandwiches over the years. In 1983, as part of a campaign against its competitors, the company released an ad that compared its fish sandwich to McDonald's Filet-O-Fish. In the ad, Burger King said its fish sandwich was heavier than McDonald's. They even said in a press release that this commercial was less intense than their comparison ads from 1982.
