Miami-based Burger King chain announced it's bringing back its "Big King" sandwich, similar to the Big Mac at McDonald's, its biggest rival the Associated Press reported.
The copy-cat sandwich is made of two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame, and will be featured on a permanent menu being released next week, according to a statement from Burger King, the AP reported.
Back when Burger King offered the Big King as a limited-time offer, it did not have the middle bun, a classic signature of McDonald's Big Mac sandwich. The new, permanent sandwich does, the AP reported.
Burger King added some changes to their menu last spring, as well, when fruit shakes, chicken snack wraps and specialty coffee that also mimic McDonald's menu choices, according to the AP. Burger King has also created a rub sandwich to compete with the McRib, and introduced chicken nuggets, rather than their previous chicken tenders.
According to the AP, McDonald Spokeswoman Lisa McComb said in an email McDonald's is "focused on our business and our customers," when asked about Burger King's recent menu changes.
According to Scott Hume, the editor of BurgerBusiness.com, imitation is very common in the fast-food industry, adding "McDonald's clones make sense if they're popular in the marketplace," the AP reported.
In comparison to the Big Mac, the Big King will contain 510 calories opposed to 550 in the Mac, and Burger King also introduced lower-calorie fries, dubbed "Satisfries" and claim the fries have 30 percent fewer calories than regular fries, according to the AP.
