Restaurant chain Chili’s has gone viral after taking a swipe at Burger King over its prices.
The jab comes after fast-food visitor numbers fell by more than 4 per cent across the US in May, with drive-thru traffic falling 6.8 per cent. Meanwhile, restaurants have increasingly raised their prices in recent months.
The exchange began on X when a user with the account name @YellowFlashGuy posted a picture of a Bacon King meal on July 6. The deal, which was priced at $18.19, also included fries and a Dr Pepper drink.
The Bacon King is a sandwich containing two quarter-pound beef patties with bacon, American cheese, ketchup and mayonnaise offered by Burger King. According to the post, the burger alone was being sold for $12.99.
“Why should I get this when I could just go to a restaurant?” the X user asked. “The food would be close to this price, and better.”
That same day, Chili’s Grill & Bar’s account posted a fiery response to the X user’s post.
“THIS IS WHAT WE’VE BEEN SAYING!!!!” it said. “WHY DO Y’ALL LET FAST FOOD PLAY YOU LIKE THIS?”
The spokesperson added, “Big Crispy Chicken Sandwich 3 for Me with fries, BOTTOMLESS chips and salsa and UNLIMITED drink for $10.99, only at Chili’s.”
The post has now been seen more than 5.8 million times.
The Chili’s account replied to several people who commented on the restaurant’s post, telling one social media user: “We love you too! We can’t wait for your next visit!”
Another user wrote, “I hope you’ll forgive me for all the trash I was talkin’ ’bout you in the early 2000s.”
“All is forgiven,” the spokesperson responded.
Executives at fellow chain McDonald’s told The Los Angeles Times last year that fast food prices have continued to rise in recent years, due, in part, to the higher cost of restaurant essentials, including beef supplies.
A McDonald’s company fact sheet reported that the average cost of one menu item has risen by around 40 per cent since 2019.
Also, research from the data analysis firm Placer.ai showed that fast-food drive-thru customers fell in the U.S. by 6.8 percent in May.
According to Placer.ai’s research, gas prices hit a three-year high that same month, which likely kept motorists away from drive-thru fast food restaurants.
Overall, fast food traffic plunged by 4.4 percent, although full-service restaurants saw a 0.7 percent increase in traffic. That was likely due to Mother’s Day and May having five Sundays, the research suggested.
The Independent has contacted Burger King for comment.