September 21 marks the International Day of Peace. The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Partnership for Peace — Dignity for All.”
What comes to mind when you think of Peace Day? We think of people shaking hands, of remembering all those who are worse off than we are. We think of cease-fires and moving closer together. We might even play a little John Lennon that day.
Article: Shocking Study Reveals Some Burgers Contain as Little as 2% Meat
What does Burger King, king of all fast food, think of? You guessed it — fast food. In an open letter to its competitors McDonald’s, Wayback Burgers, Denny’s, Krystal and Giraffas, Burger King invited them to collaborate on a “Peace Day Burger.”
The idea is to use a key ingredient from each restaurant’s signature sandwich. It’s a win-win idea for the businesses, and a small portion of the proceeds will go to charity, although we haven’t yet found out which one.
“The ‘Peace Day Burger’ is the ultimate collaboration from some of the best burger forces in America and, as America’s Diner, it is only fitting that Denny’s help lead the way with this unique burger merger,” said Denny’s Chief Marketing Officer John Dillon in a statement. The only restaurant to reject the invitation was McDonald’s, and they have been receiving a fair amount of ridicule from the other collaborators.
Related: 14 Reasons Why Even the Thought of Fast Food Makes Me Want to Throw Up
We’d love to say that we are enamored with the idea of such a joint effort by these fast food chains, but all that comes to mind is “Ewwww”! We wouldn’t be The Alternative Daily if we supported the consumption of fast food, especially when it comes to using world peace as a means to sell burgers.
We realize, of course, the genius of the idea and the business it will bring to these restaurants. But we can’t help wondering about the message we’re sending to our kids by taking them to eat greasy burgers and fries cooked in trans fats while washing it all down with a super-sized cup of soda, to support peace.
As we’re trying to inch our way towards a healthier nation with fewer diseases and obesity, it seems ironic to feed ourselves fast food for a good cause. It is about as useful for awareness as putting pink ribbons on our collars. Let’s not be fooled by the warm and cozy feeling of having done something good, because chances are, a mere 20 cents from each burger sale will actually be donated.
We recommend packing a picnic of healthy foods, searching out a memorial or a place of peace and quiet, and enjoying the good things you have.
Share with your kids the importance of peace, and if you know of a great charity and you can afford to part with a little money, you might just make a donation. Your sense of awareness will increase, and you will not sacrifice your health to support a peaceful world.
– Ute Mitchell
Ute Mitchell is a Freelance Writer and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner located in Portland, OR, where she homeschools her kids, cooks healthy meals for her family, and hikes the forests and mountains around the Pacific Northwest. She is an avid CrossFit athlete, and loves to encourage others to live a healthy and active lifestyle.
Sources:
http://burgerking.tumblr.com/post/128138156969/it-looks-like-were-going-to-need-a-bigger-table
http://fortune.com/2015/02/17/burger-king-earnings-mcdonalds
http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday
http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/burger-king-moves-forward-peace-day-burger/300188