McDonald’s and Burger King have leaned into the protein craze by showing how much protein each menu item offers. In Japan, however, Burger King has taken protein to an extreme that neither chain’s U.S. locations have copied yet.
That’s actually surprising because Americans have become concerned with their protein intakes.
“The percentage of Americans trying to consume protein is on the rise: In 2022, 59% said they try to consume protein, 67% in 2023, 71% in 2024, and 70% in 2025, according to the annual IFIC Food & Health Survey.
That’s partially because of GLP-1 drugs. And, as someone who takes one of those weight-loss drugs, I’ll add myself to the list of people who do think about whether they’re getting enough protein.
That means I might avoid a pure pasta meal, add some sashimi to my diet, or make sure my late-night snacks contain some protein. I have not reverted to eating fast-food hamburger patties without a bun, free of any toppings besides some sauce options.
Burger King, however, ran a limited-time menu in Japan that offered burger patties served in a sort of plastic container that were essentially just protein feasts.
Burger King Japan goes big on beef
For a single week in October, Burger King Japan offered a special beef promotion.
The offering was pretty simple. It included “On the Beef,” which features Burger King’s signature flame-fired 100% beef patty simply seasoned with salt and pepper; “Beef on the Beef,” which has two beef patties; “Sauce on the Beef,” which comes with one or two beef patties, but adds the option of spicy, teriyaki, or BBQ sauce.
It’s an odd promotion because the solo beef patty, which came with nothing, costs more than a single cheeseburger using the same patty.
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A press release, which was translated by Google from Japanese, showed the prices: 450 yen for the single burger, 900 yen for the double, 550 yen for the single with sauce, and 1,000 yen for the sauced double.
The promotion followed a series of events in some of the chain’s stores in Japan where, for one price, you could eat as many one pound cheeseburgers as you could stomach. The catch was that you only have 45 minutes and your last order had to be placed no later than 30 minutes into your allotted time.
“Be careful not to eat too much,” reads a promotional web page for the event.
Burger King
Burger King Japan has offered some wild burgers
Burger King has offered a number of burgers in Japan that have never been sold in the U.S. They include:
- King Yeti The One Pounder (2023): Four flame-grilled beef patties, six slices of Gouda cheese and white cheese sauce. The 507-gram burger contained 1,495 calories, according to a press release.
- Great King Yeti The One Pounder (2024): An upgraded version of the King Yeti, with four beef patties, six Gouda slices, white cheese sauce and mayonnaise sauce, Burger King shared in a press release.
- The Fake Burger (2024): Replaced the usual burger filling with French fries, two slices of Gouda cheese and smoky barbecue sauce, according to another media release.
- Kyoto Whopper (2024): A Japan-exclusive burger combining flame-grilled beef with a specially developed rice patty and Japanese-style ginger sauce made with dashi soy sauce, Burger King shared.
- Pickleball Burger (2025): Three flame-grilled beef patties and 11 pickles, sandwiched between specially developed rice patties made with a Kyoto rice merchant, the burger chain shared in a press release.
- Pickleball Burger (2026): A new version with two beef patties, 11 pickle slices and a creamy dill sauce, created to tie in with pickleball’s first-to-11-points scoring format, the company shared.
- Ninniku Garlic The One Pounder (2024): Four beef patties, four slices of cheddar and a garlic-heavy sauce combining garlic paste, fried garlic and garlic powder, according to a press release.
- Cheese Burger Gelände (2023): A large, cheese-loaded burger from the chain’s oversized burger series, preceding the King Yeti release, Burger King shared.
- Shrimp Whopper (2023): A surf-and-turf Whopper combining flame-grilled beef with garlic shrimp, Time Out Tokyo reported.
- Ugly Burger series (2021–2024): A series of deliberately messy burgers featuring unusual cheese combinations and rich sauces, including the Cheese Ugly Burger and Double Cheese Ugly Burger, according to grape Japan.
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