Burger King Launches Odd Whopper Giveaway

If you've recently been fired from your job, Burger King wants to reward you with a free Whopper. Wait, what? Business Insider reports Burger King launched its "own your fire" promotion Tuesday and will send a "Whopper severance package" to the first 2,500 people who post the following message to their LinkedIn profile: “I got fired. I want a free Whopper. #whopperseverance.” Adweek notes it's "an odd bit of marketing" that requires some "mental gymnastics" to connect being fired from your job to the fire Burger King uses to grill its burgers.

“It has been said that when one door closes another one opens—in this case, a door for a delicious flame-grilled Whopper sandwich,” Consumerist quotes a Burger King statement explaining the promotion. “We know getting fired sucks, but getting a free Whopper doesn’t,” Burger King's global brand chief adds in an email to Adweek. It seems unlikely Burger King will be able to vet people's claims of having been fired or to disqualify people who were fired for behavior Burger King would prefer not to be associated with, such as sexual harassment or workplace violence. But a restaurant spokesperson says they believe applicants will get the "light-hearted nature of the idea." You have until Friday to let Burger King know you were dismissed from your job. (More Burger King stories.)