Given that Japanese TV is a wasteland of “celebrities” eating food, I have learned to make do and even enjoy those programs that offer a twist on that banal formula. One of these shows is Otameshika (お試しか) and the gimmick is this: the participants must eat at a chain restaurant until they happen to consume the ten most popular items on the menu. While the minute-to-minute veracity of the program is very much in doubt (I am sure someone is giving them hints off-camera when needed) I tend to believe the results they produce. That could be my naivete speaking though.
With those caveats in mind, here are the results from tonight’s program on Burger King. BK has been around for a while in Japan but it still lacks the popular awareness that McDonald’s has. The hosts seemed genuinely unfamiliar with the menu. There was much confusion over what the word “nacho” referred to. This made me laugh.
- Whopper
- Avocado Whopper Jr.*
- Whopper Jr
- Fries
- Double Whopper w/ cheese
- Hot Snack Chicken*
- Nacho Whopper*
- Chicken Tenders
- Tendergrill Chicken
- Spicy Chick’n Crisp
Other items outside the top 10:
- Avocado Whopper (11)
- Double Bacon Cheeseburger - my favorite as a child (12)
- Whopper w/ cheese (14)
- BK Big Fish (18)
- Hamburger (22)
- Whopper w/ bacon & cheese (23)
- Teriyaki Jr* (27)
- Whopper Jr w/ cheese (39)
It’s worth noting that, according to this program, Burger King Japan has 44 items on the menu - meaning that the Whopper Jr with cheese is among the bottom five!
*These are, as far as I know, unique to Japan. Love the Nacho Whopper!
