It seems that yesterday’s post pushed a few buttons with some of you. Good to see you’re all paying attention. I love it when you get a little fired up. I’m sure today’s article will generate some passionate responses also. Don’t forget, I’ll be in Perth for instalment one of our Renovate Your Life National Tour on September 14 (Sunday week), so if your Life is in need of a make-over, you may wanna click on this thingy and book in. On with today’s post….The Quad Stack Burger. Oh Yes.
Here in the Land Down Under we have just added another menu option to our ever-expanding culinary landscape. Just what we need. I guess it’s not often that the humble hamburger receives saturation press coverage on a national level, but the new Hungry Jack’s (Burger King in the US) Quad Stack Burger (see picture) has been getting just that over the last two days. Every major television and radio station in the country has been running stories about the $5.95 heart attack in a box. And won’t the good folk at Hungry Jack’s be rubbing their fat little hands together with all that free PR for their new product.
And despite the excessive fat, salt, sugar, cholesterol and calories, it seems the burgers are running, or should I say waddling, out the door at a rapid rate. Take a look at some extracts of a story taken from one of our national newspapers (The Adelaide Advertiser). The stuff in italics is the original text from the article and I’ve added a few thoughts of my own (there’s a shock) in this yucky colour…
Adelaide Advertiser September 3, 2008
A FAST food chain’s “gross” 1080-calorie burger is irresponsible and a sign that the industry is ignoring health warnings about the obesity epidemic, experts say. How can a burger be irresponsible? And irresponsible to whom? Is the state of our national health (and waistlines) the responsibility of fast food companies? Don’tcha think we might personally have something to do with our country sitting at the top of the fat table? Let’s not delude ourselves, yes they sell unhealthy crap – we all know that – but surely their ‘responsibility’ as a commercial business is to make money, keep their shareholders happy and sell as many burgers, fries and shakes to as many suckers as possible. That’s how it works right? Just like your responsibility as a person who owns a brain is to make good choices about what you shove in your mouth. If people are stupid enough to CHOOSE to buy and consume the stuff then THEY should be held responsible for what THEY DO to their own bodies. To the best of my knowledge Hungry Jacks aren’t force feeding the masses are they? There is a free will component to the obesity thing isn’t there? How dare I state the obvious; of course we do it to ourselves but it’s always so much easier to blame them for my fat self isn’t it?I can manage my cholesterol and you can manage your ass by choosing to avoid products such as this burger. Just like you don’t care about their bottom line, they don’t care about your bottom.
TV commercials are promoting the Hungry Jack’s Quad Stack Burger, which contains four beef patties, four slices of cheese, two rashers of bacon, barbecue sauce and two sugared buns. It contains 71g of fat, 34.7g of saturated fat, 1930 milligrams of sodium, and 74.8g of protein. That is kind of obscene but I have an idea… let’s not eat one! That might work. It is humanly possible right? The burger, which sells for $5.95, has no salad and the calorie content equates to more than half of a woman’s recommended daily energy intake and nearly one-third of a man’s. That calorie statistic is complete crap. It could be true however if all men and women had exactly the same calorie needs each day – which they don’t. Individual energy needs and expenditure vary greatly depending on the weight of the person, general activity levels, body composition, age, occupational activity levels, exercise habits and genetics.
Obesity doesn’t happen accidentally – we choose it (consciously or not), we create it and then we try to make someone or something else responsible for our poor decisions and our lack of self control and discipline. It should be a personal responsibility thing. Rather than wasting time, energy and resources blaming companies for our individual and collective fat guts, why don’t we get mad at ourselves – after all, that’s who really makes us fat. Let’s be honest, multi-nationals don’t care about my cholesterol or the size of your ass. And neither should they. You should. I should. They simply wanna sell stuff.
When shown a photo of the burger by The Advertiser yesterday, Health Minister John Hill said: “This is just gross and encourages binge eating.” Doesn’t encourage me. You? Maybe it’s about individual response. My response is, “no thanks”. “It is unbelievable in this time of heightened awareness of obesity that a junk food producer would sell this product,” he said. If people are stupid enough to buy them and eat them…. someone’s gonna sell ‘em! That’s how the world works. It’s called business. It’s been happening for a while now. Ever heard of cigarettes? Alcohol? Apparently they’re not so healthy either. Still for sale though. And rumour has it, quite popular. They are kind of profitable for the government too. Hey, who’s that knocking at my door?Life Personal Trainers dietitian Tanya Lewis said Hungry Jack’s was being “irresponsible” in selling the new burger. “I was quite surprised that with so much media about healthy eating and the whole anti-supersize thing that they would come out and do the exact opposite,” she said. From a marketing perspective, it’s actually quite brilliant; heaps of free PR, massive sales and cashola galore. Tanya’s not happy but someone is.
Now, of course I’m not supporting Hungry Jack’s or their new menu item and I would personally never even consider eating one, but our ever-increasing dimensions are not about what they (or any other fast food outlet for that matter) are offering, it’s about what we (the masses) are buying and eating!
The proliferation of unhealthy eating options will not finish with this new burger. There will be more burgers. And pizzas. And donuts. And choc bars. And beers. And cigarettes. And drugs. And people will continue to use and abuse all of them. By choice. I would love to live in a junk-food-free world but it ain’t gonna happen. So maybe we should all worry less about getting mad at the fast food guys and focus on what really determines our fitness or fatness; us.
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{ 60 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks Craig! I'm feeling a bit lazy tonight and was thinking about heading out for Hungry Jacks (first time in probably 18 months) for the kids & I, but you've convinced me otherwise. They'll have to wait a bit longer to add my few dollars to their profits
On a more serious note, I couldn't agree more that we are responsible for our own choices. What a cop out blaming the company, the government or the media. We all have brains, let's use them people!
Really, we just need to be more responsible and aware of the consequences of the way we eat. Every now and then I would still crave fast food, and I do go and get them, but I’m also aware that I’m swallowing down a lot of calories.
I wonder if they put their nutrition facts up. At McDonalds and Burger King, they give you this sheet of paper to line the bottom of the tray, usually with advertisements of things on their menu or promotional items. However, if you flip that piece of paper over, you will see a big chart of nutrition facts, detailed with each item’s calories, fat content, etc. in different sizes. Looking through it is quite fascinating. Some of the stuff are amazingly high in calories, while some food that seems really bad are not that bad (still bad, but not REALLY bad). It’s quite interesting to read through, and it sure made me less inclined to get fast food. I am glad that they did that, but at the same time, they are earning less of my money doing that…
Right on Craig! I love the bit from the Advertiser that says it “has no salad” ‘cos if it had salad it would obviously be a healthier choice??? What the…? LMAO
PS: Friday, re yesterday’s comment, no judgement at all on my part, it’s just a word that happens to mean children born out of wedlock, I didn’t create it, I just used it in context. I am glad you are happy and fulfilled, you’re ticking more “good” boxes than I am, so be happy not angry.
Funny (or not) story I heard on the weekend…. A friend took busload of school kids to HJ’s on an excursion and told me he felt like he was being restrained having a double because the option was there to have 4! Hee hee… I said … whatever makes you feel good. I agree with all you say. Just felt like sharing I guess..
Hi Craig,
Fantastic post! I read about this in the Melbourne Herald Sun at breakfast time and felt rather ill. As the kj/sat fat content was there and people on Weight Watchers use that info to work out the points of what they eat and have a certain number of points allowed each day…..mine are 25 at the moment.The burger is 23.5 points! The pic of it on your post Craig looks so unappetising anyway.
Anyway, yup there is NOBODY from HJ holding anyone down and forcing it down their gullets. I look back at the choices I have made and feel awful(positive I could NEVER have eaten that though)….thank goodness I have come to my senses and changed my eating habits for the better.Now to convince my son not to call me at work asking for charcoal chicken! I said NO and hung up on him….lol! (neither of my kids eat hamburgers so HJ will not be adding to their bottom line from my purse.)
HJ would be rubbing their hands with glee,couldn’t have gone better if they tried. If people feel so outraged by the size of the burger well yup they don’t have to buy it vote with their feet and walk on past and don’t buy it.
Thanks for this one Craig, still feel sick from the sight of it.
Hugs to you and I hope you are getting close to being fully well. now.
Michelle
so true, its just common sense, but thanks for reminding us, we have our own brain and can make our own choice to what we want to eat and how we spend our money. i love reading yr stuff. thanks,
jenny xx
Well said! Food choices are really our own. We have to be the ones held responsible for the things we put inside our bodies. If we are fat or unhealthy, we have only to look at how much junk we have been eating and the exercise workouts we have skipped over on.
Labas, Craig
Damn, i love pizza. In my town it’s most popular fast food. Too bad for pizza, i eat less pizza and more bananas. Hard decision has been made.
Manhug ( ),
Saulius
You’ve nailed it Craig! Personal responsibility. We reap what we sow!
It’s all about accepting personal responsibility for all the choices we do or do not make really!!!! If we blame others for where we’re at in life, then really ‘why would we ever have to fix anything!!!!’
Surely it’s much easier to go through life blaming someone else for our crappy existence… overweightedness, unfitness, unhappiness…..
No thanks….
Choice is a very gorgeous thing!!! If only more people realised they themselves are the reason their life is how it is, the world would be a much happier place.
Have a great day CH and Capt Johnnie.
XXXX (2 each)
OH MY GOD. And all this time I really believed that a take away hamburger was sooooo good for me!! The government should ban them. That way I can just eat eat $15.00 worth of healthy fish and chips every night, washed down with a scotch and of course a ciggy. Now I will be healthy again.
Have I had one of these burgers-No.
Will I have one?-Oh yeah (but just one and just cause its there) Why not, after all its not my fault.Dam Government (Where’s the living they owe me?)
And yes I’m fat and yes I know why.
By the way, if all the do gooders in the country just kept their mouths shut I would never of heard of this burger (Again,not my fault I am going to eat one)
Two years ago I decided to never try a new thing that was not something healthy and nutritious for me. I decided that I already had more than enough stuff that I liked and shouldn’t eat, I certainly wasn’t going to add to it.
This mind set makes life a lot easier… there isn’t a new choc bar or fast food option or even fizzy drink that can tempt me…cause I just don’t need the pressure of the list getting longer.
On the flip side I have found a whole heap of healthy foods that I enjoy and can enjoy without the guilt or pressure.
CJ
Hi Craig, thanks for your post. This is my number one soap box category – responsibility for one’s self – in all areas of our lives. I am so sick of hearing ‘it’s not my fault’ in whatever context. It’s always about choice and taking responsibility for those choices, whatever that looks like.
Again, thank you Craig.
Dianne
I’ve often thought how dumb it is that you can’t buy SMALL stuff from fast food places. I remember when my kids were little (2 and 4) and I wanted to buy them an ice cream. I asked for SMALL and the woman gave me cones that were bigger than the kids’ heads. How freakin stupid can you get? It’s no wonder we’re getting fatter by the minute. I want some responsible fast food place that does SMALL.
You’re welcome Journeyer…
Hey Kel – thanks for stopping by (and for being so sensible – what’s with that?)
Cheers
Cute story Joh – it’s all about perception… and calories.
( )
Thanks Jenny ( )
Labas Saulius – what town do you live in? ( )
Thanks KK x
Hi Daryl – if you really do eat one, I’d love your feedback on it..
Cheers
Good strategy CJ
Cheers.
You’re welcome Dianne.. ( )
Thanks for dropping by Anon…
( )
Hi featherfour… yeah small would
be good.
( )
Loved the post, it cracked me up, talk about calling a spade a spade, I thought he has done it now no one will ever visit this site again, glad to see by the comments I was wrong. As a rule people, and I hate to admit that I can sometimes be guilty of it too, like to always to put the blame somewhere else they forget about this thing called ‘personal responsibility’. My suggestion when looking for someone to blame for this or that is to go and have a look in the mirror.
Your sarcasm was only surpassed by your wit!
()
Suu
Hi Ginny – yep, amazingly, people keep coming back!
( )
Hi Suu.. me sarcastic? Nooooooo…
( )
I wish I hadnt read this post so soon after breakfast. My porridge wants to come back! Eeewww…
Anon- I AM happy, thats the point. ; )
Have a great day all.
Thank god its…. FRIDAY. :p
xx
You mean that Burger doesn’t look enticing Friday?
( )
This is a sweet and sour response to your post about the new Hungry Jacks “Crap in a bun.”
The sweet is that I am fully agree with you about personal responsibility regarding consumption or non- consumption of junk food and drink. I saw the ad for this burger and was really turned off. In my close to four decades on this planet I’ve eaten Hungry Jacks a handful of times becaue it’s the foulest tasting junkfood in my experience – just ahead of KFC in the foul tasting stakes.
The sour is accepting that it’s the way of the world that multi-national corporations will do as they please. There has to be more accountability and a greater sense of responsibility from decision makers – such as those that came up with the “Crap in a bun.” Otherwise the continued decline of society will continue unabated.
Ultimately though one shouldn’t expect the government to be the moral arbiters of the day – just look at the damage poker machines cause all in the name of filling the state government coffers.
Instead one needs to be responsible for the food and drink choices that one makes and one needs to be able to staunchly resist the marketing messages that one is continually bombarded with.
I’ll climb off my soapbox now and wish everyone a great weekend – Spring is here and the air is fresh – I’ll do some running around the backyard with my kids during the next few days.
Hi Craig. I loved today’s post. People’s ability to shift responsibility always amazes me. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!
Have a great day all.
Christina
I’m hearin’ ya Ben. Love a little soapbox action – that’s why we have a commnt section – for you to comment!
Enjoy the spring air and the kids..
Cheers..
Yep I agree, that burger looks foul and no one could ever make me eat that crap – no amount of advertising could do it.
On the other hand Hamish & Andys gravy chips I really wanted to try and when I did they didnt taste like gravy at all, just salty and not good. So my point is that generally the advertising is overrated anyway but we do get sucked in some times.
We cant blame anyone for our decisions so pretty much they should be able to sell whatever they want!
hear hear.
I used to blame everyone but myself for being fat (all the m’s – my mother, my metabolism, even MacDonalds because I used to love it). When healthier choice meals came out at some fast food restaurants I still ate the crap until I decided to lose weight.
Now, there’s no way in hell that I would eat that. But I don’t care that it’s available.
Have a great weekend everyone. The sun should be out in Melbourne.
Miss Jojo
Hi eggcarton – you mean that burger doesn’t entice you?
( )
Enjoy your weekend missjojo ( )
Hi Ctraig
Couldn’t agree with you more – we just have to take responsibility for what we eat and do in life!!!
But I have to ask, DO YOU GET FRIED WITH IT!!!
J9 ()
It’s also about lifestyle. Having enough time to shop and prepare our meals. This doesn’t have to take long, but it does require a bit of thinking in advance.
The other thing about our health is that it is agency and relationship that are the biggest factors (once basic needs are looked after), not food intake. But calories and the quality of food are of course an important factor – just not as important as agency and relationship.
I see the junk food around me and by choice I do not (I mean NOT) eat any junk food. In my opinion it’s not worth it and it just does not taste like food to me.
It’s a question of self control and choice.
Miss Gisele B
Hi J9 – probably not.
Thankfully.
Cheers..
Hey Evan – thanks for your thoughts.
Cheers.
Hey Miss Gisele b….
yep, I agree.
Cheers.
Craig is right BUT i think if cigarettes were invested now they would never make it to market. Sometimes there is an good argument to restrict freedoms for the greater good of ourselves and our children. For example if you were a rule setter on your new desert island with a small community, would you vote for the island’s first restaurant to sell what impressionable and weak people will buy to their own detriment to health?
The free market is all well and good and I’m the first to say let it decide. Problem is we sometimes need protecting from ourswelves.
Well said, Lance. I quite agree.
Craig,
This is my first visit to your blog and you have a new fan! You crack me up. I agree 100%. If Hungry Jack’s were kidnapping people and shoving burgers down their throats at gunpoint, I’d say we have a problem. Otherwise it is up to the individual, as always, to make their own choices about what they eat and how they care for their bodies.
Hi Lance – Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts.
Glad you found your way over here Melissa… nice to meet you.
Cheers.
Hi Craig! Totally agree with you on this, we are responsible for what goes down our gullets! I’m sure the novelty of this behemoth will wear off pretty soon too. You know though, people are getting up in arms about the cals in this thing, but you can have a HJ Bacon Double Cheeseburger Deluxe (710 cal) plus a large fries (470cal) and a coke (210cal for large) for more calories. What’s really crazy is people will think they are being ‘healthier’ by choosing this too. Hmmmmmm.
Love your work.
Carolyn
Craig I live in Kaunas, Lithuania. Nice town, honest people. Paradise. Do you want to visit my town? No..?:) Here live most beautiful girls in the world…how about that?
)
P.s. This is why I’m single, girls are too beautiful
)
Have a rocky weekend, Craig
Manhug ( ),
Saulius
My husband has bet me $1000 to eat a Quad Stack Burger – a no brainer you would think…..I can’t do it. I should add that this comes from someone who’s never consumed a big Mac.
Considering where I live we dont have HJ’s,( I loove whoppers btw!) but we do have Macca’s and Chicken Treat and Pizza and you know what… I would love to have them every weekend or during the week yum!! BUT I simply can’t! I don’t need those excess kg’s and the guilt trip that goes with it!!!
Great post again Craig have a great weekend.
Trace ()
Thanks for your thoughts Caroline…
Hi Saulius – I googled Kaunas… it looks very nice. The most beautiful girls in the world huh?
Cheers Big Boy ( )
Hi Anon – a thousand bucks huh?
He reaaaally wants you to get sick doesn’t he? LOL.
Cheers.
Thanks Trace ( )
Craig,
Jep, you are right.
By the way, Kaunas has very famous basketball team named “Žalgiris”. I am proud of Kaunas. Thank you for your time, Craig.
Honest,
Saulius
I couldn’t agree more.
This post reminded me of a hilarious quote I read the other day: Chocolate 1, Self Control 0
Sorry I’m not sure if links are allowed here.
Hey Craig, let’s look on the bright side – all the label reading and nutritional analysis has been done for us by the media. Fantastic! After all the hype I’m so motivated NOT to have one
(not that we couldn’t have worked it out for ourselves I s’pose..) Do you reckon they’d review the rest of the menu for us?