Burger King has mounted an online campaign calling for their followers to consider ordering from their competitors as a response to the ongoing slump as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Order from McDonald’s”, reads the title of the campaign, in reference to the fast food outlet’s traditional rival.

“We never thought we’d be asking you to do this,” acknowledges Burger King, “just like we never thought we’d be encouraging you to order from KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway, Domino’s, or any of the other independent food outlets.”

The hamburger chain made the remarkable appeal because “restaurants employing hundreds of staff really need your support at the moment”.

It said the best way to help is to keep ordering meals, whether through home delivery, takeaway or drive thru.

“Getting a Whopper is always best, but ordering a Big Mac is also not such a bad thing.”

Burker King is franchised locally by Simonds Farsons Cisk plc’s Food Chain Ltd, which also owns the Pizza Hut and KFC brands.