\n<\/p>\n
The Burger Wars<\/strong> of the 1980s weren\u2019t just about who had the best-tasting burger\u2014they were an all-out advertising battle between Burger King, McDonald\u2019s, and Wendy\u2019s<\/strong>. This intense marketing rivalry, which spanned from 1982 to 1985<\/strong>, was primarily a fight for the #2 spot in the U.S. fast-food industry<\/strong>, as McDonald\u2019s firmly held the top position.<\/p>\n This post is a shortened version of the \u201cBurger Wars\u201d chapter from my book, All About the Burger<\/a><\/strong>: A History of America\u2019s Sandwich.<\/em><\/p>\n The roots of the Burger Wars trace back to 1977<\/strong> when Burger King<\/strong> poached Don Smith, a top McDonald\u2019s executive<\/strong>. Smith\u2019s \u201cOperation Phoenix\u201d<\/strong> set the stage for BK\u2019s aggressive rivalry with McDonald\u2019s.<\/p>\n However, after Smith\u2019s departure in 1980<\/strong>, Burger King struggled with declining sales, prompting Norman E. Brinker<\/strong>, an executive from its parent company, to launch a bold advertising campaign targeting its competitors.<\/p>\n The Origin of the Burger Wars<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Burger King Fires the First Shot (1982)<\/strong><\/h3>\n