World Report: September 19, 1997 Vol.3 No.2

Battle Of The Big Burgers

The burger war is on! Faced with drooping sales, McDonald's and Burger King are looking to take a big bite out of each other's business. Two weeks ago, Burger King launched the first strike: the Big King, a close copy of McDonald's Big Mac. Burger King says its version, beefier than a Big Mac and with less bread and its own special sauce, is beating the buns off its competition. Of course, the Big King is selling for just 99 cents. Sales may level off after the price goes up in a few weeks.

McDonald's is planning a counterattack--the Big n' Tasty, which looks a lot like the Burger King Whopper. Which burger will rule? Early reviews suggest that the King is a hit.

Says Casey Flynn, 11, of Mystic, Connecticut: "It's like a Big Mac, but less messy and with more cheese. It was real good."