As July draws near and with it, some of the hottest days of the year, people will be outside on the weekends more than ever, enjoying the sunshine with friends and family.
For many, that means grabbing a meal on the go - something fast-food chains anticipate all year.
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For summer, beloved chains like McDonald's and Burger King (QSR) tailor their offerings to the season. Burgers and fries may be the main event, but when the temperatures are in the 90s, menu items that help you stay cool matter.
You can count on just about all the chains to lean into frosty drinks and desserts, for obvious reasons.
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But another tactic some brands use is to debut an entirely new menu item just to shake its customers up and pique their curiosity.
And if it happens to also be unusual enough to capture the attention of TikTok and go viral, like the Dubai chocolate bar recently did, you just might have a hit on your hands.
That's what Burger King is hoping to get with the release of its latest burger, which is different enough that it's sure to capture people's attention.
Even the hungriest customers will be satisfied
In a tweet shared on the official Burger King Japan account on June 30, the fast-food chain announced a new sandwich in collaboration with the Japan Sumo Association.
Called the Baby Body Burger, Burger King describes the limited-edition sandwich as "Yokozuna-class." This refers to the top skill tier of sumo wrestlers, of which there have been less than 100 since the term was coined in the early 1900s.
The burger boasts five of the chain's signature flame-broiled patties, two slices of cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a creamy sauce.
Related: Forget the Whopper, Burger King has a wild new burger
The burger will be released on July 11 and will cost 2,590 yen ($17.96 U.S.) on its own or 2,890 yen in a combo ($20.04 U.S.), making it the priciest fast-food option in the market.
It's also 1,876 calories, making it the highest-calorie item on Burger King's menu.
Burger King will also sponsor the Japan Sumo Association for the Nagoya tournament in July.
Burger King is willing take big swings
Burger King is employing an interesting strategy with its international audience, planning not one, but two collaborations this year.
In addition to the Baby Body burger collaboration, the chain also released the Pickleball burger earlier this year, in collaboration with the Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF).
That burger was described as a "large, American-style rice burger, with three flame-grilled 100%-beef patties sandwiched between special rice patties that have been jointly developed with Hachidaime Gihey, a long-established rice shop in Kyoto."
Even though it's not a Whopper, which is the company's most successful product, this burger resonated with the Japanese audience, which has responded positively in the past to burgers with rice buns instead of bread.
CEO Josh Kobza mentioned the strength of its international business in a recent earnings call.
"I think when you look at the Burger King brand in international, it's a bit different," he said. "It has some really great qualities that...position it to grow so well. We've got a strong brand positioning," he said. "We've got modern restaurants in almost all of our markets."
Related: Struggling burger chain closing restaurants, won't raise prices
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This story was originally published June 30, 2025 at 6:03 PM