The Angus burger is a burger

Hamburger

A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...

 sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King

Burger King

Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...

 as an "indulgent product". It is one of their larger, adult-oriented products made with higher quality ingredients than their "standard" menu items.

In North America the sandwich has been replaced with the Steakhouse XT burger, which uses a new, thicker round patty among several other changes. At Hungry Jacks in Australia it is called the Classic Angus, aimed at a different more middle class audience. Only variations of the sandwich that explicitly state "Angus" in the title are manufactured from meat from Angus cattle

Angus cattle

Angus cattle are a breed of cattle much used in beef production. They were developed from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland, and are known as Aberdeen Angus in most parts of the world....

.

The Angus and Steakhouse sandwiches are part of a series of sandwiches designed to expand Burger King's menu with both more sophisticated, adult oriented fare and present a larger, meatier burger that appeals to 24-36 year old adult males. Along with the TenderGrill and TenderCrisp chicken sandwiches, these sandwiches are intended to bring in a larger, more affluent adult audience who will be willing to spend more on the better quality products.

Product description

The North American base sandwich, the Steakhouse XT, is made with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, raw onion and ketchup served on a corn

Maize

Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...

-dusted potato flour roll. The European and Asian versions of the Angus Burger are made with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, steak sauce and raw onion, however local builds may vary in regards to size and weight of the patty and bun type. The Australian version is served with bacon, processed cheese and barbecue sauce, again on the corn-dusted roll.

Variations

• A1 Steakhouse XT - Mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, fried onion, American cheese and A1 steak sauce
  A1 Steak Sauce
  A1 is a steak sauce and condiment for use with meat or game dishes. It was developed in the United Kingdom as a brand in the year 1831 and was later introduced to the United States by G.F...
  
  

Limited time offerings (LTO):

• Smoky bacon & Cheddar Steakhouse XT - BBQ sauce flavored mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, bacon and processed Cheddar cheese
• The Angus Bacon Cheddar Ranch - Lettuce, tomato, Ranch dressing
  Ranch dressing
  Ranch dressing is a condiment made of some combination of buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, minced green onion, garlic powder, and other seasonings mixed into a sauce. Ranch dressing has been the best-selling salad dressing in the United States since 1992, when it overtook Italian dressing...
  
  , Cheddar cheese
  Cheddar cheese
  Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
  
   and bacon
  Bacon
  Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
  
  .
• The Angus 'Shroom and Swiss - sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese
  Swiss cheese
  Swiss cheese is a generic name in North America for several related varieties of cheese which resemble the Swiss Emmental. Some types of Swiss cheese have a distinctive appearance, as the blocks of the cheese are riddled with holes known as "eyes". Swiss cheese has a piquant, but not very sharp,...
  
   replace the onion and steak sauce.
• The Cheesy Bacon Angus - a cheese sauce replaces the mayonnaise, bacon and American cheese
  American cheese
  American cheese is a processed cheese. It is orange, yellow, or white in color and mild in flavor, with a medium-firm consistency, and melts easily. American cheese was originally only white, but is usually now modified to yellow. In the past it was made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby...
  
   are added.
• The Western Barbecue Angus - mayonnaise
  Mayonnaise
  Mayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
  
  , lettuce
  Lettuce
  Lettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
  
  , tomato
  Tomato
  The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
  
  , onion rings
  Onion rings
  Onion rings are a form of fast food commonly found in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and some parts of Asia. They generally consist of a cross-sectional "ring" of onion dipped in batter or breading and then deep fried; a variant is made with onion paste...
  
  , cheddar cheese
  Cheddar cheese
  Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
  
   and barbecue sauce
  Barbecue sauce
  Barbecue sauce is a flavoring sauce or condiment ranging from watery to very thick consistency. As the name implies, it was created as an accompaniment to barbecued foods. While it can be applied to any food, it usually tops meat after cooking or during barbecuing, grilling, or baking...
  
  .

Regional variants:

• The Three Pepper Angus Burger - cheese, peppercorn sauce, crispy strips of onion and pepper and sweet pepper.
  Available in the UK as an LTO product.
• The Double Angus - two Angus patties.
  Available in the UK and Sweden
• The Chorizo Angus - mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, raw onion, chorizo
  Chorizo
  Chorizo is a term encompassing several types of pork sausages originating from the Iberian Peninsula.In English, it is usually pronounced , , or , but sometimes ....
  
   sausage and a spicy steak sauce.
  Sold in the UK/Ireland as an LTO product
• The Angus Six-pack - Six mini Angus burgers, two plain, two with cheese and two with cheese and bacon.
  Sold in the UK/Ireland

Discontinued variants:

• The Loaded Steakhouse burger - Mashed potatoes with bacon bits, bacon, American cheese, A1 brand steak sauce and fried onion crisps.
• The Angus with bacon and cheese - Bacon and American cheese are added to the main sandwich. This version has been discontinued as a main menu item, but it is still sold as a special request. In the UK this variant has natural, white Cheddar cheese instead of American cheese
  American cheese
  American cheese is a processed cheese. It is orange, yellow, or white in color and mild in flavor, with a medium-firm consistency, and melts easily. American cheese was originally only white, but is usually now modified to yellow. In the past it was made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby...
  
  .
• The Low-carb Angus - The bread and mayonnaise are removed and it is served as a small salad. Created as part of the low carb movement.

History

The Angus was first introduced into the North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

n market in 2004. In 2006 it was added to parts of the Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an markets and the Korean market in 2007.

The sandwich was first made with fire-grilled

Grilling

Grilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above or below.Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly and meat that has already been cut into slices...

 1/3 pound (150 gram) patty, whole leaf iceberg lettuce, tomato

Tomato

The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...

, sautéed onion

Onion

The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...

 and steak sauce

Steak sauce

Steak sauce —brown sauce —is a generic term for a dark brown sauce commonly served as a condiment for meat.The two terms are similar but not identical...

 on a corn

Maize

Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...

-dusted bun

Bun

A bun is a small, usually sweet, bread. Commonly they are hand-sized or smaller, domed in shape, with a flat bottom. A bun can also be a savory bread roll similar to a bap or barmcake....

. The sandwich was reformulated to include mayonnaise

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...

, lettuce

Lettuce

Lettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...

, tomato

Tomato

The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...

, raw, sliced onion

Onion

The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...

 and steak sauce

Steak sauce

Steak sauce —brown sauce —is a generic term for a dark brown sauce commonly served as a condiment for meat.The two terms are similar but not identical...

 on a corn

Maize

Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...

-dusted bun

Bun

A bun is a small, usually sweet, bread. Commonly they are hand-sized or smaller, domed in shape, with a flat bottom. A bun can also be a savory bread roll similar to a bap or barmcake....

 in 2006, most likely for either a cost cutting measure or product simplification. Beginning in January 2008, Burger King began to phase out the Angus burger in the US with the intention of replacing the sandwich with a newer Angus based product in the second quarter of 2008. In the interim, BK began substituting it with the bacon and cheese Whopper

Whopper

The Whopper sandwich is the signature hamburger product sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King and its Australian franchise Hungry Jacks. Introduced in 1957, it has undergone several reformulations including resizing and bread changes...

.

With the introduction of the company's new broilers in the US and Canada, the product has again been replaced by the third generation sandwich called the Steakhouse XT burger, with the XT standing for eXtra Thick. The new sandwich comes in two permanent varieties, both featuring a new round, 0.5 in (1.3 cm) thick patty. The patty is no longer made with Angus beef where the Steakhouse XT is sold.

US/Canada

• Dr. Angus

Dr. Angus was a CP+B creation launched in 2004 to promote the new Angus line of Sandwiches. Played by comedian Harry Enfield

Harry Enfield

Henry Richard "Harry" Enfield is a BAFTA-winning English comedian, actor, writer and director.-Early life:...

, the character is a smarmy self-help "doctor" with gleaming white teeth and a starched toupee who encourages eaters to "sit down" and enjoy the BK's large Angus burgers. In 2006, the character was again used to advertise BK's new Cheesy Bacon Angus and TenderCrisp

Tendercrisp

The TenderCrisp is a chicken sandwich sold by Burger King, an international fast-food restaurant chain. It is one of their "indulgent" products....

 sandwiches.

In addition, CP+B added a viral marketing

Viral marketing

Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...

 web page The Angus Diet. Designed to work with the larger Angus campaign, this site featured the such things as the Angus diet testimonials, a faux diet book and Angus interventions

Intervention (counseling)

An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs...

. The "interventions" could be sent to people via e-mail

E-mail

Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...

 by filling out several fields on the page. As CP+B stated: "They were a way of getting people to spread the idea of the basis of the Angus Diet - just enjoy life. Do whatever you want. Eat whatever you want as long as it makes you happy."

• The Western Barbecue Angus

In a cross promotion with the 2005 season of the Apprentice

The Apprentice (U.S. TV series)

The Apprentice is an American reality television show hosted by real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, created by Mark Burnett and broadcast on NBC...

, the two teams, Magna and Net Worth, competed in a contest to design a sandwich for BK to sell. The winning product was the Net Worth team and their "Western Angus Steak Burger". As a promotional stunt, the new sandwich was introduced as a nation-wide, limited time offering the day after the episode aired.

• Steakhouse (1st campaign)

The first line of advertisements for the Steakhouse Burger tagged the sandwich as "the burger you just can't wait for." The commercials often featured people in a rush to get to Burger King and purchase a Steakhouse Burger, risking the safety of other people and property around them in the process.

• Steakhouse Burger (2nd campaign)

The second line of advertisements for the Steakhouse Burger tagged the sandwich as "so special, people might think you think you're special." The commercials imply that the Steakhouse Burger is a burger that people have to "earn the right" to eat. They usually feature two characters each enjoying the burger. They are then approached by a third character, who asks what the other two characters did to earn the sandwich. The first character boasts of an extraordinary feat, while the second character says he was "just hungry" or "just wanted one." The third character then berates the second character, calling him arrogant for eating a sandwich that he "did not deserve."

UK/Ireland

The Angus burger adverts featured a man (played by Richard Bennett) asking for an Angus Burger in a 'FastBurger' restaurant - a parody of McDonald's

McDonald's

McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...

 - and the counter staff laughing, presumably because they didn't think you could buy one in a fast food restaurant. The news of the order reaches the FastBurger headquarters and everyone associated with the fictional chain is laughing. The chairman is by now laughing after being told about the order on the phone, and says "An Angus Burger, is he crazy?!" An assistant gives him the morning Evening Standard

Evening Standard

The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...

 paper and the front page story reads 'Burger King Debuts The Angus". Then the camera pulls back through the office to reveal a real Angus Burger and the announcer says "The Angus Burger, only at Burger King".

Naming and trademarks

Burger King currently does not have any trademarks on the Angus line of sandwiches in the US

United States trademark law

Trademarks were traditionally protected in the United States only under State common law, growing out of the tort of unfair competition. As early as 1791, Thomas Jefferson proposed that the marks of sailcloth makers could be protected under the Commerce Clause, but it was not until 1870 that...

, Canada

Canadian trade-mark law

Canadian trade-mark law provides protection to marks statutorily under the Canadian Trade-marks Act and also at common law. Trade-mark law provides protection for distinctive marks, certification marks, distinguishing guises, and proposed marks against those who appropriate the goodwill of the mark...

, Europe

European trade mark law

European trade mark law is governed by national law in the countries which make up Europe, together with European Law within those European countries which are also EU member states...

or South Korea.