They don’t mean to make you cry, but Burger King Philippines on Wednesday said they were not putting onion rings on their Whoppers anytime soon owing to a shortage of the tasty vegetable in the country.
“Our onions are a bit hard to come by these days due to a shortage in regular supply affecting our Whopper and other flame-grilled burgers,” the hamburger chain said on its social media posts.
This dovetails with the Department of Agriculture’s confirmation of a lack of supply of white onions in the market, which it is already taking steps to address.
Senator Imee Marcos, however, is not convinced by the DA statement, alleging on GMA News’ State of the Nation report that it is merely “a modus operandi” and a “same old story” of agricultural smugglers.
“First, they smuggle. Then they create a shortage and produce a legitimate import permit. By next week, I have no doubt smuggled onions will flood the market covered by a ‘legitimate’ importation order of gargantuan proportions,” said Marcos, whose brother—President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—is concurrent Agriculture Secretary.
DA Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista said white onions are no longer in wet markets, “bagsakan” (food depot) places, supermarkets, restaurants, and institutional buyers, based on their discussion with buyers, thus the department is considering importing the vegetable to fill local demand.
To make up for the onion shortage, Burger King Philippines said on Facebook it is giving its customers options to replace the white onions with extra lettuce, extra tomatoes, or crispy onions – thinly sliced and battered onions often used as toppings.
The burger joint is also known for its plant-based burgers and meat-free chicken sandwiches.