Would You Dump 10 of Your Friends for a Free Whopper?

Burger King's latest promotional campaign asks Facebook users to choose between their online friends and their signature burger, the Whopper. The Whopper Sacrifice website asks, "What would you do for a free WHOPPPER? Now is the time to put your fair-weather web friendships to the test. Install WHOPPER Sacrifice on your Facebook profile, and we'll reward you with a free flame-broiled WHOPPER when you sacrifice 10 of your friends."

Once downloaded, the application graphically charts user's progress toward a free Whopper. It also displays pictures of each of the user's remaining Facebook friends and asks, "Who will be the next to go?"

Those de-friended receive an email informing them that they have been "sacrificed" for a free Whopper. The email also gives those sacrificed the opportunity to earn a free Whopper of their own by de-friending 10 friends. So far, nearly 165,000 friends have been sacrificed.

However, not everyone is happy with Burger King's latest campaign. Food blogger Dan Mitchell writes, "This may be the worst of a recent slew of puerile promotions dreamed up by the goofy frat boys who are apparently in charge of Burger King's campaigns."

Fast Food Maven blogger Nancy Luna writes, "When will the madness end at Burger King?"

Still others are upset that only Facebook users living in the U.S. are eligible to receive a free Whopper. Also, the offer is limited to the first 25,000 users and only one free Whopper per Facebook account.

The good news is that it is possible to earn a free Whopper and keep your friends. There is nothing in the application, or rules, that prevent users from re-friending those they sacrificed to earn their free Whopper coupon.

Given my love for Burger King Whoppers, I would gladly sacrifice 10 of my friends for a free one? In fact, I'd be willing to drop all of my friends if Burger King would throw in a larger order of fries and a medium Coke.