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Chances are you weren’t even born when Burger King discontinued the Yumbo, but the Miami-based fast-food giant is betting that millennials will hanker for the hot ham-and-cheese sandwich of their parents’ generation.
The sandwich, which features Black Forest ham, melted American cheese, lettuce, and mayo, served warm on a toasted hoagie bun, was introduced in 1968 and taken off the menu in 1974. The original sandwich, by the way, didn’t have lettuce. Why has the Yumbo staged a comeback after so many years?
See also: Burger King’s Proud Whopper Just a Bite in Company’s Equality Stance
Resurrecting the Yumbo is part of the company’s larger strategy to “selectively bring back favorite foods,” according to Eric Hirschhorn, Burger King Corporation’s chief marketing officer for North America. “We’re always listening to our guests through our franchisees, in social media, and via guest relations.”
The sandwich, with a suggested price of $3.69, is now available at all Burger King locations nationwide. It’s also part of the chain’s two-for-$5 menu.
To help introduce the sandwich to a new generation, Burger King is “rewinding the clock: by taking its Facebook page back 40 years to 1974.” Because there was no Facebook 40 years ago, exactly what does that mean? Well, BK is going “old school” with the original social media tool — carrier pigeon telephone.
The company has implemented the Burger King Yumbo Social Hotline, inviting fans of the sandwich to “like,” “comment,” and “share” via phone by dialing 844-BK-YUMBO.
Meanwhile, watch Burger King get all groovy with lava lamps, Afros, and Polaroid cameras:
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