Burger King's New Fiery Menu Only Delivers A Few Sparks

Burger King has brought spice to its menu plenty of times in the past. Whether it was the Mexican Original Chicken Sandwich, the Spicy Ch'King sandwich, or even the Fiery Big Fish Sandwich that debuted earlier in 2024, the fast food chain is no stranger to heat. In the spirit of embracing that heat, the brand has just released its Fiery menu filled with five new menu items that gradually increase in spice level ... or so Burger King claims.

The fiery items in order of proposed spice level include a Fiery Strawberry & Sprite, Fiery Mozzarella Fries, Fiery Bacon Whopper, Fiery Chicken Fries, and Fiery Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich. As the staff member of The Takeout with a low-to-moderate desire for spicy food, I am obviously the best choice for this particular menu review. With taste buds ready to perish in the fires of Burger King's menu, let's find out at what point the flames die out.

In a plot twist that Burger King's R&D department likely did not expect, the most fiery menu item is the drink. The Fiery Strawberry & Sprite is surprisingly refreshing with its sweet strawberry flavor, and then it unexpectedly hits your throat with a kick that lingers. I can only compare this to the uniquely crisp taste of classic Sprite but with the same kind of spice that the first two or three hot wings on an episode of "Hot Ones" might have.

This strawberry Sprite is intriguing to say the least. While one side of my brain keeps going back for more sips, the other is wondering why each refreshing sip leaves me with a burn that is not quenched by the drink itself. Burger King notes that the drink contains a spicy strawberry puree but does not specify what makes the puree spicy. Regardless of the ingredients, this is the one fiery menu item I hope stays past its limited-time stint on the menu.

Burger King describes the spicy Sprite as the lowest on its Fiery menu spice scale, but the brand's scale is out of whack. The Fiery Mozzarella Fries are meant to be the next level up in spice, but the Fiery Calabrian pepper breading these cheese-filled sticks are made with simply adds a little savoriness. On the bright side, the cheese is melty, and the mozzarella fries are crispy.

In the case of The Fiery Bacon Whopper, I can confidently say if you've had a Whopper in your life, you're not missing out on much if you don't try this version. The bacon is unneeded, and the creamy Fiery sauce actually tastes a little sweet instead of spicy. Unfortunately, tacking on the word "fiery" to a sandwich with pepper jack cheese and some creamy sauce does not earn it a level-three spice designation.

Spice is finally detectable when you reach the poultry on this menu. The Fiery Chicken Fries and the Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich both have enough fiery seasoning fried into them to linger on the tongue like the spicy Sprite. The Fiery Chicken Fries come accompanied with a Ranch cup for dipping, and the experience is like eating buffalo chicken wings without the bone. The Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich also brings its own bit of heat, but unlike with the Whopper version, the creamy fiery sauce and the fiery glaze on the chicken boost its flavor instead of pulling it down.