Core Viewpoint - The recent system crash of Burger King in China, triggered by the launch of a new promotional product, highlights the brand's struggle to manage high traffic and its need to regain the attention of younger consumers through marketing collaborations [2][4][6]. Group 1: System Crash and Apologies - Burger King faced a system crash due to overwhelming traffic from fans trying to purchase the limited-edition 2026 spokesperson New Year's gift box, which was launched on January 4, with a total of 60,000 units available at a price of 69.9 yuan [4][6]. - The company issued two apologies, the first acknowledging the system's inability to handle the sudden influx of users and the second expressing regret for customers who could not purchase the gift box [3][6]. - The crash occurred shortly after the launch, with the app and mini-program becoming inaccessible within minutes, prompting the first apology at 11:12 AM [4][6]. Group 2: Marketing Challenges and Consumer Reactions - This incident is the second marketing-related controversy for Burger King in a month, following a previous issue with a SpongeBob-themed product that did not meet consumer expectations due to discrepancies between the advertised and actual product [7][9]. - Consumers expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the products, leading to accusations of misleading advertising, particularly regarding the use of pineapple sauce instead of actual pineapple slices in the promotional items [9][14]. - Industry analysts suggest that Burger King's reliance on marketing collaborations to attract younger consumers is a temporary fix rather than a sustainable strategy, as the brand struggles to innovate and compete with rivals like McDonald's and KFC [15][17]. Group 3: Business Performance and Market Position - Burger King has been experiencing declining performance in China, with a significant reduction in store numbers, dropping from 1,474 at the end of 2024 to 1,339 by November 2025 [16]. - The company sold a majority stake to CPE Yuanfeng for $350 million, aiming to use the investment for store expansion, with plans to increase the number of locations to over 4,000 by 2035 [15][16]. - Analysts point out that Burger King's positioning is awkward, with high operating costs and a focus on first- and second-tier cities, limiting its reach in lower-tier markets where competitors are thriving [17].

文|《BUG》栏目 罗宁 今日，"汉堡王崩了"的话题毫无预兆地登上热搜榜单，引发全网热议。 不少消费者向《BUG》栏目反映，汉堡王官方App及微信小程序均无法正常登录使用，无论是常规点餐 还是抢购新品套餐都频频受挫。就在消费者吐槽声不断之际，汉堡王中国官方接连发布两条致歉声明。 汉堡王在第一条致歉中表示，"由于瞬时访问量巨大，系统承载能力不足，当前小程序/APP正在紧急修 复。给大家带来不好的体验，我们深表歉意。" 而在第二条致歉中，官方称"由于系统故障，部分小伙伴未能如愿买到2026代言人元旦礼盒套餐，我们 万分歉意。我们也非常理解大家此刻的失落心情，但请放心，所有热爱都不会被辜负。我们近期将在天 猫汉堡王官方旗舰店开放2026代言人元旦礼盒套餐（1月4日同款周边）的预订。" 《BUG》栏目致电北京海淀区一门店向工作人员咨询相关情况，汉堡王工作人员表示，店内的田栩宁 2026代言人元旦礼盒已经销售完。该店员提到，本次活动只能通过线上小程序和App点餐，再线下领取 的方式获得，不支持门店现场点单。 在业内人士看来，对于汉堡王这样的大平台，这种因粉丝经济引发的流量"井喷"导致技术平台崩溃的情 况极为罕见，充分暴 ...