According to History.com, April Fools’ Day, also known as All Fools’ Day, has been celebrated for centuries by different cultures, but its exact origin is unknown.
For companies, franchised and non-franchised alike, pulling a prank is a tricky situation. Not only do they have to put the time and effort into the stunt, but they also have to balance the issue of consumer trust. Go too far and the company could actually do irreparable damage to its relationship with current and potential customers.
Despite the risks, some franchises have taken the plunge with their own April Fools’ Day pranks. Below we highlight a few of the most well-known.
The Taco Liberty Bell
Photo Credit: Hoaxes.org
The hallmark of franchise April Fools’ Day pranks happened in 1996. Taco Bell bought ads in several major newspapers, including the New York Times and USA Today touting that it had bought the Liberty Bell to help curb the national debt.
The joke caused quite a stir, leading to thousands of concerned citizens—and even some senators—inundating the National Park Service in Philadelphia with calls inquiring about the alleged purchase.
A “Left-Handed Whopper”
Photo Credit: Entrepreneur
Burger King used a 1998 USA Today ad to announce the addition of a brand-new “Left-Handed Whopper” to its menu.
According to the ad, the new burger had “all condiments rotated 180 degrees, thereby redistributing the weight of the sandwich so that the bulk of the condiments will skew to the left, thereby reducing the amount of lettuce and other toppings from spilling out the right side of the burger.”
Thousands of customers went to restaurants to request the new sandwich. Conversely, according to Burger King, “many others requested their own 'right handed' version.”
Domino’s Canned Pizza and Reheating Pouch
Domino’s went to Japan for its April 1, 2013 prank, which featured two parts. The first part involved an offer on the Domino’s Japan website for canned pizza that could be enjoyed anywhere for 401 yen (get it? The date 4-01).
Photo Credit: Brand Eating
The second part of the hoax involved a pouch that was allegedly “coming soon” that could be used to reheat a pizza slice to taste like it was fresh out of the oven. (Honestly, this concept seems like it could become reality doesn’t it?)
Photo Credit: Brand Eating