Hold the Pickles, Hold the Lettuce

Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce
Special orders, don’t upset us
All we ask is that you let us serve it your way
Have it your way

Ah, a company that cares! Burger King ran this commercial around 1974. Battling McDonald’s with the “Have it your way” campaign in 1973, Burger King put their service in the spotlight with the jingle, “Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce. Special orders don’t upset us.” The campaign increased ad awareness by 50%. The Little King was retired, and “Have it your way” was adapted to target children with ad efforts tagged “All kids are different” and “Pickle-less Nicholas.”

Image result for Pickleless Nicholas

In 1976-77, Burger King changed advertising agents and went with “America loves burgers, and we’re America’s Burger King.” In 1982, they launched a “burger wars” effort with the slogan “Battle of the burgers,” comparing the Whopper with those of McDonald’s and Wendy’s.

The jingle’s upbeat, friendly tone made it feel like Burger King employees were singing just for you. It also helped that the melody was incredibly catchy—it got stuck in your head and stayed there.

Even decades later, people who grew up in the ’70s and ’80s can instantly recall that tune. In fact, when Burger King revived “Have It Your Way” in later years, they leaned heavily on nostalgia for that original “Hold the pickles…” jingle.

Anyway…I wish they would bring back those uniforms.

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

14 thoughts on “Hold the Pickles, Hold the Lettuce”

    1. I know right! A few years ago I missed out on a bid on ebay to get one those burger king uniforms with the hat…I was so disappointed.
      Why I want stuff like that… I don’t have the slightest clue.

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      2. I have the makings of one already… The Beautiful Tacky Seventies…
        But…at least things were different…individuality… a long forgotten word.

        They were cool! I think that is why I wanted the uniform.

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      4. I used to have a Denny’s bowling-style shirt I picked up at a used store…quite liked it though I seldom wore it out in public

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  4. I like Mcdonald’s a lot better myself, but BK were good in letting you have what you want on burgers…now you can at Mcd too with their kiosks but I have allergies, and some dislikes (for instance, CAN eat yellow mustard but don’t like it) and for so long Micky d’s had the premade burgers with everything on it. Don’t remember the BK commercials there though – possibly they didn’t run in canada. I remember lots of theirs with the creepy king guy looking into people’s bedrooms at night and such… that wasn’t a good selling point!

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    1. Oh the Creepy King!!!! I was going to show him…he came later but yes I remember him.
      I like the broiled taste of BK…that is why I like them.
      People don’t believe this when I tell them. I come from a small town…I didn’t have McDonalds until I was 18 and working in Nashville.

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      1. I grew up near one and it was my second PT job, when I was about 15… only lasted a few weeks, I ended up quitting after they stopped giving me hours mainly I think because back then I would’t get my hair cut short enough for their liking

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