Following the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 20-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the NFL at the weekend, a message was spotted outside a branch of the Golden Arches located on the corner of State and Liberty Streets in downtown Jacksonville.
The message read: “Burger King wants Titans to win.” It was clearly designed as a provocation over the big game, given that the rival fast-food chain was founded in Jacksonville, originally opening as Insta-Burger King in 1953.
Legend has it that original Insta-Burger King founders Keith J. Kramer and his wife’s uncle Matthew Burns opened the restaurant after visiting the original McDonald brothers’ store in San Bernardino, California. It set in motion a fast-food rivalry that has lasted for 70 years and counting.
The significance of the message was not lost on Jaguars season ticket holder Bonnie Upright, who spotted the sign while heading out to celebrate the win with her husband.
“I’m not sure about the beef between the two,” she told Newsweek. “I don’t usually drive that way just once a week or so, but don’t remember any signs previously. However, Burger King was founded here in Jax, so it was especially egregious.”
Eager to capture the message for posterity, the couple, who were heading out for cocktails as part of their victory celebrations, pulled up and took a picture.
The resulting snaps were shared to Twitter, and the McDonald’s branch’s roast of the nearby Burger King became common knowledge to those on social media.
Burger King’s Jacksonville origins certainly appeared to add a little extra spice to proceedings, with one follower describing the sign as “extra inflammatory,” given that the city is the home of the chain’s flame-grilled Whopper.
Despite some seeing it as controversial, Upright remains thoroughly amused. “We are diehard Jags fans so had a great laugh about it,” she said, “especially since the Titans lost.”
Though the Burger King burn did not make her want to go for a McDonald’s, Upright said she might have been tempted to “hit that drive-thru,” had they been serving something alcoholic.
“As far as I know, there’s no McMimosa available at the Golden Arches,” Upright added.
However, the sign added to the joy of the result for the recently remarried mother-of-three, who admits she has seen her fair share of bad times following the Jaguars.
“I’m an original Jaguars season ticket holder. I’ve seen a lot of great moments in that stadium and far more not-so-great ones,” Upright said.
“I bleed teal and I love what the team means to this community. Though I don’t always agree with management and have spent a lot of money on a lot of disappointment, I still renew every year because there’s no place I’d rather be on game day than in the stadium.”
