I do some freelance work for Okinawa Living magazine, a publication produced by M.C.C.S. which introduces Okinawan and Japanese culture to American military members and their families. I have a base pass so that I can drop off my work and meet with the editors, but it also allows me to use the fast food restaurants while I am on the base. This is not insignificant because it means I can get veggie burgers from Burger King. The only other fast food chain that does a veggie burger in Japan is the Hard Rock Cafe, but the closest one is in Fukuoka a thousand or so miles away.

I usually order the medium meal opting not to go large or king size. However on my last visit something interesting happened due to some clever/devious decision making on the part of Burger King.

Burger King have decided to rename their sizes. King is now large. Large is now medium. Medium is now small. The portions however have not changed.

When I ordered my medium meal, I was given the veggie burger, the new medium sized fries and a new medium sized drink cup.

A medium sized drink?

What they deem to be a medium-sized drink is now 22 fl.oz, almost double that in a regular can of soda.  I have less of a problem with Super-sized and King-sized amounts of food, the ridiculousness of the amount is referred to in their sizing. But to suggest, and possibly habituate your customers to the idea that drinking a liter of soda with a meal is a middle of the road option seems to be misleading.

Okinawa has one of the longest life expectancies in the world.  There’s an article about  Okinawan longevity , and interviews with Dr.  Andrew Weil and Dr. Makoto Suzuki, on my website, but to summarize it is clear that diet is a major factor. 

I have no problem with a company offering a range of sizes from the miniscule to the ridiculous. However, labeling those sizes correctly is a necessity. 

Misleading your customers isn’t.