“Want to get smashed today?”
That’s not the usual fast-food greeting you’d hear upon rolling up into a drive-thru.
But thanks to its latest culinary brainchild, the Smash Jack, it’s the current greeting at Jack in the Box. Jack in the Box worker and TikToker Trap (@trap4blaa), along with 123,000 viewers, couldn’t believe corporate orders to say the greeting.
The clip shows the worker bemusedly repeating the slogan. “Do you wanna get smashed today with our new Smash Jack?” she asks customers over her headset in the drive-thru.
The worker shows the script they are meant to follow. “Ask every guest every time,” the script directs.
“Jack wanted me to tell you that his new Smashed Jack is here and it’s awesome!” another suggested greeting reads.
@trap4blaa jack in the box AYO #smashedjack #jackinthebox #smashburger #smashburger #jackinbox ♬ original sound – Trap4blaa
The reactions from viewers ranged from amusement to nostalgia for simpler times. “I’d be like ayyy yooooo chill,” one user commented.
Another user pined for the days of “hello?? how are you?”
Someone else expressed a preference for the straightforward, “What can I get you?” followed by a repeat of the order.
But, we aren’t living in the good ol’ days anymore, are we?
Eat This, Not That compiled a list of “controversial” ads, showing Jack in the Box is no stranger to pushing the envelope when it comes to corporate branding.
One of the more salient examples was the chain’s 2018 “Try my bowls” Super Bowl commercial urging potential customers to taste Jack in the Box’s teriyaki “bowls” by blatantly referencing the mascot’s genitalia. What made the ad extra tone deaf was the fact that it aired during the height of the #MeToo movement.
As we head into 2024, fast-food chains may be feeling the pressure to stand out and keep their customers engaged, especially with food inflation worsening every day. While @trap4blaa might have raised an eyebrow at Jack in the Box’s unconventional approach, it’s a reminder that in the competitive world of fast food, sometimes you have to break the mold to make a splash.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Jack in the Box via email Trap via TikTok comment for further information.
