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Burger King next week will show that it, too, can create innovative, upscale burgers when it introduces the Lamb Flatbread burger as an LTO in its UK restaurants. As far as I can tell, it will be the first lamb burger from a major QSR chain. Fast casuals and upscale independents have offered lamb burgers for years. But few QSRs have done so. [See coments below.]

The sandwich combines a ground-lamb patty with chili ketchup, lettuce, onion, tomato and mint yogurt on rosemary flatbread.

It’s a big step up for Burger King, where burger innovation has largely consisted of variations on its signature Whopper (such as the French Mustard Whopper on offer in several European markets now). Burger King did come up with the BK Ringo in Japan. As previously reported, it’s the first burger topped with a slice of apple. And in Germany it is offering a New York Siciliano burger topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella

McDonald’s, however, has been stretching the boundaries of trendy upscale burgers across Europe. Last October, for example, McDonald’s introduced the first QSR veal burger, the McZuri, in Switzerland at the same time it was offering Michelin-starred Chef Gualtiero Marchesi’s McItaly Vivace burger (with bacon, salted spinach, marinated onions and mayo with mustard seed) and the McIberica (with Iberico ham, Manchego cheese and olive oil) in Spain. The Chicken Rustica sandwich on its six-item “Mamma Italia” menu in Germany has pancetta, arugula, tomato and balsamic-vinegar sauce.