Tokyo Nose: 'Spicy' Scent of a Burger King Store Entices Japanese Cologne Buyers

[onedef92]

'Spicy' Scent of a Burger King Store Entices Cologne Buyers

TOKYO — Apr 1, 2015, 8:59 AM ET

The whiff of a Whopper made hundreds of customers hungry for a Burger King special — "Flame Grilled" cologne.

Bottles of the special fragrance were sold at the fast-food chain's stores in Japan for a one-day promotion Wednesday for 5,000 yen (about $40), including a burger.

At a downtown Tokyo outlet, 17-year-old student Yuki Ishibashi bought one out of curiosity. He described the scent as "spicy."

Nanako Katabami bought one as an unusual gift, and quoted her friend as saying it smelled like a Burger King store.

Burger King said the burger-scented cologne sold out at about half of its 90 Japanese outlets by Wednesday evening.

The company said it hoped the scent would make customers identify Burger King with a grilled-beef burger smell.