Few memes have stood the test of time quite like "Burger King Foot Lettuce," but recently, some tragic news has been spreading about the subject of the meme.

Earlier this month, news broke that YouTuber Epic Alex Time, who claims to be the one who stood in the lettuce, died unexpectedly in his home. Now, he's being memorialized on his Discord server, Foot Lettuce Family.

So, what exactly is the Burger King Foot Lettuce meme, how did Epic Alex Time die, and how can you help remember his legacy? Here's what you need to know.

What Is The 'Burger King Foot Lettuce' Meme?

Back in July 2012, a photograph of someone standing in two bins of lettuce at a Burger King restaurant in Ohio was posted to 4chan.

The post, allegedly made by a Burger King employee, read, "This is the lettuce you eat at Burger King." Rather than disappear forever like most 4chan posts, an anonymous 4chan user instead dug into the Exif data of the photo and managed to dox the employee's information.

This led to the employee standing in the lettuce, who we now know to be YouTuber Epic Alex Time, getting fired along with the manager and the friend who took the photo.

The image of Alex in the lettuce became a big meme over the following years, inspiring photoshops, edits and, most notably, the "Number 15, Burger King Foot Lettuce" meme after YouTuber Chills covered the story in 2017.

Who Is 'Epic Alex Time' And How Did He Die?

In 2025, YouTuber Epic Alex Time came forward with a video claiming he was the subject of the Burger King Foot Lettuce meme. In his video, he told the full story of the experience.

He later expanded on the details of the story in an interview with Know Your Meme, during which he talked about the effects it had on his life and expressed regret for standing in the lettuce. He also spoke about his struggles with seizures.

"If I could go back in time, I would not do it. Absolutely not. I don’t care how iconic [the meme] is," Alex told us in February 2025. "I’m going back and I’m undoing it. It has followed me for so long, and I just wish it never happened."

Alex, an Ohio resident, was working to launch a career as a content creator. In 2025, he posted numerous videos, including essays on a variety of topics and even auditioned for the reality web series Fishtank.

On July 10th, 2025, a friend of Alex's and a mod for his Discord server announced to the server that Alex had passed away. While no cause of death has been confirmed at the time of publishing, word is that it was related to his seizures. Purportedly, they had been worsening over the past few months.

A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for Alex's funeral and the "emotional, moral, and financial support" of his family. In about a week, the GoFundMe raised over $3,800, including a big donation seemingly from Chills, who left the comment, "I didn’t know Alex personally, but I followed his YouTube channel and always got the sense that he was a kind, sincere person."

If you'd like to support Alex and his family during this time, consider donating to the GoFundMe. His service is set to take place on July 21st, 2025, according to the page.

What Are Some More 'Burger King Foot Lettuce' Memes?

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For the full history of Burger King Foot Lettuce, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.