Tag: Fast Food

The 300s Reviews Taco Bell Chicken Nuggets

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Earlier this week I heard whispers of a new Taco Bell menu item being rolled out in a select market. As David Letterman used to say, “I just pray to God that your city has been selected.” Well, the fast food gods were smiling on me because my market was selected and that’s how I got my hands on the latest innovation from Taco Bell.

Well, it’s not really an innovation. The Bell certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel to pump out chicky nuggies. Even nacho fries, which I love, were a little more innovative. If anything, the dipping sauces were more innovative than the nuggets themselves.

My first thought when opening the box was “oh shit.” These nuggets looked strikingly similar to the worst fast food nuggets I’ve ever had the displeasure of eating (congrats Sonic!). But they were actually somewhat juicy and tender, and not covered in a Michelin Tire-like coating.

The nuggets themselves were not that much of a departure from your standard (non-McDonald’s) nuggets. I didn’t sense any special seasoning on them, like there is on nacho fries. But the sauces were surprisingly good. The two nugget dipping sauces were “Bell sauce” and a jalapeno-flavored honey mustard. The Bell Sauce tasted like thicker Taco Bell sauce you’d get out of the packet and was the better of the two, but the honey mustard packed good flavor and wasn’t too spicy.

Eating the nuggets dipped in the sauces was actually a similar experience to boneless wings at Buffalo Wild Wings.

So what’s the verdict? I wouldn’t go out of my way to grab Taco Bell chicken nuggets the way I would a Crunchwrap Supreme. But I won’t go so far as to say they serve no purpose. My guess is that Taco Bell chicken nuggets will be most popular in late night group orders. A good add on, or an option for the one guy in the car at 1 AM who doesn’t want a taco. I can’t imagine them being too popular with the younger set, though. (Sorry, dads who would rather a Chalupa than a Quarter Pounder when grabbing chicky nuggies for the kids.)

I didn’t order the meal, as I wanted 10 nuggets to try both sauces (could only do a meal with five nuggets). A 10-piece with both sauces ran me $6.99 before tax. Overall, I give the Taco Bell Chicken Nuggets a 5.8. Good, not great. Won’t go out of my way to grab these again, but I could see myself eating a few in addition to my next quesadilla. The dipping sauces helped the score. McDonald’s and the other chicken fast casuals do not need to press the panic button.

Taco Bell Has Gone Too Far

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CNN – For years, Thanksgiving feasts have featured bland roast turkeys, canned cranberry sauce and boxed stuffing mix. Thanks to Taco Bell, these painfully generic holiday dishes will plague American families no longer.

Instead, the food chain wants you to serve blended Taco Bell Rolled Chicken Tacos at your traditional holiday dinner…

Taco Bell has taken your mother’s beloved bisque recipe and turned it into its Rolled Chicken Tacos Bisque.

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I love Taco Bell as much as anybody and part of what I love about them is their self-awareness. Taco Bell is not fine dining. It’s not even fast casual. It’s for when you’ve got $18 left in your checking account or are on your way home from the bars (or possibly both). They know that. You know that. They know that you know that, and they’re cool with it. That’s why this news is so disappointing.

Taco Bell is not fancy food for fancy people. So why are they trying to play to the stuffy, basic Friendsgiving crowd? Imagine bringing Taco Bell to Friendsgiving. Melissa would shade you so fast on Instagram your phone would die. Why is Taco Bell trying to play to this crowd? Do they actually think putting their product in a blender to make it more resemble vomit will win that crowd over?

Taco Bell has a long history of innovations with a couple of misses (like the Bell Beefer) but way more grand slams (like the Crunchwrap Supreme). So while I love that they’re willing try something so outrageous here, I can’t help but be amazed by how far off-brand it is.

Sure, White Castle has a similar vibe to Taco Bell and has had lots of success with it’s Thanksgiving stuffing, but that’s totally different. White Castle sliders are 75% bread and stuffing IS MADE OF BREAD. Also, the White Castle stuffing recipe gets points for not requiring a goddamn blender.

Sorry Taco Bell. I won’t be serving your bisque at my house next week.

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Welp, Looks Like I’m Having Taco Bell for Dinner

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Forbes – Taco Bell today announced that delivery is now available nationwide, a day shy of the one-year anniversary since parent company Yum! Brands announced its partnership with Grubhub. That partnership included Yum’s $200 million investment in the delivery company to accelerate expansion of its network.

With today’s announcement, Taco Bell delivery via Grubhub is now available in 65% of its restaurants across the nation. 

I love me some Taco Bell. I don’t just like it, I love it. But the biggest problem with Taco Bell, at least in the Boston area, is that they are almost nonexistant. There’s the one in the Cambridgeside Galleria and then there’s one in Saugus. Other than that the only one I can even think of is in Quincy. Whichever one I choose becomes a goddamn expedition that James and the Giant Peach wouldn’t even attempt. So now I can have this delicious beef paste delivered hot to my door? Goodbye summer bod and any human interaction.

“There’s no doubt that the consumer wants delivery. There’s no doubt that they’re prepared to pay for delivery. There’s no doubt we see a higher check. There’s no doubt we see an incremental transaction,”

Having less locations in Boston than there are Infinity Stones will actually work to Taco Bell’s benefit if they can hire enough delivery drivers to not make this a complete cluster. More and more fast food restaurants in particular are getting into the delivery business, but there’s no way I’m paying a premium for McDonalds because I drive by like 3 of them on my way home from work. But Taco Bell? Hell yea I’ll pay $12 for a Crunch Wrap Supreme, a Doritos Locos taco, a Baja Blast, and a spicy chicken burrito.

With a smile on my face.

And you better believe I am picking up some fresh Taco Bell apparel at the flagship cantina when The 300s does Vegas next month. (I went there twice in one day that last time I was in Vegas)

All the Top Fast Food Burgers Got an F on Their Meat. Don’t. Care.

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Yahoo –  There could be harmful chemicals in your burger, at least according to a new research report released by the Consumers Union, an advocacy division of Consumer Reports… Only 2 of 25 U.S. burger chains were issued “A” ratings for serving beef that has not been raised with antibiotics. Both Shake Shack (SHAK) and BurgerFi strictly serve antibiotic-free beef to customers…A stunning 22 of 25 burger chains in the US received a failing grade of “F” for not disclosing any intent to stray away from purchasing beef products from antibiotic-free sources. Among those “F” rated restaurants were some familiar names such as McDonald’s (MCD), Burger King – whose parent company is Restaurant Brands (QSR), Jack in the Box (JACK) and Sonic Drive-In (SONC).

Look I don’t go to McDonalds or Burger King or Wendys or Five Guys or any one of the other fast food joints because I am looking for a quality piece of meat. If I wanted that I’d go to a steak house. So when this story came across my desk it seemed like another gigantic waste of time and money so scientists can prove something we already know; fast food burgers are trash.

Now what? The last moderately useful breakthrough in these food science experiments was seedless watermelons.

It is pretty disheartening to see one of the all-time great cheeseburgers In N Out being grouped with the likes of White Castle. That one hit close to home considering it’s literally the first place I hit when I go to Vegas or LA.

This is slanderous really.

Shoutout to Shake Shack though for getting an A on this test. Burger Fi also got an A, but that place was open on Comm Ave for approximately 6 months before getting shut down. Sooo I can’t say I’m super confident in that franchise as a whole.

All these “breaking news” food studies always do the exact opposite of what the nerds with the test tubes intended anyways. You think I’m going to stop eating McDoubles now?

HA!

Literally every time I see Supersize Me, the OG “stop eating fastfood” initiative, the first thing I do is drive straight to McDonalds and crush a Big Mac.

So to the nutritionists and the vegetarians and the scientists looking to take down fast food, I leave you with this:

I’m Making November 1st a Fast Food Holiday

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Business Insider – Taco Bell is giving away Doritos Locos Tacos on November 1.

Before the World Series, Taco Bell announced it would bring back the “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion: If a player steals a base, Taco Bell will give away tacos across the US.

Taco fans didn’t have to wait long for the free tacos to be unlocked. On Tuesday, the first night of the series, the Red Sox’s Mookie Betts stole second base.

Taco Bell’s “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion has always seemed a bit tacky to me. Has there ever been a World Series without a stolen base? Just one, actually. As Phil Rosenthal of the Chicago Tribune wrote last October:

Only once in 112 World Series has no one stolen a base. That was in 1944 when the St. Louis Cardinals downed the St. Louis Browns in six games.

Nevertheless, I’m not one to say no to free food.

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I’m also not one to pass up deals. Right now there are plenty of deals in the fast food world, and I’m not talking about $5 boxes. I’m talking about even better deals. So on November 1st, in honor of Taco Bell giving out free tacos, I’m going to take advantage of all of them and hit for the fast food cycle. What is the fast food cycle, you ask?

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That’s 10 nuggets, a large fry, a large Coke and a Doritos Locos Taco all for three bucks (plus tax) on November 1. Name a better fast food meal with more variety for a better price. I’ll wait.

Before you complain about having to drive all over town to hit for the cycle, keep in mind that at least two of these four restaurants are probably right next to each other in your town. I have a Taco Bell literally next to a Burger King on my way home from work. The Burger King in my home town was across the street from the McDonald’s. Hitting all four restaurants will not be as challenging as you think. Even if it is a bit more challenging than just plunking down $8 for a Quarter Pounder meal at McDonald’s, how could you say no this kind of deal?

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Make no doubt about it, there has never been a better time in history to enjoy fast food in this country. And don’t look now, but the McRib will soon be back, too.

The Big Mac Economy is Here! Introducing the MacCoin

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USA TODAY – It’s not exactly pennies from heaven, but McDonald’s is planning to make it rain coins to celebrate the Big Mac’s 50th anniversary.

Starting at the lunch rush on Thursday, customers can receive a MacCoin with the purchase of a Big Mac at 14,000 participating restaurants across the United States, McDonald’s announced Sunday. 

And what’s the coin good for? Another Big Mac.

Customers can redeem the new currency for a free Big Mac starting Friday and running throughout the rest of 2018.

A+ move by McDonald’s once again. These MacCoins are going to turn the #1 into the adult Happy Meal and they are going to be hunted down like McDonald’s Beanie Babies in 1999. In 1999, though, I had to convince my mom to take me to McDonald’s. This time around I’ll be able to eat as many Big Macs as it takes to collect all five MacCoins.

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I’ll bet these MacCoins will be hoarded like those Beanie Babies, too. More than six million MacCoins will be distributed, but how many will actually be redeemed? Why redeem it for a free Big Mac now when I can put it into a change jar for 14 years and then sell it on eBay for $28?

It would be really cool if they didn’t have any expiration date, like cash. McDonald’s could create its own shadow currency, backed by the full faith and credit of Ronald McDonald. What better way to put the Big Mac Index to the actual test? How many MacCoins would it take to buy a house?

Just make sure to watch out for the Hamburglar. That guy would turn into Vito Corleone in the new Big Mac Economy.

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But with an expiration date of December 31, these coins will turn into MBTA tokens pretty quickly. Maybe if we’re lucky, someone on Etsy will turn them into cuff links next year. No way you can run a McDonald’s if you’re not rocking Big Mac cuff links.

So it looks like I’ll be heading back to the McDonald’s I got my Big Mac sauce from last year for lunch on Thursday. Maybe dinner too.

Off-Duty Burger King Worker Lends a Hand and Gets Fired

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Fox News – Customers at a Burger King in Jacksonville, Fla., believe a woman waiting in line took the restaurant’s “Have it your way” slogan a little too literally when she hopped behind the counter and started preparing an order.

Witnesses say they watched the woman ─ who was photographed wearing a tank top and shorts ─ leave the slow-moving line and step into the food prep area, where she proceeded to slap on a pair of gloves before getting down to work…

In a statement to Fox News, Burger King said that the woman was an off-duty employee, but confirmed that the incident should not have happened. It also stated that the manager, and the woman, had been fired.

FIRED? This woman deserves a medal from the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce for her dedication to service. We’ve all waited in slow-moving lines at fast food restaurants (usually Taco Bell), and finally someone did something about it. This employee shouldn’t have been fired, she should have been promoted. It’s gotta be hard for a fast food joint to find an employee who cares that much about their craft.

Whatever happened to the expression “many hands make light work?” This poor woman got fired for her dedication to teamwork. Why? Because the fashion police happened to be waiting in line at the same time?

“I said, ‘No, you’re not about to fix my food. You’re not in uniform,'” Marcelita [Jones] claims.

Take it easy, Marcelita. You’re at Burger King, not the Four Seasons. Also, it’s Florida in July. I can’t imagine how hot the back of a BK in Florida in July is. I’d rather my fast food worker there wear a tank top and shorts instead of business casual. And she was wearing gloves. I don’t see the issue.

I just hope this employee isn’t out of work for long. If I owned a fast food restaurant I’d offer her a job tomorrow. I don’t ever remember meeting a fast food employee that dedicated to their job.

Arby’s Will Soon Have More Meats

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CNN Money – Arby’s is buying Buffalo Wild Wings, the chain of sports bars, for $2.9 billion.

In an all-cash deal, Arby’s is paying $157 per share for Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), a 7% premium based on Monday’s closing price. Buffalo Wild Wings stock had been much lower before rumors about a deal with Arby’s surfaced two weeks ago…

The deal will take Buffalo Wild Wings private. Arby’s is owned by Roark Capital, which also has big stakes in Auntie Anne’s, Carvel and Jimmy John’s.

Buffalo Wild Wings, known as B-Dubs to its fans, was facing pressure from activist investors who support the deal.

The two most disappointing restaurant chains in America are joining forces? It’s a match made in fast food heaven! Buffalo Wild Wings, the home of 75¢ Boneless Thursdays. And a place where the flat Pepsi flows like wine. I’m talking about a little place called Arby’s.

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Woof. Not exactly a power couple. More like Arby’s leaving with the last girl at the bar at 2:15 AM. What’s the matter, Arby’s? You big swingin dicks couldn’t close on Hooters?

Now Buffalo Wild Wings and Arby’s can combine forces to sling bastardized chicken wings and roast beef sandwiches more efficiently. I love chicken wings but I won’t set foot in a B-Dubs unless it’s 75¢ wing night. I shudder to think what those small, cold, under-sauced wings go for on a regular night. Hooters beats B-Dubs ten times out of ten. And don’t even get me started on Arby’s. Jon Stewart covered them pretty well.

It’s unbelievable to think that they sell the same food as Kelly’s. Comparing Kelly’s roast beef to Arby’s roast beef is like comparing apples to hockey pucks. And I still miss the Allston Kelly’s.

I’d also like to take a moment to discuss the soda situation at Buffalo Wild Wings and at Arby’s. I love a cold one-liter bottle of Diet Pepsi on a hot summer afternoon as much as any one, but fountain Pepsi at restaurants sucks. The Coke at McDonald’s can’t be beat and Burger King has stepped up its game with Coke Freestyle machines. The flat Pepsi is the worst part of any Taco Bell trip. Thankfully I usually don’t drink soda from Taco Bell unless it’s after dark and it’s mixed with some Admiral Nelson. Dumping Pepsi and getting back with Coke would be an easy improvement for B-Dubs and Arby’s.

It’d be interesting to see if Arby’s interest in Buffalo Wild Wings had anything to do with Buffalo Wild Wings venturing into the fast casual realm with B-Dubs Express. Does Arby’s hope to make B-Dubs Express the next Raising Cane’s? That might make sense with millennials “killing” chain restaurants, but there’s not much Buffalo Wild Wings has to offer to start with. If you take away the loud music and big screen TVs, what’s left?

’90s Food Crushing it on eBay

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TIME – A 20-year-old dipping sauce from McDonald’s sold for nearly $15,000 after a mention in the show Rick and Morty.

A listing for the Szechuan sauce, which was released as a promotional product for the Disney movie Mulan, closed with a winning bid of $14,700.
Back in January I said “the hassle to mail a bottle of salad dressing didn’t seem worth the fifty-odd bucks I’d probably pocket after fees and shipping,” after scoring a bottle of Big Mac sauce. I may have misunderestimated.
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I’m reluctant to buy groceries on eBay. I can’t forget what happened to the dude who drank the 20-year-old bottle of Crystal Pepsi. But after all the research that’s been wasted conducted on McDonald’s burgers and fries that don’t rot, I’d be comfortable making an exception for McDonald’s food on eBay.

All that being said, $15k on McNugget dipping sauce is asinine. I’ve got a half empty bottle of teriyaki sauce in my fridge right now that I’d be happy to part with for $4500. I could even draw the golden arches on it with a Sharpie if you’d like. I’m sure my grandmother has some sugar packets hanging around from the late ’90s too. I’ll throw a few in just as a bonus.

But the bottom line is that any food product that was even halfway decent in the ’90s will get brought back at some point. Wonder how this guy will feel about coughing up $15k when this stuff hits stores again next fall. And I thought the Weymouth McDonald’s charging 25 cents for sauce was a crime.

Buy Me Some Peanuts and Lobster Poutine

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Boston Globe – In the past, Fenway Park has refrained from indulging in extravagant ballpark food trend, opting for tradition over Guy Fieri-esque creations.

But that might be changing this year, if ever so slightly. In addition to Chris Sale, Red Sox fans can look forward to a slate of exotic seafood concessions this season at Fenway.

The new 2017 menu includes a “Lobster Poutine Stak,” a New England take on the French-Canadian late-night delicacy. According to Fenway Park food vendor Aramark, the dish consists of steak fries, covered in fresh lobster meat, cheese curds, bisque, and chives.

I’m old enough to remember when people thought it was cute and funny that Fenway Park was selling clam chowder at April home games. I’m generally opposed to soup at ballparks, but  I’ll allow clam chowder at Fenway. It can’t be any worse than clam chowder out of the can from the supermarket, and it is a New England delicacy being served in New England. If I hear Cincinnati is selling clam chowder I may have a different opinion. Lobster Poutine is where I draw the line, though.

Fenway held its ground as long as it could offering up little more than hot dogs, popcorn, cracker jacks, soda, coffee and beer. The introduction of pizza, burgers and chicken tenders was a welcome sight. Clam chowder and craft beer were understandable. At least they weren’t serving deep-fried nachos on a stick or mac and cheese cones. While greatly overpriced, the concessions at Fenway still had some modesty. Not any more.

Poutine has to be the fastest growing appetizer in the food industry. The basic ingredients are easy enough – french fries, gravy and cheese – and it is also easy to upgrade and customize. With that in mind, Fenway is jumping on two bandwagons – poutine and the crazy ballpark food trend.

Call me skeptical, but I question the quality of ballpark lobster. I imagine it would be similar to gas station steak. At least with gas station steak all parties involved know what they’re getting into. In exchange for questionable meat you can make a steak for four bucks. Can’t wait to see what the actual retail price is for lobster poutine at Fenway. I’ll bid $23, Drew.

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