Why Is a Big Mac Cheaper Than a Salad?

Between the arrival of 'dollar' menus at fast food restaurants and the rising cost of fresh fruits and vegetables, we've reached an era where it is actually cheaper to feed your family at McDonald's than to go to the produce department, buy raw vegetables and cook a healthy meal at home.

There are many and varied reasons for this trend.  One, of course, is that McDonald's has more control over the market than the individual consumer.  But government policy comes into play as well; in particular the Farm Bill and the subsidies that support different types of food production in vastly different amounts.  The Farm Bill provides billions of dollars in subsidies primarily to huge agribusinesses producing feed crops for animals, which, in turn is a subsidy for meat and dairy production.  Fruit and vegetable farmers on the other hand receive less than 1 percent of total government subsidies from the Farm Bill.

This and much more information on this disparity is nicely presented in an article from Good Medicine magazine, a publication of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.  Also from the article:

Cannibalistic Chicken McBites TV Ad

Did anyone else notice the cannibalistic scene in one of McDonald's TV ads for their new Chicken McBites?

It's suggestive of feeding chicken to a chicken!

Sure it's just a car that looks like a chicken, but couldn't something similar be said of Chicken McBites themselves?

You can watch the whole ad below, but first, a little about the new Chicken McBites...

First, here's the complete nutritional facts:

McDonald's - Chicken McBites
Nutrition Facts Serv. Size 85g Servings 1 Calories 310   Fat Cal. 170 www.foodfacts.info	Amount/serving	%DV*		Amount/serving	%DV*
	Total Fat 19 g	29%		Total Carb. 22 g	7%
	Sat. Fat 3 g	14%		Fiber 1 g	6%
	Trans Fat 0 g			Sugars 0 g
	Cholesterol 35 mg	11%		Protein 14 g
	Sodium 490 mg	20%
	*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

And second, here are the ingredients: Chicken breast chunks with rib meat, water, maltodextrin, modified rice starch, yeast extract, sodium phosphates, salt, modified tapioca starch, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, spices, carrageenan, natural (botanical and animal source) and artificial flavors, chicken broth, citric acid, spice extractive, gum arabic, lactic acid, chicken fat. Battered and breaded with: bleached wheat flour, water, wheat flour, food starch-modified, wheat gluten, leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), salt, spices, garlic powder, dried onion, dried garlic, maltodextrin, onion powder, citric acid, natural (plant source) and artificial flavors, lactic acid, yellow corn flower, extractives of paprika and turmeric (color).

Burger King Begins Delivery Experiment

As part of continuing attempts to catch up to the market share of McDonald's and Wendy's, Burger King has begun to experiment with delivery.

That's right, you can get a Whopper delivered to your door!

Well, if you live in the Washington DC Metro area, within 10 minutes of 16 specific restaurants.

BK claims to have formulated new packaging that will get your burger and fries to your door hot and fresh.

If the pilot program works out, BKdelivers.com could be rolled out nationwide.

New "Spicy Ketchup" coming to Whataburger

I was just sent this Whataburger advertising image for "Spicy Ketchup" :

Whataburger's New Spicy Ketchup

 I don't know where the image came from, but it looks like an official Whataburger marketing piece.  I can't find any official information about when Whataburger's Spicy Ketchup will be available, but I found a couple unofficial references to it being available in January 2012 (update: this is confirmed; see below).  I've asked Whataburger's PR agency for clarification.

Regardless, this is exciting news for Whataburger fans.  Whataburger's "Fancy Ketchup" has a cult following and to add this spicy version to the mix is inspired.  I'm hoping it's as good as the ketchup/srichacha mix I've had at some indy burger joints.

UPDATE:  The Spicy Ketchup ad is from Whataburger's own Twitter feed (I should have found that!) and it will be available starting January 2, 2012!

If you see Whataburger's Spicy Ketchup in the wild, try it out and let us know about it:  tips@foodfacts.info

Our McRib Photo Featured on Fox News

If you happened to catch Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld on Fox News last night, you'd have seen our photo of a 'naked' McDonald's McRib from our "Deconstructing McRib" feature from a few years back.

The hosts and panelists of the show discuss the varied ingredients of the McRib and whether or not that makes them not want to eat it.  When they flash Fast Food News' photo of the McRib up again, one of the panelists, Bill Schulz asks if anyone notices that it looks like a McDonald's Apple Pie.

The segment of the show on the McRib is below and, once again, here's that great 'naked' McRib photo:

But, really, that's not as gross as what's on the inside when you slice it open:

The rest of the photos from our McRib 'expose' are here.  And here's the video from last night:

McDonald's Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon

McDonald's has jumped on the Chipotle flavoring bandwagon with their new Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon burger.

It features a 1/3 pound Angus patty 'smothered in sensationally sweet 'n smoky Chipotle BBQ saude," with red onions, pickles and 2 slices of American cheese, and bacon on a sesame seed bun.

It is the highest calorie burger in McDonald's Angus line yet at 800.  Also, like the other Angus burgers it has 2 grams of those pesky Trans Fats.  The rest of the nutritional info is below.

"The new Chipotle BBQ Bacon Angus Third Pounder deliciously combines the bold flavors of tangy barbecue, smoky Chipotle peppers, premium toppings, and the Angus beef our customers have come to love—now offered with the great value, quality, and convenience they have come to expect from McDonald's," says Marta Fearon, director of U.S. Marketing for McDonald's USA. "And by offering consumers a Snack Wrap or Third Pound burger option, customers can choose how they experience this new bold Angus flavor."

McDonald's - Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon Burger
Nutrition Facts Serv. Size 294g Servings 1 Calories 800   Fat Cal. 350 www.foodfacts.info	Amount/serving	%DV*		Amount/serving	%DV*
	Total Fat 39 g	60%		Total Carb. 66 g	22%
	Sat. Fat 18 g	90%		Fiber 4 g	16%
	Trans Fat 2 g			Sugars 16 g
	Cholesterol 145 mg	48%		Protein 45 g
	Sodium 2020 mg	84%
	*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Hardee's New Breakfast Platter, 860 calories for $2.50

Hardee's new Breakfast Platter supplies the cheap calories... only $2.50 for 860 calories and 55 grams of fat! (complete nutritional info below)

It has scrambled eggs, two strips of bacon, hash rounds potatoes and biscuits covered with sausage gravy.

“Hardee’s has many breakfast classics on its menu, and people often mix-and-match them to get the best of everything,” said Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for Hardee’s Food Systems. “Well, now we’ve done that for them with the new Hardee Breakfast Platter. It’s got it all: eggs, bacon, potatoes, a buttermilk biscuit and sausage gravy. Normally, people would have to go to a sit-down restaurant or a breakfast diner to get a meal like that and would end up paying a lot more. Our new platter is, indeed, a ‘Hardee’ breakfast for people with hearty appetites on a budget.”

Hardee's - Breakfast Platter
Nutrition Facts Serv. Size 372g Servings 1 Calories 860   Fat Cal. 490 www.foodfacts.info	Amount/serving	%DV*		Amount/serving	%DV*
	Total Fat 55 g	85%		Total Carb. 9 g	3%
	Sat. Fat 13 g	65%		Fiber 3 g	12%
	Trans Fat ? g			Sugars 4 g
	Cholesterol 200 mg	67%		Protein 19 g
	Sodium 1860 mg	78%
	*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

El Pollo Loco Introduces Fish Tacos

from El Pollo Loco:

Beginning Saturday, January 29 through mid April 2010, El Pollo Loco will offer two fish tacos-- the Classic Baja Fish Taco and the Spicy Avocado Fish Taco. Both tacos feature crispy beer battered Alaskan white fish tucked into warm corn tortillas and topped with shredded cabbage and fresh cilantro. The Classic Baja Fish Taco is drizzled with yogurt sauce mixed with El Pollo Loco’s signature house salsa recipe; the Spicy Avocado Fish Taco is topped with yogurt sauce combined with El Pollo Loco’s popular avocado salsa recipe. A slice of fresh lime adds a burst of citrus flavor to each taco. El Pollo Loco’s new limited time fish tacos are available individually and as a combo with a choice of any two fish tacos and a small drink.

Both are priced at a recommended $1.99 each. A combination meal is available featuring two tacos and a small drink for $5.29.

Taco Bell Responds to "Ground Beef" Claims

Per our previous post, Taco Bell has been accused, in a lawsuit, of serving Ground Beef in their tacos that does not contain enough 'real beef' to legally be called "Ground Beef."

Taco Bell's President has now responded in a video (below) and a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal.

Here's the full statement from Taco Bell's President, Greg Creed:

"The lawsuit is bogus and filled with completely inaccurate facts. Our beef is 100% USDA inspected, just like the quality beef you would buy in a supermarket and prepare in your home. It then is slow-cooked and simmered with proprietary seasonings and spices to provide Taco Bell's signature taste and texture. Our seasoned beef recipe contains 88% quality USDA-inspected beef and 12% seasonings, spices, water and other ingredients that provide taste, texture and moisture. The lawyers got their facts wrong. We take this attack on our quality very seriously and plan to take legal action against them for making false statements about our products. There is no basis in fact or reality for this suit and we will vigorously defend the quality of our products from frivolous and misleading claims such as this."
What is in Taco Bell's recipe for seasoned beef?

"We're cooking with a proprietary recipe to give our seasoned beef flavor and texture, just like you would with any recipe you cook at home.

"For example, when you make chili, meatloaf or meatballs, you add your own recipe of seasoning and spices to give the beef flavor and texture, otherwise, it would taste just like unseasoned ground beef. We do the same thing with our recipe for seasoned beef.

"Our recipe for seasoned beef includes ingredients you'd find in your home or in the supermarket aisle today:
88% USDA-inspected quality beef
3-5% water for moisture
3-5% spices (including salt, chili pepper, onion powder, tomato powder, sugar, garlic powder, cocoa powder and a proprietary blend of Mexican spices and natural flavors).
3-5% oats, starch, sugar, yeast, citric acid, and other ingredients that contribute to the quality of our product.

"Our seasoned beef contains no "extenders" to add volume, as some might use. For more information about our ingredients go to http://www.tacobell.com."

Greg Creed
President and Chief Concept Officer
Taco Bell Corp.

Here he is in a video Taco Bell posted on YouTube:

Lawsuit Disputes Taco Bell's "Ground Beef" Claims

An Atlanta Law Firm, Beasley Allen, has filed a consumer rights class action lawsuit against Taco Bell claiming that what Taco Bells advertises and serves as "Ground Beef" can't legally be marketed and sold that way because it doesn't contain enough 'real beef.'

In their words, the lawsuit:

"challenges Taco Bell's practice of representing to consumers that its restaurants serve 'seasoned ground beef' or 'seasoned beef' filling in its products, when in fact a substantial amount of the filling contains substances other than beef. The lawsuit seeks to require Taco Bell to properly advertise and label food items, and to engage in a corrective advertising campaign to educate the public about the true content of its food products.

"According to standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the meat filling in Taco Bell's products does not meet the minimum standard requirement to be labeled and advertised as 'beef,' seasoned or otherwise."

[full lawsuit (pdf)] & [Law firm's press release]

Taco Bell has responded, via spokesman Rob Poetsch, but not directly denied the claims set forth in the suit:

"Taco Bell prides itself on serving high quality Mexican-inspired food with great value. We’re happy that the millions of customers we serve every week agree. We deny our advertising is misleading in any way and we intend to vigorously defend the suit."

Jim Gaffigan Talks Fast Food on Letterman

Comedian Jim Gaffigan was on the Late Show with David Letterman and he talked about his love of food and fast food in particular.

You can watch it here:



My favorite bit is when he's talking about his love of Popeye's chicken and his understanding of the name: Popeye is a sailor and their chicken goes through me like a torpedo!

Taco Bell Intros New Cantina Tacos

Taco Bell says their new Cantina Tacos are "based upon authentic-style Mexican street tacos."

Their Cantina Tacos included grilled, warm corn tortillas, 'premium' meats and a chopped onion and cilantro blend with a freshly sliced lime wedge.

In equally big news, for the first time Taco Bell is offering pork in one of their menu items.

The Cantina Tacos are available with chicken, steak or carnitas shredded pork.  They have 170, 160 and 200 calories respectively.  (Complete nutritional data for the pork taco is below.)

Taco Bell's new Cantina Tacos

"Our Cantina Tacos are based upon authentic-style Mexican street tacos, which are designed using simple, fresh ingredients, that customers regard as high quality," says David Ovens, chief marketing officer for Taco Bell Corp. "Not only are they a great-tasting addition to our menu, and one that was mainly found in Mexican-style restaurants, but they're also a great value that we know our customers love from Taco Bell."

Complete nutritional info for the Carnitas version of the Cantina Taco:

Taco Bell - Carnitas Pork
Nutrition Facts Serv. Size 113g Servings 1 Calories 200   Fat Cal. 60 www.foodfacts.info	Amount/serving	%DV*		Amount/serving	%DV*
	Total Fat 7 g	11%		Total Carb. 26 g	9%
	Sat. Fat 2 g	10%		Fiber 3 g	12%
	Trans Fat 0 g			Sugars 1 g
	Cholesterol 35 mg	11%		Protein 9 g
	Sodium 260 mg	11%
	*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Jack's New Breakfast Pita Pocket

Jack in the Box has a new breakfast item called the Breakfast Pita Pocket.

It is a whole grain pita pocket stuffed with scrambled eggs, sliced ham, bacon, and melting American cheese. It is served with a side of 'fire-roasted' salsa.

It can be had for $2.69.

Jack's Breakfast Pita has 424 calories and 22 grams of fat.

I've e-mailed Jack in the Box for verification, but according to their nutrition data, the Breakfast Pita has 438 mg of Cholesterol. That is a lot! It is 146% of the USDA recommended daily amount!

The complete nutrition facts are below.

"Jack in the Box has one of the most varied breakfast menus in the quick-serve segment of the restaurant industry, with products ranging from sandwiches and biscuits to croissants and burritos," says Tammy Bailey, division vice president of menu marketing and promotions for Jack in the Box Inc. "With the addition of our new Breakfast Pita Pocket, which features a pita bread made with whole grain, we're able to offer our guests even more variety when it comes to this important daypart. And because we serve our full menu all day every day, guests can order the new Breakfast Pita Pocket any time."

Here's the complete nutritional info for Jack's Breakfast Pita Pocket:

Jack in the Box - Breakfast Pita Pocket
Nutrition FactsServ. Size Servings 1 Calories 424   Fat Cal. 193 www.foodfacts.info	Amount/serving	%DV*		Amount/serving	%DV*
	Total Fat 22 g	34%		Total Carb. 31 g	10%
	Sat. Fat 8 g	40%		Fiber 2 g	8%
	Trans Fat 0 g			Sugars 0 g
	Cholesterol 438 mg	146%		Protein 27 g
	Sodium 1369 mg	57%
	*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

UPDATE: Jack in the Box got back to me and they confirmed: "The cholesterol in our Breakfast Pita is 438 mg." Um, wow!

Whataburger Celebrates 60 Years Today

Today, August 3, 2010, Whataburger celebrates their 60th Anniversary.

Harmon Dobson opened up the world’s first Whataburger on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi, Texas. He had a simple goal, to serve a burger so big that it took two hands to hold and so good that with one bite customers would say, “What a burger!”

In celebration of their anniversary, you can get a free Whataburger by wearing orange to a Whataburger restaurant today, August 3, between 5pm-8pm.

Note:  As was pointed out in the comments, I mistakenly put the date in this post as Aug. 6.  It has been corrected.  The anniversary and the free burger promotion are August 3, 2010.

Tip for Volcano Burrito Lovers on a Budget (Taco Bell)

I recently read a post on Reddit about how a fan of the Volcano Burrito at Taco Bell saves some of his fast food dough and gets his version of the Volcano Burrito for half price.  CornFedHonky writes:

I'm a fan of the Volcano burritos at Taco Bell. The problem is, they aren't that filling and cost $3 a piece! So, one day I had an idea. Instead of ordering the volcano double beef burrito for $3, I ordered a Beefy 5-layer burrito (89 cents) and added volcano (lava) sauce, and crispy tortilla strips. To my surprise the total was only $1.59. If you can do without the tortilla strips it only comes out to $1.24. It's about the same size, has all the same ingredients, and even has the added bonus of nacho cheese that the volcano burrito does not have.

I, too, am a fan of Taco Bell's Volcano Burrito.  I have been since Taco Bell was nice enough to fly me out to their headquarters for a tour and the introduction of the Volcano menu.

And I feel the same way... the Volcano Burrito is pricey and not very filling, so I had to try out this fast food savings trick.

Here's the result:

My version did not include the crunchy tortilla strips since that's never added much to the burrito for me... I just added the Lava Sauce and it ran me 30 cents.  The Beefy 5-layer at my location was 99 cents, so the total for my 'version' of the Volcano Burrito came to $1.29.  A savings of $1.70 from the $2.99 price of the Volcano Burrito.... less than half price!

The 'Beefy 5-Layer with Lava' is a much heartier burrito than the plain old Volcano Burrito and it has the greatness that is the Lava Sauce.

If you're a fan of Taco Bell's Lava Sauce and like saving money, I recommend you give this a try.

Laredo Wendy's Accepting Pesos

Evidently a Wendy's restaurant in Laredo, Texas (a city on the US-Mexican border) is now accepting pesos as well as US dollars in payment for their burgers.

In this photo from examiner.com, you can see a sign the fast food restaurant posted, stating, "We Take Pesos / Aceptamos Pesos."

Back in 2007, there was an uproar when Pizza Patron started accepting pesos for their pizzas.

Will Wendy's suffer the same backlash?  Is Wendy's promoting illegal immigration (as some charged Pizza Patron) or are they simply providing a service to their customers?

Like many fast food chains, Wendy's has a Spanish version of their website.

Jamba Juice Making Cheeseburger Smoothies!?!?

See for yourself:

Could it be? Is Jamba Juice really putting burgers and blenders and serving them up with ketchup and mustard!?!?

No way. They're just trying to make a point... as you'll see when you go to their dedicated website for this video & promotion: cheeseburgerchill.com

Their point is that fast food chains are getting into the smoothie business, but that's not their specialty (like Jamba) and they're not doing as good a job. The implication is that fast food restaurants serving healthy, tasty smoothies makes as much sense as Jamba Juice putting a hamburger in a blender.

Just for receiving their little message, they're offering a coupon for $1 off a smoothie.

QSR Drive-Thru Timer iPhone App

There's an iPhone app aimed at those in the QSR (Quick Service Restaurants) industry who need to keep tabs on or track the efficiency of their (or their competitions) drive-thru performance.  It's called the Fast Food Timer.

It could also be fun for those app-happy fast foodies out there with nothing better to do with their iPhone or iPod Touch while sitting in the drive-thru.

App creator, Neal Layton, describes his app:

Fast Food Timer was developed for the QSR Industry. This app is for all the Business Consultants, Owners, Supervisors, managers, A-crew and Secret Shoppers (or anyone else!) that wants to Observe, Analyze and Improve the speed of service at any QSR location. This app can be adapted to or for many locations.

One review in the app store by a fast food restaurant owner reads:

While preparing for an inspection I looked at the app store for a timer and found this one, wow! DT KVS and front counter timed like it was written by corp for their consultants. It deliveres on everything it promises.

Here's a screenshot:

Fast Food Drive Thru Fun; Video from Funny or Die

By Alki Stevens Music by Kevin McLeod

Blizzard vs. Blizberry: DQ Sues Yogubliz

DQ has gone to court to prevent a small California frozen yogurt chain, Yogubliz, from selling their 'Blizzberry' froyo because the name is too similar to DQ's Blizzard soft-serve ice cream and candy dessert.

DQ's lawyer says:

"Yogubliz chose a term whose only significance is a shortened form of Blizzard, Yogubliz did so with every intention of trading on the fame and goodwill of Dairy Queen's mark."

Are you confused?

Dairy Queen says Blizzard is its most popular menu item and generates $750 million in sales a year and that 1.5 billion Blizzard treats have been sold since 1985.

Blizz Frozen Yogurt has 11 locations in California and Nevada, but is looking to expand and offering franchise opportunities.