Who Wants To Be a Dollar Menunaire?
Salon has a useful, funny and informative recession-coping series going called Pinched, and the latest entry, by Sarah Hepola, takes on that age old conundrum of fast food. And not that hoity-toity $5 combo fast food, the nasty, ratty stuff on the dollar menu.
On the one hand, it's cheap, yet on the other it's sort of revolting.
Hepola on her highs and lows at McDonald's:
Odious as it might be, most fast food is not completely terrible. Can't say that for the Chicken McNuggets, however; they were stale and lukewarm, and even gobs of barbecue sauce couldn't drown their mediocrity. (As for the soda, the low-carbonation, high-syrup Diet Coke at McDonald's has long been my favorite Diet Coke, even in my high-snob years. Yes, I have a whole taxonomy of Diet Coke, and no, I won't mention it again.)
The duo of apple pies, meanwhile, were quite good. Baked now, rather than fried as they were when I was a kid, the pies make a tasty little hot pocket of a dessert, and at 50 cents a pop they practically feel like parting gifts, like they are almost literally giving them away. The hot fudge sundae, on the other hand, was a bust. It looked good. It sounded good. But the vanilla soft-serve was tasteless, the hot fudge congealed. The concoction tasted of cold nothing. It was like a dessert served on the Holodeck.
Hepola also takes on Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell and KFC with similar hilarity. Thankfully she's managed to hold off the ensuing coronary long enough to crank out the article.
It's cheap — but can you swallow it? [Salon]
(Photo:Morton Fox)
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Comments:
@HurtsSoGood: I lost ~80lbs, and kept eating it, with about the same frequency. I did eat healthier/smarter at home though.
I am a total sucker for dollar/"Xfor$X" menus. Checkers, Burger King, and Wendys are my biggest weaknesses. There is a SONIC's opening nearby (in NJ!), and I can't wait to see their menu.
I fell prey to wendy's the other day after doing some side work and going waaay too long without eating. I got the spicy chicken wrap, small fries and a frosty it wasn't much of a bargain at $6 but pretty damn good
Wait, how is this informative? She's reviewing fast food menu items that all of us have tasted and long since formed opinions on (and if we haven't tasted them yet at this point, we likely never will).
Not to mention, at least in the segment you quoted, her review is specific to the batch she got, no to the food as a whole. Chicken McNuggets are not always stale and lukewarm, she clearly had a batch that had been sitting around for a while. And on top of that, they are rarely on the dollar menu.
You talking about that new one in Hainesport? If so i'm excited the closest other sonic for me is Tom's River. @PartOfIMAXConspiracy_GitEmSteveDave:
It's unfortunate that there's a dearth of healthy on-the-go choices that are priced in the same range. Somehow we're conditioned to believe that 6 or 7 bucks for a 5 mix-in salad is ok, despite the fact it's only about a dollar's-worth of product.
@Woooot!-Offing_GitEmSteveDave:
I heard somewhere in Bergen County, but I don't know where. I've been to the one down on Route 9 in Barnegat and even drove out to the one in Easton, PA for a fix one night.
Stale, lukewarm McNuggets? Sounds to me like her local McDonald's is crappy. The one near me always has awesome nuggets.
Also, I ove McDonald's soft serve. Mmmm.
i know a lot of people who basically "survive" via the Dollar Menu. Mostly broke college kids or those of us whom live check to check. I think if they made a "healthier" menu withing a reasonable price (like $1.35 or $1.89) they would secure more business.
I commend Wendy's on not having their meat frozen. dont know about the calorie count, but never the less its still fast food.
-dave
I don't eat at fast food restaurants very often but I will occasionally get a breakfast sausage biscuit from mc d's. I did hear we are going to have a sonic open where our kfc used to be and a lot of people said it's really good so I will probably try them out.
You know the thing that is so funny I used to live on fast food in high school it's cheap and I loved the taste. My dad would always get upset when we'd want to go eat at them because it's not "real" food to him. Now whenever he's on the run he eats there all the time. His fave is the chicken wrap at mc d's and he'll get a senior coffee with it and generally spend $2-3 for it. It really depends on the coffee some places will give it free, some will just discount it. Now that he likes it I can't stand it, it really upsets my stomach when I eat it.
@Woooot!-Offing_GitEmSteveDave: Nothing says diet like a 750 calorie quarter pounder with cheese! (and a large 500 cal fry)
@TinkishDelight: Well, a DOUBLE 1/4lber w/cheese is 740 calories. I never get that b/c I don't like all the extra stuff. If anything, I'd settle for a double cheeseburger for 440calories.
@pixiegirl1: I think they put something in the senior coffee to upset the stomachs of anyone under 50 years old. That's probably what gets you.
@HiPwr: lol I don't drink coffee my dad dose, more like something they put in the food that upsets me. I swear it hits my stomach like a ton of bricks.
@nakedscience: I have to agree with you on their ice cream, but I can't touch anything else at my local McDonald's. I think the thing that finally made me stop eating there was when I got an Egg McMuffin that had more eggshell then egg.
The best deal I found recently was from Arby's. My lab mate wanted to go to Arby's for their Freebie deals on Wednesdays. They had a deal where I bought a drink ($1.50) and get a free sandwich, which came to a total of $1.61. For a drink and sandwich...that's a good deal.
Even better, I called the survey on the back of the receipt and got another free Regular Roast Beef sandwich. I'm saving money, but I'm gonna get fat!
When I used to be addicted to Diet Coke (I've been clean for over a year), I always thought McDonald's had the absolute best Diet Coke, but I never really knew why.
@youbastid: Dude... some of us are downsizing our lunch budgets to reinclude fast food. I'm glad someone was willing to let me know if there was anything on those value menus worth buying, because it is entirely possible I would have wasted a buck or two on a sundae or something.
@Magspie: You're not alone. A forum I used to read had a topic that went on for 10+ pages regarding the merits of McDonald's fountain sodas. Someone with a more delicate palate than mine said that it seems like McD's has a higher sodium content than other places.
@Magspie: not much of a diet coke drinker myself, but I know my wife will only drink mcdonald's diet coke from the fountain. otherwise, bottle or nothing.
Dollar menu "nasty," "ratty"? Never! I loved the double cheeseburger (now the mcdouble), and I love the wendy's double stack and JBC. And if you get them fresh, the fries are good too.
Do you realize that give or take 10 cents, the Wendy's Junior bacon cheeseburger has been 99 cents for 15 years or so?
@bilups: I still get a Doulbe Cheeseburger -- it's $1.19 and totally worth that extra 20 cents. I dunno why, but I love the gooey cheese.
@Elcheecho: I've never seen McNuggets on the dollar menu. [cep.mcdonalds.com] (warning: audio) has all the standard dollar menu items and the nuggets aren't shown.
You get the most for your buck at Wendy's, I feel. For one, they have a much larger selection on their dollar menu than McDonald's. The McDonald's in Phoenix don't have McNuggets on the dollar menue. Wendy's has AWESOME nuggets, and they are on the dollar menu. Also, they have "chili" and baked potatos and salads you can choose instead of fries, which I love. I don't always want fries, so it's great to have options.
Also, their 10-piece nugget meal is AWESOME, and freakin' cheap! Much cheaper than McDonald's. And I usually get a side salad instead of fries, because that's a LOT of nuggets. Sometimes if I'm starving, I'll get a chili instead.
I will say that McDonald's has large iced teas for 99 cents right now. I rarely drink soda, and I drink my tea unsweetened, so it's awesomeeee that I can drink for cheap, and healthier, when I go to McD.
It bugs me when people pan fast food just to be edgy. I'm aware different people have different tastes, but McDonalds and such are basically scientifically formulated to be deliciously addictive. Yeah, it isn't gourmet dining, but it's no where near as horrible as some of these people make it out to be. Here's what a world famous chef has to say about McDonalds: [www.telegraph.co.uk]
Also, fast food related and therefore totally on topic: Anyone know the Star Trek BK glasses schedule? So far everyone has Kirk and Uhura, both of which I have...aaaahhh, I want all 4! I hate collecting shit. I'm not made for it. I KNOW I'm going to miss the Spock one or something and be pissed.
I prefer Chik-a-fila's chicken nuggets, they are so good! however, they are not close to me, so I only get them occasionally. In a pinch McNuggets work as long as I have some sauce to dip them in.
I'm not a fan of Sonic, I've been to two different locations and each time the food was stale or so greasy I couldn't taste anything, but the grease.
Wendys Jr Bacon Cheeseburgers and their Caesar Side Salad are yummy!
Also Jack in the Box's Southwest Chicken Salad is the BEST FAST FOOD SALAD EVER.
@Woooot!-Offing_GitEmSteveDave: We just got our own Sonic's here, and I tell you, it is now the only place I stop for fast food...
and I only go for malted milkshakes and mozzarella sticks.
Their drink menu is simply unrivalled.
I miss eating McGriddles.
They gave me chest pains...
and not the fun "I'm in love" kind...
the "oh-crap-is-this-a-heart-attack" kind.
@eelmonger: Sorry, no world famous chef can gloss over the fact that fast food makes me feel like shit after I eat it, so I don't. If that's "edgy" then so be it.
@Magspie: I swear by their regular Coke as well. I've been off the Coke addiction about a year now, but if I'm at McDonald's, I indulge. There's just something about it that is better than any other Coke I've tasted.
This story really scratched my itch to bitch.
1) McDonalds coffee.
I thought that McD had gone to a better quality,better tasting blend o' java (last summer). Had some over the last couple of weeks whilst working and phewwweee ! Tastes as bad as the bad old days. Have they lured us in with th promise of better coffee and then changed back to the same old swill ?
2) Wendy's 99 cent double stack couldn't be worse if they tried. If swallowed,do not induce vomiting, call a physician immediately. Note to Wendys : If your heart isnt in it,don't bother.
3) Most "value" or dollar menu items at other fast food chew n' chokes are just regular items that have been zapped with a shrink ray. On a cost per ounce basis,they are probably a worse deal than their full size namensakes.
Okay, I feel better now.
I doubt McPies are now baked. I think they are fried at the factory, then "baked" at the restaurant. I had one a few months ago and it was a grease bomb.
@heybtbm: You guys are totally missing out...though the nearest McDonalds here has a four pack of nuggets for $1, which is a rip off, so I wouldn't eat them anyway.
@nakedscience: I also love the soft serve, but try not to touch anything else. Actually, their iced coffee is fantastic, and half the price of a Starbucks iced latte of comparable size.
@bbagdan: I had the McDonalds apple pies recently (I only wanted one, but they refused to sell me one. I had to pay $1 for two. I could NOT get less than one). They were the most flavorless things I've ever experienced in my life. At all. They had almost ZERO taste.
I stopped eating it, and lost 30 pounds in about half a year.