Why Not Treat The Special Mom In Your Life To Free Wings At Hooters This Sunday?
By Mary Beth Quirk on May 11, 2012 3:00 PM
40 Comments
Maybe you're a little bit strapped for cash this Mother's Day, or maybe your mom just really loves wings more than flowers — and for those of you who like to say, "I love you, person who brought me into the world" with meat, Hooters has got just the deal. More »
General Mills Must Defend Claim That Fruit Roll-Ups Are "Made With Real Fruit"
By Chris Morran on May 11, 2012 12:45 PM
44 Comments
It's been a while since we heard any updates on that class-action lawsuit against General Mills over its claims that Fruit Roll-Ups are "made with real fruit." Well, yesterday the judge in the case gave it the go-ahead to proceed. More »
Even Toys Aren't Enough To Tempt Children To Eat Kids Meals These Days
By Mary Beth Quirk on April 27, 2012 10:00 AM
53 Comments
It should come as good news to parents who are sick of stepping on plastic pieces of various toys that come from fast food restaurants or other chains: Kids meals aren't as popular as they used to be, perhaps because children are just way too cool for such things at an earlier age. More »
Study Claims 1 In 3 Restaurant Servers Discriminate Against Black Customers
By Chris Morran on April 25, 2012 3:30 PM
273 Comments
We'd like to believe that when we go into a restaurant, the waitstaff will treat everyone at the table equally (which may be a good or bad thing, depending on the server), but a new survey claims that more than one-third of servers admit to providing inferior service to African-American customers, and more than half say they've seen other servers treating customers poorly based on race. More »
Congratulations, America: We've Got The Saltiest Fast Food
By Mary Beth Quirk on April 19, 2012 11:00 AM
66 Comments
You are so salty, America. Salty enough to snag the title of the world's saltiest fast food nation! Congratulations, U.S. pizza, burgers, fried chicken, fries, tacos and more — you're loaded up more than anywhere else on this little green and blue ball we call home. More »
McDonald's Staffer Learns That Spitting In The Tea Will Get You Arrested
By Chris Morran on April 19, 2012 7:45 AM
20 Comments
The history of spit-in-food goes back approximately 2,700 years, with the first known instance often attributed to a disgruntled fry cook at a lamb burger joint in a suburb of Babylon. That storied tradition continues to this day, with an employee at a South Carolina McDonald's arrested for allegedly leaving behind his phlegm in two customers' teas. More »
Lawsuit: KFC Franchisee Fired Employees For Refusing To Serve Expired Chicken
By Chris Morran on April 18, 2012 12:15 PM
112 Comments
A former manager at a KFC eatery in Oregon alleges that the owner of his franchise not only ordered employees to serve expired chicken, but also that employees who refused to do so were fired. More »
Consumer Groups Ask FDA To Stop This "Corn Sugar" Silliness Already
By Chris Morran on April 17, 2012 12:45 PM
73 Comments
It's been nearly two years since the Corn Refiners Association began running ads referring to High Fructose Corn Syrup as "corn sugar," in spite of the fact that the Food & Drug Administration hadn't yet approved this name change for food labels. The FDA still hasn't gotten around to making a decision on the matter, and a number of consumer groups are tired of waiting for a decision. More »
(highdef)
Judge Tosses Happy Meal Lawsuit Into The Deep Fryer
By Chris Morran on April 4, 2012 10:30 PM
53 Comments
It's been a while since we heard about that lawsuit against McDonald's alleging that the fast food company exploits children by using toys and other kid-centric marketing techniques to get them to want Happy Meals. But earlier today, a judge in San Francisco dismissed the suit. More »
Of Course Edith Is Totally The Worst At Downton Arby's, Too
By Mary Beth Quirk on March 29, 2012 3:00 PM
34 Comments
What's a nation obsessed with British import Downton Abbey to do while waiting for the third season to land on our shores? Why, indulge in fast food parodies of the show, of course. And even in the land of Downton Arby's, ugh-inducing Edith is the utter worst and Bates just can't catch a break. More »
Living Like The Jetsons: Push A Button On Your Fridge, Instantly Order A Pizza
By Mary Beth Quirk on March 28, 2012 10:30 AM
36 Comments
Ever since we saw the Jetsons not only forgo the boring task of showering and dressing themselves but also press a button and have food materialize in front of them, we've known that future had to happen someday. And now it seems we're one step closer, as a pizza chain in Dubai has introduced a one-button ordering method, via fridge magnet. More »
(kc2gvx)
Wendy's Unseats The Burger King In Fast Food Rankings
By Chris Morran on March 19, 2012 3:45 PM
63 Comments
Both Burger King and Wendy's have been attempting to revamp their look and their menus in recent years, but it looks like whatever Wendy's is doing is working slightly better as the fast food company edged out Burger King to become the second-largest burger chain — and the #3 overall fast food joint — in the country. More »
Top Posts Of The Week And Open Thread
By Laura Northrup on March 16, 2012 11:45 AM
73 Comments
- Here It Is, Your Lineup For Worst Company In America 2012!
- Worst Company In America Round One: Target Vs. Best Buy
- My Condo Association Is Demanding DNA Sample From My Dog
- How Does A 14-Year-Old Girl Buy A House?
- Worst Company In America Round One: EA Vs. Sony
Doritos Shells Arrive At Taco Bell Restaurants Nationwide Tonight At Midnight
By Mary Beth Quirk on March 8, 2012 3:00 PM
52 Comments
UPDATE: After further review of when this news was posted and reviewing taco calendars, we realize that the Doritos tacos are actually ALREADY ON SALE. Forgive the confusion, and commence freaking out. More »
10-Calorie Versions Of 7-Up, RC, Sunkist, A&W, Canada Dry Now Being Tested
By Chris Morran on March 6, 2012 12:30 PM
42 Comments
It's been almost a year since the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group filed trademarks for 10-calorie versions of several of its soft drink brands, and now the company has finally gotten around to testing five of them — 7-Up, RC, Sunkist, A&W, and Canada Dry — in three different areas around the country. More »
Man Sues Movie Theater Over Price Of Snacks
By Chris Morran on March 6, 2012 11:15 AM
240 Comments
Unless you smuggle your nibbles and beverages into a movie theater, grabbing a bite to eat at the movie theater can easily double or triple the cost of your ticket. But one Michigan man is fed up with being gouged at the concession stand and has filed suit against his local AMC theater. More »
Dunkin' Donuts Using Pork Pastries & LeBron James To Woo China
By Mary Beth Quirk on March 5, 2012 10:00 AM
22 Comments
A plan that includes pork donuts and LeBron James might not work so well in say, Cleveland, but Dunkin' Donuts is betting those in China will just love it. Its parent company is shooting for the stars over in China, where it aims to open another 100 stores. More »
Free Pancakes Tomorrow At IHOP
By Chris Morran on February 27, 2012 4:15 PM
22 Comments
We know that many of you will be observing National Pancake Day tomorrow by spending time with your family and other loved ones, visiting your local pancake memorial/monument and generally pondering what Pancake Day means to you. But if you also want to eat pancakes, IHOP is once again rolling out the free short stacks. More »
Sunoco To Roll Out More Beer-Filling Stations
By Chris Morran on February 27, 2012 3:30 PM
20 Comments
Drive-through liquor stores have been around in various parts of the country for some time, but it's not every day that you pull into a gas station to actually fill up some empty bottles with beer. But that may change as Sunoco looks to roll out its Craft Beer Exchange stations. More »
Farmers Fail At Suing Monsanto Before Monsanto Sues Them
By Chris Morran on February 27, 2012 2:15 PM
80 Comments
Seed industry titan Monsanto is infamous for its patent infringement lawsuits against farmers for allegedly using its proprietary seeds without paying. Defendants often claim that Monsanto seeds are so prevalent that crops can't help but become contaminated. And some farmers say they have stopped growing certain crops out of fear that they may someday be sued. More »
Yum Brands CEO Wants To Hug The World, Feed Them Pizza Hut, Taco Bell & KFC
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 27, 2012 12:00 PM
52 Comments
If the CEO of Yum Brands has anything to say about it, the definition of world cuisine will be comprised of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC. It's great that he wants to feed everyone, but is fast-food really the way to do it? More »
McDonald's Location Introduces Digital Kiosk To Tell Customers Exactly What They're Eating
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 24, 2012 3:00 PM
24 Comments
Sure, you're eating at a fast food joint, but that doesn't necessarily mean you want to go for broke and pack in as many calories as you can. For those health conscious diners at one McDonald's location in North Texas, perusing the nutritional info for each menu on the item will be a lot easier with the digital kiosk the franchise owner has installed. More »
Fast Food Workers Are Pretty Sure They're Making The World A Terrible Place
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 21, 2012 11:00 AM
34 Comments
If you had a sneaking suspicion while working as a burger-slinger behind the counter at McDonald's/Burger King/Wendy's etc. that you were degrading the world you live in by doing so, you aren't alone. A survey of 30,000 workers asking whether or not they make the world a better place found that fast food workers are pretty aware of the wide swath of destruction they're connected to. More »
Fast Food Restaurants Seek To Fan The Flames Of Love This Valentine's Day
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 14, 2012 4:30 PM
19 Comments
Besides the fact that it's Tuesday, today also happens to be Valentine's Day. And although we already told you to stay home for dinner, you and your loved one might have the sudden urge for a last-minute meal on the town. Reservations at Chateau Fancy might be hard to come by, but fast food will always be there for you. More »
Chowing Down At The Movies Can Add Up To Thousands Of Calories
By Maggie Shader on February 8, 2012 1:20 PM
48 Comments
Like to snack at the movies? That tub of popcorn and large soda can amount to almost a full day's calories, two days' worth of fat and a cup of sugars. More »
(CDC)
There's More Sodium In Your Bread Than In Your Chips... Well, Maybe
By Chris Morran on February 7, 2012 3:15 PM
69 Comments
It's American Heart Month (some sort of Valentine's-related synergy, we suppose) so the Centers for Disease Control has issued its latest report on how much sodium — a big contributor to high blood pressure — we're eating and where we're getting it from. More »
Scientists Suggest Restricting Sugar Sales For Youngsters
By Chris Morran on February 2, 2012 4:15 PM
93 Comments
Arguing that sugar is as additive as tobacco or alcohol, scientists at the University of California San Francisco say that the sweet stuff should be regulated in much the same way as those products. That means taxes to discourage consumption and age-dependent restrictions on how much can be sold to a consumer. More »
Wendy's To Re-Interview And "Reboot" Employees
By Chris Morran on February 2, 2012 12:15 PM
140 Comments
While Wendy's has done an awful lot in the last few years to revamp its menu — new burgers, better fries, fresher ingredients — it hasn't done much to update its staff. But that may change soon, with the announcement that the fast food chain plans to start re-interviewing its employees in an effort to only retain the best folks behind the counter. More »
(321GGO)
Serenading The Drive-Thru Attendant Will Guarantee Your Order Is Perfect & Filled With Goodwill
By Mary Beth Quirk on February 1, 2012 2:00 PM
28 Comments
Try to contain your giggles while watching a guy serenade the drive-thru attendant over the microphone as he orders his food at Sonic. The squees are impossible to suppress: Armed with a guitar, a smile and the ability to improvise lyrics in response to the attendant, this guy surely got some extra love put into his order. More »
Study: Sugar & HFCS Not As Identical As Some Would Have You Believe
By Chris Morran on January 27, 2012 2:15 PM
74 Comments
While the corn industry waits on the FDA to decide whether or not it can have high fructose corn sugar (HFCS) relabeled with the marketing-friendly "corn sugar" label, it continues to push home its assertion that the human body reacts the same, whether the sweetener is HFCS or table sugar. But a new study claims that just isn't the case. More »
Statistical Evidence You Should Just Stay Home And Eat In On Valentine's Day
By Chris Morran on January 25, 2012 2:15 PM
61 Comments
Valentine's Day doesn't just suck for singles who don't want to be reminded of their singlehood. It's also a pain in the tuchus for couples scrambling to find a dinner reservation, sometimes at a restaurant with ridiculously marked-up menu "specials." Thankfully, statistics have come to the rescue to show that you should really just stay in and avoid the hassle. More »
966-Calorie BK Burger Called "Height Of Irresponsibility" In UK
By Chris Morran on January 25, 2012 1:30 PM
70 Comments
Health advocates in England, where every meal comes with a grayish sausage and a pint of warm beer, are up in arms about Burger King's new Smoked Bacon & Cheddar Double Angus burger and its 966 calories, and 58g of fat. These people have apparently never looked at the BK menu here in the former colonies. More »
(afagen)
Average American Worker Spends Nearly $1,100/Year On Coffee
By Chris Morran on January 20, 2012 12:15 PM
92 Comments
Some say that coffee is the fuel that keeps the American workforce moving forward. And it's a fuel that comes with a hefty price tag, as a new study shows that the average member of the American workforce spends almost as much on coffee every year as they do on commuting to and from their job. More »
Taco Bell Testing New "Cantina Bell" Menu With Actual Fresh Ingredients
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 20, 2012 10:00 AM
37 Comments
Taco Bell is finally joining the fast food trend of trying to offer something worth eating when it's not 2 a.m. on a Saturday after the beer pong championships. Its new "Cantina Bell" menu will feature fresh ingredients and more upmarket offerings in two test locations starting Jan. 26. More »
Study: Don't Blame School Lunches For Childhood Obesity
By Chris Morran on January 19, 2012 4:20 PM
101 Comments
As childhood obesity rates have increased over the last few decades, a lot of focus has been put on insuring that school lunches are healthier than the chocolate milk/cheeseburger/tater tot pig-out some of us grew up eating. But according to a new study, the real source of those extra pounds is the stuff kids are devouring when they're not in school. More »
Wendy's Black Label Burgers Have Cheese & Guacamole Instead Of Whiskey
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 19, 2012 10:15 AM
29 Comments
Hoping for a zing of whiskey in your burger? Wendy's Black Label burgers might make you think of a certain Mr. Johnnie Walker but instead of booze, these sandwiches are just offering some "high-end" ingredients to lure customers in. More »
Steak 'N Shake Opening Its Doors In NYC, Offering Free Meals For A Year To First 150 Customers
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 11, 2012 2:00 PM
47 Comments
Midwesterners living in New York City with an empty spot in their stomachs where Steak 'n Shake used to be, rejoice! The chain is opening its first location in NYC tomorrow, dubbed a "Signature" restaurant, serving up the burgers and shakes you remember. Oh and if you're one of the first 150 customers in the store, you get free meals there for a year. More »
Papa John's Receipt Identifies Asian Customer Using Racial Slur
By Laura Northrup on January 9, 2012 12:30 PM
80 Comments
In a busy food-service establishment, it's understandable to refer to customers by nicknames or a shorthand. However, problems arise when these nicknames actually appear on the customer's receipt. Just ask a New York Papa John's that's been plagued with prank calls since a receipt identifying a customer of Asian descent as "Lady Chinky Eyes" hit Twitter. More »
We Need To Get To France Before March 1 To Eat A Darth Vader Burger On A Black Bun
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 5, 2012 11:00 AM
59 Comments
Get outta the way, Eiffel Tower — there's a new attraction we're drooling over in France and it just so happens to be Star Wars-themed. French restaurant chain Quick is promoting the 3D release of The Phantom Menace with a Darth Vader burger on a super cool black bun. Levitate it on over to my mouth with a side of lightsaber fries! More »
The Minds Behind Panda Express Want To Be The McDonald's Of Dry Cleaning
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 28, 2011 2:00 PM
28 Comments
Working off the idea that if it works in fast food, it might work for other speedy services, the entrepreneurs who brought America Panda Express Chinese food are seeking to expand into the dry cleaning business. More »
At This Quizno's, Meat Is Mandatory
By Laura Northrup on December 23, 2011 10:30 AM
196 Comments
Brenda is a vegetarian, and finds that Quizno's is one chain that she can depend on to make her a tasty and meat-free sandwich. Until, for once, she visited a restaurant near her home and tried to order a sub without meat. This was not possible. Even if she ordered one of the subs listed on the sign, but requested that the meat be left off. No. Not allowed. More »
How A Bar Still Makes Money By Offering $25 Credit Every Time The Miami Heat Loses
By Chris Morran on December 21, 2011 3:30 PM
33 Comments
Last year, when everyone in Miami was guaranteeing that the star-studded Miami Heat would run rampant over the rest of the NBA, the Whiskey Tango All American Bar & Grill in Hollywood, FL, announced it would pay out $25 credits to every customer in bar on any night the team lost. And in spite of the fact that the Heat managed to 24 regular season games, the bar managed to make enough off the deal to bring it back again for the upcoming strike-shortened season. More »
Get A Cold Beer With Your Crave Case At White Castle Indiana Location
By Mary Beth Quirk on December 21, 2011 12:15 PM
21 Comments
Instead of stumbling in to White Castle to get a Crave Case after a night on the town, White Castle could be your night on the town. The steamed burger chain is testing out sales of beer and wine at one location in Indiana. More »
(Burger King)
Consumer Reports: New Burger King Fries Are Better, But Still Not As Good As Wendy's
By Meg Marco on December 19, 2011 3:30 PM
93 Comments
Last Friday, Burger King launched some new fries - offering free samples while supplies lasted. Our scientific sisters at Consumer Reports jumped in the car and headed to two Burger King locations near our shared Yonkers, NY, headquarters to see if they could detect any changes. More »
Update: Jet's Pizza Says That List Of Payroll Deduction Penalties Is Not Company Policy
By Chris Morran on December 14, 2011 3:30 PM
68 Comments
Earlier today, we mentioned a list of on-the-job violations and commensurate payroll deductions that someone on Reddit claims was posted by the manager of a Jet's Pizza restaurant. After seeing the story, a rep for the chain reached out to Consumerist to say this list, if genuine, did most certainly not come from Jet's HQ. More »
(lolwhut)
Chick-Fil-A Cashier Just Assumes Customers' Names Are Ching & Chong
By Chris Morran on December 12, 2011 12:30 PM
165 Comments
One would think that by this point in the internet's existence that employees at any sort of business that puts customers' names on receipts might be aware of the fact that putting a potentially offensive nickname, description or slur on said receipts is probably nowhere near as hilarious as it initially seems. More »
McDonald's Fined $1.8 Million In Brazil Over Happy Meal Toys
By Chris Morran on December 7, 2011 12:30 PM
20 Comments
Looks like San Francisco isn't the only place that has a problem with McDonald's including free toys in its Happy Meals. The fast food giant has been fined approximately $1.8 million by a Brazilian agency that claims the freebies in McDonald's kids' meals promotes bad eating habits in children. More »
(SA_Steve)
San Francisco Burger Kings Also Charging $.10 To Get Around Kids' Meal Toy Ban
By Chris Morran on December 1, 2011 12:15 PM
45 Comments
Today, San Francisco's dreaded ban on including free toys in fast food kids' meals kicks in. McDonald's has already announced that it will get around the regulation by charging an additional $.10 for the definitely-not-covered-in-lead-paint-and-cadmium toys. And because everyone loves a loophole, the royal court of the Burger King has ruled that it will also follow suit. More »
Chick-Fil-A Threatens Legal Action Against T-Shirt Maker For Encouraging Eating Of Kale
By Chris Morran on November 28, 2011 12:30 PM
180 Comments
If you've lived anywhere near a Chick-fil-A restaurant, you're probably familiar with the billboards and other ads featuring cows and their hoof-painted signs encouraging you to "eat mor chikin," a phrase that's been trademarked by the fast food company. But heaven forbid you use those words in their correct formats to promote the eating of something other than Chick-fil-A. More »
Can't Pay For That HoneyBaked Ham Now? Put It On Layaway
By Chris Morran on November 21, 2011 4:30 PM
28 Comments
Apparently it's not just Walmart that's trying to seduce customers by offering layaway as an option this holiday season. More »
Big Sugar Accuses Big Corn Of Conspiracy To Deceive Public With 'Corn Sugar' Ads
By Chris Morran on November 21, 2011 12:15 PM
62 Comments
Last month, the judge in the sugar industry's lawsuit over ads that try to rebrand high fructose corn syrup as Corn Sugar allowed the suit to move forward but removed the individual corn companies as defendants. Now, Big Sugar has fired the latest legal missle, amending its complaint to accuse those corn companies of conspiracy to deceive the public. More »
This $10 Tip Is Not The Best Way To Show Your Gratitude To Your Server
By Chris Morran on November 21, 2011 11:15 AM
375 Comments
For a waiter who depends on tips to earn more than minimum wage, a $10 tip can be a welcome sight. But not in this instance. More »
McDonald's Kicks Egg Supplier To Curb Following FDA Citations
By Chris Morran on November 18, 2011 12:00 PM
47 Comments
A lot of people are still a bit touchy about eggs following last year's salmonella outbreak and subsequent massive recall. Thus, when the folks at McDonald's saw an upcoming ABC News report on — and learned of an FDA warning against — one of their major egg suppliers, the fast food giant decided it was time to take its business elsewhere. More »
Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie Beats Out Chewy Competitors In Consumer Reports Test
By Chris Morran on November 1, 2011 12:45 PM
73 Comments
In the world of chocolate chip cookies, an eternal war rages between those who prefer their cookies light and crispy, and those who defend their right to a chewier treat. And, at least in one battle waged in the Consumer Reports tasting lab, a single crispy chocolate chip cookie won the day. More »
Burger King To Offer "All The Whoppers You Can Eat In 30 Minutes" Deal To Customers In Japan
By Chris Morran on October 25, 2011 10:30 AM
65 Comments
Think you can scarf down a pile of Burger King Whoppers with the best of them? Well then you'll probably wish you were visiting Japan in the next couple weeks, as Burger King is set to launch a promotion that offers customers all the Whoppers they can devour — in the span of 30 minutes. More »
Panel Suggests Energy Star-Like Labeling System For Sugar, Fats & Sodium In Food
By Chris Morran on October 20, 2011 3:15 PM
46 Comments
When you inspect the nutrition info on a package of food, it provides all sorts of information — grams of sugar and fat, milligrams of sodium — but consumers may not know exactly whether those numbers are high or low. That's why a U.S. Institute of Medicine — at the behest of Congress and the Centers for Disease Control — has suggested a rating system for food that is not unlike the Energy Star system used for appliances. More »
How Can The Fast Food Drive-Thru Be Improved?
By Chris Morran on October 20, 2011 2:15 PM
180 Comments
From busted speakers to hard-to-read menus, the fast-food drive-thru lane has long been a staple of both comedy and consumer complaints. But now in the age of mobile payments and LED signage, some eateries are trying to improve that image. More »
This Tasty Looking Breakfast Is Actually Dessert
By Chris Morran on October 19, 2011 4:30 PM
47 Comments
Sometimes it doesn't matter what the clock says — you just want dessert. Well here's a plate of delectable treats that won't have people asking you why you're eating dessert for breakfast. More »
Survey: We're Eating More Fast Food But Going To Restaurants Less Frequently
By Chris Morran on October 17, 2011 3:36 PM
66 Comments
Personal budgets remain tight, so fewer Americans are dining out at full-service restaurants. But on the speedier side of the food service industry, fast food sales are up, according to new reports. More »
Are San Francisco Restaurants Actually Pushing To Make 25% The Standard Tip?
By Chris Morran on October 14, 2011 2:39 PM
185 Comments
Earlier this week, a writer for the San Jose Mercury News posted a story claiming that wait staff and high-end restaurants in San Francisco are behind a move to make 25% tips standard across the city. But is this actually true or just hype? More »
Friendly's Files For Bankruptcy Protection, Closes 63 Restaurants
By Chris Morran on October 5, 2011 10:30 AM
74 Comments
As we reported last week, the financial outlook at ice cream and burger chain Friendly's is bleak. Earlier today, the company confirmed rumors it would be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and announced it has closed 63 shops around the country. More »
Medical Marijuana User: Papa John's Driver Ratted Me Out To The Cops
By Chris Morran on October 4, 2011 5:25 PM
244 Comments
We imagine that food delivery drivers see their fair share of customers under the influence of any number of legal and illegal intoxicants. But unless the customer becomes belligerent or refuses to pay, it's pretty rare to hear about the authorities being called in. That's why a man in Colorado is fuming mad at his Papa John's driver. More »
(KitanaOR)
Report: Friendly's To File For Bankruptcy Protection
By Chris Morran on September 30, 2011 1:00 PM
42 Comments
Friendly's, the ice cream and burger chain that has more recently been in the news for pushing the limits of cheese tolerance by slapping a burger between two grilled cheese sandwiches, is reportedly considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and possible sale. More »
Cold Stone Treats Only 'Free' If You Make A Mandatory Donation
By Laura Northrup on September 28, 2011 9:30 AM
130 Comments
There's an annual event at Cold Stone Creamery outlets called the World's Largest Ice Cream Social. Part of the chain's September fund-raising drive for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, it's billed as an event offering free ice cream during a three-hour period on a certain day. Melissa had put this on her calendar weeks in advance, because she's on a budget, and hey: free ice cream! But she arrived at the mall to find employees posted at the Cold Stone door, not allowing anyone in unless they made a donation first. That's not free, that's a cover charge. Isn't it? More »
Burger King Selling Cheesy, Gravy-licious Poutine To Canadians, Doesn't Bother To Ask If We Want Any
By Chris Morran on September 27, 2011 1:30 PM
90 Comments
Forget free health care and cool winter hats, the real reason to move to Canada is poutine, better known as french fries smothered in melted cheese and scrumptious gravy. So now that we've heard that Burger King was starting to offer this dish to north-of-the-border customers, we want to know: What about us? More »
Doritos Creator Dies At 97, Will Be Buried With His Beloved, Finger-Staining Snack
By Chris Morran on September 26, 2011 1:15 PM
50 Comments
Back in the early '60s, Arch West not only had the name of a go-getter marketing executive, he also had a job to match as VP of marketing for Frito Co. He also had the vision to create Doritos, the snack that has filled the bellies and stained the fingers of countless nibblers across the globe. Sadly, West recently passed away at the age of 97, but he's going out in style. More »
Yum Sells Off Long John Silver's And A&W To Franchisee Groups
By Chris Morran on September 22, 2011 3:45 PM
73 Comments
After nine months on the market, Yum! Brands has finally announced it has found buyers for its Long John Silver's and A&W restaurant chains. More »
American Family Association Doesn't Want You To Taste Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls
By Chris Morran on September 22, 2011 10:30 AM
206 Comments
The inaccurately named American Family Association — those not-at-all-absolutely-insane people who boycott stores for not associating Jesus' birthday with deep discounts — has a special "project" called One Million Moms, which is apparently the number of mothers the AFA would want us to believe are truly upset about Ben & Jerry's Schweddy Balls flavor of ice cream. More »
Should We Be Concerned That Federal Agents Are Raiding IHOP Restaurants?
By Chris Morran on September 20, 2011 1:16 PM
97 Comments
Of all the places one would expect to see IRS, FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents storming through the doors, an IHOP in Ohio. That's why it's even more bizarre to hear that very thing went down today inside at least seven IHOPs. More »
Olive Garden & Red Lobster To Trim Fat & Cut Sodium By 10%
By Chris Morran on September 15, 2011 4:15 PM
73 Comments
Olive Garden is always pushing the "when you're here, you're family" slogan, so like any good family member should, they want you eating less fat and sodium. More »
(PepOmint)
Corn-Based Sweeteners To Soar 30% In Price Next Year
By Chris Morran on September 14, 2011 3:39 PM
93 Comments
Oh Cargill, when you aren't recalling millions of pounds of tainted turkey meat, you're giving your customers bad news about the rising price of corn sweeteners. More »
Wendy's Worker Attacks Pregnant Customer For Complaining About Cold Food
By Chris Morran on September 9, 2011 12:15 PM
109 Comments
Last week, a pregnant woman in Illinois complained to a Wendy's staffer about being served a cold burger. Little did she know that such a minor issue would lead to her being chased down in the parking lot. More »
Telling A Diner She Looks Pregnant Is Not A Good Way To Get Tips
By Chris Morran on September 8, 2011 4:30 PM
137 Comments
Here's a tip for everyone, but especially those in the food service field: Even if you're pretty certain that a female customer is pregnant, you might want to not mention it, lest you end up stiffed on a tip and the recipient of an angry note. More »
Washington State Inspectors "Deeply Concerned" About Undercooked Beef At Burger King
By Chris Morran on September 8, 2011 2:30 PM
55 Comments
While most people are used to the grayish, overcooked burgers often served at fast food mega-chains, inspectors for the Washington Dept. of Health have found what they call a "disturbing trend" of undercooked beef being served at Burger King. More »
Can You Pass Papa John's Math Test?
By Laura Northrup on September 7, 2011 9:06 AM
89 Comments
When David went to the Papa John's website to order up a pizza, three deals greeted him. This wasn't a pizza-purchasing experience; it was a math test. Can you spot the best deal? More »
California Considering Ban On Styrofoam To-Go Containers
By Chris Morran on August 29, 2011 1:00 PM
96 Comments
Though many of the large fast food chains ditched Styrofoam containers many moons ago, there are still plenty of restaurants that continue to use Styrofoam for packing up to-go orders for customers. But a bill before the California State Assembly could put an end to that in the Golden State. More »
In-N-Out Burger Sues Maryland Burger Joint Over Logo & Menu Items
By Chris Morran on August 19, 2011 3:30 PM
136 Comments
The lawyers at In-N-Out Burger have a bit of an issue with a Maryland burger shop called Grab-N-Go, claiming that eatery's name, logo and menu items are a little bit too close to the bigger chain's trademarks. More »
Help Make Our Really Big Guide To Secret Menu Items Even Bigger
By Chris Morran on August 19, 2011 12:15 PM
79 Comments
It's been more than four years since we first posted The Really Big Guide To Secret Menu Items, in which readers shared their inside scoops on how to score hidden fast food gems like "Naked Chicken" at Popeyes or take advantage of TGIFriday's Five Easy Pieces policy. There have been several requests to update and expand the list, so we're going back to the source: you. More »
Wendy's Sues Wendy's Franchisees For Refusing To Cook Up "Hot N Juicy" Burgers
By Chris Morran on August 11, 2011 10:15 AM
119 Comments
If you're a fast food mega chain in the midst of an image overhaul, it probably doesn't help if some of the eateries that bear your name don't play along. At least that's what Wendy's is saying about franchisees who refuse to install equipment necessary for making the company's newest burger. More »
Are These Really The 25-Best Ice Cream Shops In The Country?
By Chris Morran on August 10, 2011 11:30 AM
164 Comments
What's that dividing line between a good spot to pick up an ice cream cone and a place truly deserving of being called the best in the country? The folks at Food & Wine magazine think they know and have put together their list of the 25 best ice cream spots in the entire U.S. More »
Five Guys Opened Four Times As Many New Restaurants As McDonald's In 2010
By Chris Morran on August 9, 2011 4:15 PM
117 Comments
With surveys like Zagat's and Consumer Reports' putting Five Guys among the best-tasting burgers available, it's perhaps not surprising that the chain is the fastest-growing hamburger shack in the country. In fact, a new report says that new Five Guys eateries outnumbered new McDonald's by greater than 4:1 in 2010. More »
Dunkin' Donuts Staffer Adds 'Sex In Parking Lot' To Drive-Thru Menu
By Chris Morran on August 2, 2011 1:21 PM
96 Comments
It's officially time to declare a Dunkin' Donuts crime wave. First came the report of a DD staffer putting a little something extra in cops' coffee. Now, it's an employee who decided to spice up the late-night menu with sex-for-cash in the parking lot. More »
Dunkin' Donuts Worker Allegedly Adds Nasty Ingredient To Cops' Coffee
By Phil Villarreal on August 2, 2011 10:30 AM
86 Comments
Two police officers in Boston grew suspicious when they ordered coffee at Dunkin' Donuts and witnessed the worker slink out of sight to make their drinks. They turned their attention to a monitor with a camera in the back room and saw the worker allegedly add nasal mucus to their coffee. More »
Man Chooses Chick-Fil-A Cow As Best Man At Wedding
By Phil Villarreal on July 26, 2011 10:15 AM
73 Comments
In a decision that will undoubtedly lead to interesting wedding pictures, a North Carolina man has enlisted a Chick-fil-A cow mascot to be his best man. He convinced managers at a nearby restaurant to re-purpose a cow tuxedo outfit the restaurant used in an Oscar-related marketing campaign. More »
Landmark St. Louis Del Taco Building Granted Reprieve From Demolition
By Marc Perton on July 25, 2011 3:30 PM
20 Comments
A flying saucer-shaped former Del Taco, built in 1967 and slated for destruction this year, has been saved from the wrecking ball, thanks in part to an active Facebook campaign — and a personal plea from St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. More »
(Courtesy: Jesse Anderson)
Did Chuck E. Cheese Give The Middle Finger To My 4-Year-Old?
By Chris Morran on July 22, 2011 4:15 PM
141 Comments
Last Sunday, Corbin went with his family to celebrate his birthday at a Chuck E. Cheese's eatery. He even got to pose for a picture with the restaurant's namesake rodent. But when Corbin's parents got home and uploaded the pictures to Facebook, they noticed something peculiar; it looked like nice ol' Chuck was flipping off the camera. More »
McDonald's Thinks People Want Something Called A Zesty BBQ Cruncher Burger
By Mary Beth Quirk on July 20, 2011 11:15 AM
62 Comments
Packing as many descriptors into a burger name doesn't always work, but we've gotta say, the sound of a Zesty BBQ Cruncher Burger has ignited the Consumerist salivary glands. McDonald's is now said to be testing the new offering, so keep your eyes peeled! More »
Cheesecake Factory Once Again Dominates List Of Most Calorific Menu Items
By Chris Morran on July 19, 2011 3:33 PM
78 Comments
Once again, the folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest have taken a look around that the menus of this nation's restaurant chains to identify those items that seem so yummy on paper, so long as you're not actually reading the nutrition info. More »
Use Your Own Cup To Steal From This Popeyes Soda Fountain And They'll Take That Cup From You
By Chris Morran on July 19, 2011 3:15 PM
125 Comments
While bringing in your own cup is fine and dandy (and will occasionally save you money) at places like Starbucks where the staff has to do all the filling and refilling, it's not so cool to bring your own cup to an eatery with free refills just to score a beverage without paying for it. More »
Sonic Calls Emergency Meeting, Can't Serve You Any Dinner
By Laura Northrup on July 14, 2011 11:30 AM
107 Comments
John and his fiancée wanted some fast food for dinner, and went to the drive-thru at their local Sonic. But they didn't get any food. They didn't get served at all, because the restaurant suddenly closed for a mysterious meeting that left confused customers to head elsewhere for their dinner. More »
(teksmith)
19 Fast Food Chains Say They'll Offer Healthier Kids' Meals
By Phil Villarreal on July 14, 2011 10:15 AM
40 Comments
Parents will get to feel a bit less guilty when hauling off their rugrats to fast food joints, thanks to a pact made by 19 fast food chains. The coalition of the willing has promised to supply healthier alternatives to the traditional burger and fries option. More »
Mom Turns Summer Vacation Into Crusade For Cleaner Playgrounds At Fast Food Joints
By Chris Morran on July 13, 2011 3:15 PM
92 Comments
Anyone who thinks playgrounds are clean either doesn't remember being a kid or is seriously deluding themselves. But one Arizona mom is so fed up with the crap-tastic conditions at the playgrounds found at fast food restaurants that she's turned her summer vacation into a research project. More »
Restaurant Just Says No To Children Under 6
By Chris Morran on July 11, 2011 12:30 PM
296 Comments
Less than a year after a North Carolina restaurant made headlines by saying it would eject "crying, screaming, whining" kids, a Pennsylvania eatery has gone one step further and banned anyone under the age of 6 from eating there. More »
Dr. Pepper Sues Dr. Pepper Bottler Over Cane Sugar "Dublin Dr. Pepper"
By Chris Morran on June 30, 2011 3:30 PM
90 Comments
Last summer, when Dr. Pepper sold a limited-edition version of the beverage that used cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, we mentioned that some soda fans in Texas are always able to get their hands on Dr. Pepper from the old-school Dublin Dr. Pepper bottling plant that never made the change over to HFCS. But parent company Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. says the Dublin folks have been selling their brew outside its designated area using the name Dublin Dr. Pepper in violation of their agreement. More »
Science Confirms In-N-Out Burger Is The Best And McDonald's The Worst
By Chris Morran on June 30, 2011 6:00 AM
176 Comments
Almost a year ago, our survey-loving siblings at Consumer Reports asked several thousand readers to rate burgers from 18 burger chains and to no one's surprise, McDonald's came in dead last. Not satisfied with merely finding the best and worst beef-on-a-bun, CR decided to go for the super-sized option, rating 53 restaurants in five categories to find which ones provide the best food, service and value to customers. More »
Should Restaurants Charge Extra For Not Putting Ice In Your Soda?
By Chris Morran on June 28, 2011 1:15 PM
234 Comments
Drink enough fountain soda and you'll eventually get handed that cup full of ice with a slight hint of drink filling in the few gaps. And then there are people with sensitive teeth who find it painful to drink beverages with ice in them. These are both reasons that some customers go the "no ice" route when buying drinks. But some restaurant owners think you should sometimes have to pay extra for that privilege. More »
Delta & McDonald's Are Big Losers In Customer Satisfaction Survey
By Chris Morran on June 21, 2011 9:15 AM
29 Comments
Earlier today, the lovely folks at the American Customer Satisfaction Index released their latest data for airlines and fast food restaurants. And judging by the companies that came in last in each category, being the biggest doesn't make you any better. More »
Should Fast Food Restaurants Be Allowed To Accept Food Stamps?
By Chris Morran on June 20, 2011 1:15 PM
342 Comments
Only three states — Arizona, Michigan, and California — currently allow fast food restaurants to take payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (better known as "food stamps"), but Yum! Brands, parent company of KFC and Taco Bell, is currently leading a push in its home state of Kentucky to open that option up to state residents there. More »
Let's Talk About Dudes And How Much They Love Fast Food
By Mary Beth Quirk on June 20, 2011 10:30 AM
97 Comments
Fast food restaurants are beloved by many dudes across the country, some for the fries, others for the plethora of hot sauce packets, some even for the quality and diameter of their straws. So says a new spiffy infographic based on a study about the habits of guys and their favorite fast food places. More »
No More Chocolate Milk, Corn Dogs Or Chicken Nuggets For L.A. School Students
By Chris Morran on June 15, 2011 12:14 PM
303 Comments
Almost a year ago, as school boards across the country began to ponder whether or not to keep chocolate milk on students' lunch menus, we asked readers for their opinions, and 75% of you said that the milky, chocolatey childhood fave should continue to be offered, at least part of the time. The folks at the Los Angeles Unified School District disagree, voting yesterday to take away chocolate milk and other goodies from students at the second largest school district in the nation. More »
McDonald's Employees Stand Outside New Sonic To Remind People McDonald's Exists
By Chris Morran on June 10, 2011 3:30 PM
127 Comments
Up until the other day, there was only one Sonic restaurant in the entire state of Connecticut. And now that a second one has opened, the locals are showing up to see if they like it. But the staff at a nearby McDonald's decided to turn a problem into an opportunity by standing outside the new Sonic with signs directing hungry diners to the Golden Arches. More »
Woman Sues Dunkin' Donuts For Putting Sugar In Her Coffee
By Chris Morran on June 3, 2011 2:30 PM
220 Comments
It seems like every other day someone sues a fast food chain after being scalded by too-hot coffee. But a woman in Philadelphia is trying to break that trend by suing Dunkin' Donuts for brewing up some java that too sweet. More »
Remember To Score Your Free Donuts Today At Krispy Kreme And Dunkin' Donuts
the true meaning of Christmas that we work hard and deserve a free damn donut every once in a while. Luckily, the folks at Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts are willing to oblige. More »
By Chris Morran on June 3, 2011 11:21 AM
40 Comments
In case you'd forgotten to mark it on your calendar, today is National Doughnut Day, a day on which we remember 
New Restaurant Somehow Combines Grilled Cheese Sandwiches And Smartphones
By Laura Northrup on June 2, 2011 12:15 PM
76 Comments
When I want a grilled cheese sandwich but don't have the ingredients on hand, I have to use current, arduous methods of sandwich procurement. I have to call the shop ten minutes or so ahead of time, travel there, and then travel back home. If I want to eat in, I have to place my order and then wait for several minutes while my sandwich cooks. Fortunately, a new venture is out to reform these time-consuming tasks, letting you order up sandwiches on your smartphone and putting them in your hands about a minute after entering the shop. It's called The Melt, and sells grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. Only grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. More »
(БРАТСТВО)
Teens Test Limits Of Denny's All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Deal With 24-Hour Chow-A-Thon
By Chris Morran on June 1, 2011 1:30 PM
85 Comments
The true value of any all-you-can-eat deal depends on just how much food you're able to funnel down your gullet while you're sitting at the table. But seven teenagers in California most certainly got the most out of their dining dollar last weekend when they gorged on hundreds of pancakes at a local Denny's over the course of 24 hours, and all for $5 each. More »
Fast Food Mini Sizes Could Help In The National Battle Of The Bulge
By Mary Beth Quirk on May 23, 2011 6:23 PM
85 Comments
Americans are used to super-sizing things by now, a fast food tactic many point to as a catalyst in the country's obesity epidemic. But there's a new trend on the scene, and hopefully this one will tip the scales in the opposite direction — mini-sizing. More »
Someone Out There May Actually Want To Buy A Slice Of Sbarro Pizza
By Chris Morran on May 20, 2011 4:30 PM
70 Comments
Back in April, Sbarro announced it was preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection because no one is eating at the mall food courts of America these days. But now come reports that the pizza chain might have found a buyer for the business. More »
Big Gay Ice Cream Truck Successful Enough To Open Big Gay Ice Cream Shop
By Chris Morran on May 20, 2011 2:30 PM
57 Comments
It's Friday and we're getting a little exhausted after a week of sour news, so here's a small success story to get us through the afternoon. More »
Gag Me Or Gimme More? KFC China's Irish Cream Chicken
By Chris Morran on May 19, 2011 12:15 PM
66 Comments
Add this to the growing list of menu items available only to our overseas fast food friends: KFC chicken doused or somehow flavored with an Irish cream liqueur, only available at KFC China. More »
Trademarks Filed For 10-Calories Versions Of 7-Up, Canada Dry, A&W
By Chris Morran on May 16, 2011 2:51 PM
61 Comments
As we reported earlier this year, Dr. Pepper was getting into the manly diet drink wars by testing its 10-calorie Dr. Pepper Ten in a handful of markets. Well it looks like those tests have proved at least somewhat successful, as the Doc's parent company, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc., has filed trademarks for "Ten" versions of several of its other brands. More »
(IHOP)
You Can Now Eat IHOP's Pancake-Wrapped Sausages In Private
By Marc Perton on May 11, 2011 11:15 AM
31 Comments
Craving IHOP's stuffed french toast or sausages wrapped in pancakes but would prefer to have breakfast in the comfort and anonymity of your own home? Now's your chance. The restaurant's new "IHOP at Home" line will bring Griddle n' Sausage wraps, French Toast Stuffed Pastries and Omelet Crispers to 3,000 Walmarts nationwide. More »
McDonald's Spending $1 Billion On Redesign, Nothing To Make Burgers Taste Less Like Chewed Cardboard
By Chris Morran on May 9, 2011 10:30 AM
131 Comments
Last year, McDonald's made headlines when its burgers came in dead last out of the 20 chains surveyed by our kin over at Consumer Reports. So to improve its image, is the grease goliath falling on its own sword like Domino's and coming out with a better product? Nope. It's dumping over a billion dollars into remodeling its restaurants. More »
Popeyes Franchise Goes Bust, Leaves Behind Stinky Fly-Filled Building
By Chris Morran on May 6, 2011 11:45 AM
52 Comments
The former operators of a Popeyes chicken joint in Brooklyn have managed to anger an entire neighborhood. After the restaurant went bust, the franchisee apparently decided to leave a mess than can be smelled for miles around. More »
Rising Gas Prices Lead To Spike In Restaurant Fryer Grease Theft
By Chris Morran on April 29, 2011 3:30 PM
71 Comments
As gas prices continue to float around the $4/gallon mark, the cost of biofuel is also higher than it has been. And according to grease industry insiders, this has led to an increase in thieves making off with restaurant fryer grease. More »
Advertisers Fire Back At Government Over Proposed Food Marketing Guidelines
By Chris Morran on April 29, 2011 1:30 PM
93 Comments
Yesterday we wrote about the proposed guidelines put forth by a federal interagency working group regarding the marketing of food to children. The "principles" asked for food companies to market products with healthier ingredients and gave suggested limits on things like fat and sodium. The ad industry is less-than-pleased by the news. More »
Big Sugar Sues Big Corn Over "Corn Sugar" Ad Campaign For HFCS
By Chris Morran on April 28, 2011 4:49 PM
102 Comments
Last year, the Corn Refiners Association began a campaign to rebrand controversial sweetener high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as "corn sugar." Well that has managed to rankle the folks behind non-corn sugar, who say it is false advertising and have now taken their complaint to a U.S. District Court. More »
Government Proposes New Guidelines For Marketing Food To Kids
By Chris Morran on April 28, 2011 3:30 PM
107 Comments
Earlier today, an interagency working group consisting of folks from the Federal Trade Commission, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, and the Dept. of Agriculture, issued a set of "proposed voluntary principles" it hopes the food industry will ultimately adopt in its marketing to the youth of America. More »
(XISMZERO)
The Dunkin' Donuts Buttered Bagel Battle
By Laura Northrup on April 28, 2011 9:00 AM
109 Comments
Sometimes, the ripoffs that are the most frustrating are the smallest ones: small transactions that are repeated thousands of times and eventually add up to some real money. Brian has one such issue with his local Dunkin' Donuts outlets: they keep charging him too much for a bagel with butter. Seems petty, doesn't it? They charge him for a bagel with spread, then charge separately for the butter, at a difference of $1 for every bagel. If he buys a bagel five days a week, fifty weeks a year, that's $250 over the course of a year. He could be halfway to buying an iPad, just on butter overcharges. More »
Science Finds Way To Add Probiotics, Fiber & Antioxidants To Your Hot Fudge Sundae
By Chris Morran on April 26, 2011 2:30 PM
40 Comments
The other night, while I was going hog-wild on a pint of something containing fudge, peanut butter, sprinkles and unicorn horn, I thought to myself, "If only there could be some health benefit to eating this." Now I find out that a food scientist at the University of Missouri is tantalizingly close to squeezing all sorts of goodness into the gobs of gluttony in my ice cream. More »
(Eater DC)
5,250 Pounds Of Potatoes, 1,700 Pounds Of Ground Beef & One Gallon Of Relish: One Week's Worth Of Stuff At Five Guys
By Chris Morran on April 25, 2011 4:30 PM
59 Comments
Have you ever been chowing down on a burger and wondered about all the beef, bread, condiments and potatoes that the restaurant goes through in week? Well even if you haven't, the people at Eater DC were curious enough to get a behind-the-scenes look at one Five Guys restaurant in our nation's capital. More »
Dual-Chambered Slurpee Cup Keeps The Mountain Dew Apart From The Fanta Orange Until Just The Right Time
By Chris Morran on April 20, 2011 12:15 PM
63 Comments
If, like me, you grew up playing Mad Scientist by creating various frozen-drink Frankensteins with the Slurpee machine at 7-Eleven, then this news might be of interest. More »
Want Milk In Your Coffee? At Some McDonald's, You'll Have To Buy A Whole Carton
By Laura Northrup on April 19, 2011 12:30 PM
113 Comments
McDonald's wants to be your caffeine pusher of choice, and promotes their inexpensive brewed coffee and frozen creations as quick, convenient, and cheap. $1 is the price point advertised on billboards. Cheap! What they don't mention in these ads, though, is that price applies if you want your coffee black or with cream or half and half. If you prefer milk in your coffee, some franchises will accommodate you, but at others, you're going to have to pay for a half-pint carton of milk. More »
(Stéfan)
McDonald's: Happy Meal Lawsuit Should Be Dismissed Because Parents Can Always Tell Kids "No"
By Chris Morran on April 19, 2011 11:15 AM
280 Comments
Last December, a California woman — along with the Center for Science in the Public Interest — filed a lawsuit against McDonald's, alleging the fast food giant violates state laws by using toys to advertise Happy Meals directly to children. Yesterday, lawyers for the Golden Arches filed a motion to have the case dismissed because the company shouldn't be held responsible for parents who can't say no to their kids. More »
Burger King Combines Beef, Bacon & Chicken Into "Meat Monster"... But Only Sells It In Japan
By Chris Morran on April 11, 2011 12:30 PM
72 Comments
What do you get when you take a cheeseburger, slap some bacon on it, pile on another hamburger patty, and then finish it all off with a chicken breast? In my home it would be called a "snack" but at Burger King, it's now known as the "Meat Monster." Unfortunately, this monster will only be attacking the hearts of burger buyers in Japan... for now. More »
Duck Makes Itself At Home In New Jersey Chick-fil-A Drive-Thru
By Phil Villarreal on April 8, 2011 1:30 PM
31 Comments
Perhaps staging a sit-in to protest the mass slaughter of its feathered brethren, a duck set up camp in the drive-thru of a New Jersey Chick-fil-A, laying her eggs near the menu. More »
New York City Council To Consider Happy Meal Ban
By Chris Morran on April 5, 2011 3:30 PM
160 Comments
Months after San Francisco's city government voted to effectively ban fast food kids' meals by requiring that they meet certain health requirements, legislators in New York City may soon face a similar decision. More »
Denny's Baconalia Is A Festival Of Bacon, Includes Ice Cream Sundae
By Mary Beth Quirk on March 30, 2011 7:45 PM
69 Comments
There are few things finer in life for meat-eaters than delicious, crispy, mouthwatering, savory bacon. Denny's knows this, and so they're giving consumers what they want: Baconalia, a "sacred" festival of all things bacon. There's even a Maple Bacon Sundae! More »
Sonic Testing Online & Mobile Ordering System
By Chris Morran on March 29, 2011 3:30 PM
62 Comments
A handful of Sonic Drive-In restaurants are taking part in test program called Sonic On the Go that allows customers to order remotely online or using their smartphones and have the food ready for pick-up at the eatery. More »
Theater Owners Don't Want You To Know A Large Popcorn Is Like Eating 3 Big Macs
By Chris Morran on March 23, 2011 4:15 PM
164 Comments
The FDA is reportedly set to announce a decision that would force movie theater operators to post calorie counts next to their items in the same way that restaurant chains must. Not surprisingly, the theater owners are popping mad about this possibility. More »
No NFL Season Could Clip The Chicken Wing Industry
By Mary Beth Quirk on March 21, 2011 3:30 PM
80 Comments
Don't buy that 780-count of wet naps just yet: If the NFL lockout drags on and results in no season this year, the chicken wing industry could suffer massively, a producer of the game-day snack favorite says. More »
Man Trains For Marathon While Eating McDonald's-Only Diet
By Chris Morran on March 10, 2011 12:15 PM
90 Comments
It's kind of the anti-Super Size Me: Calling himself the McRunner, a 36-year-old man from the Chicago area is eating only McDonald's food products while training for the upcoming Los Angeles Marathon. More »
Angry Burger King Customer Climbs Over Counter To Attack Employees
By Chris Morran on March 8, 2011 2:15 PM
56 Comments
A Burger King customer in South Florida was so peeved at the fast food eatery's staffers that she crawled over the counter and began tossing food at them. Luckily, it was all caught on camera. More »
Man Claims He Found Maggots In McDonald's Big Mac
By Chris Morran on March 2, 2011 1:30 PM
35 Comments
A McDonald's customer in Melbourne, Australia, claims he got a most unwelcome add-on to his Big Mac: maggots. More »
(afagen)
Are These The 10 Best Airport Restaurants?
By Chris Morran on March 1, 2011 1:30 PM
89 Comments
When we travel, we do our best to avoid eating at the airport, where the cuisine is always overpriced and often overcooked. But the globetrotters at Frommer's say that there are at least 10 quality eateries located inside our nation's airports. More »
burrito in my belly, chipotle
Get Your Grubby Hands On Two Chipotle Burritos For The Price Of One
By Mary Beth Quirk on March 1, 2011 8:00 AM
39 Comments
Oh hey burrito lovers, get off your salsa-loving butts and get on over to Chipotle before March 7 for a buy-one-get-one deal. All you have to do is sit through an ad for a TV show beforehand and you're golden. More »
Score Some Free Pancakes At IHOP Tomorrow
By Chris Morran on February 28, 2011 4:15 PM
58 Comments
Do you like pancakes? More than likely. Do you like free stuff? Of course you do. More »
No Difference Between Large & Small Beers At Oakland Coliseum?
By Chris Morran on February 17, 2011 12:15 PM
33 Comments
Qwest Field, home of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, recently caught some flack when people pointed out that you could fit an entire large beer into a "small" beer cup. A video shot at the Oakland Athletics' ballpark is making people wonder how widespread this issue is. More »
Fast Food Calorie Counts Don't Stop Kids From Overeating, Either
By Laura Northrup on February 15, 2011 12:30 PM
78 Comments
A provision in last year's federal health care reform bill requires all food-serving establishments with more than 20 outlets to post the calorie count of every item on the menu so customers know exactly what they're getting themselves into. The FDA is taking nationwide an idea that some cities and counties had already put in place. It seems like a good idea in theory, but studies show that calorie counts on menus just make people say "ah, screw it" and order the same amount of food that they would have without the calorie posting—or more. A new study in this month's International Journal of Obesity shows that children, too, fall into the same delicious caloric trap. More »
Top 10 Cities With Highest Fast Food Saturation
By Chris Morran on February 9, 2011 1:48 PM
49 Comments
We've already talked about the place in the lower 48 states farthest away from a Big Mac, but what about those cities where you couldn't swing a cat (not that we'd ever recommend swinging a cat or any other animal) without hitting a fast food joint? More »
Eggs Today Contain Less Cholesterol Than They Did A Few Years Ago
By Chris Morran on February 9, 2011 1:15 PM
71 Comments
It's been a rough few months for eggs, following a massive salmonella-related recall. But there is a slight bit of decent news for the chicken ova industry: The eggs being popped into folks' frying pans today aren't as bad for your arteries as they were not so long ago. More »
Consumer Reports Devours 800 Slices Of Frozen Pizza So You Don't Have To
By Chris Morran on February 4, 2011 12:45 PM
118 Comments
In addition to the millions of slices of pizza being delivered and picked up from pizzerias around the country on Super Bowl Sunday, plenty of football-watching folks will be tossing a frozen pie in to the oven. For those still wondering which frozen pizza to purchase, the labcoat-lovin' testers at Consumer Reports recently pigged out on the stuff, with surprising results. More »
What Exactly Are Those Extra Ingredients In Taco Bell's Ground Beef?
By Chris Morran on February 2, 2011 2:15 PM
149 Comments
Since the news broke about the lawsuit alleging that Taco Bell's ground beef doesn't meet the USDA's definition of "ground beef," there has been a lot of speculation about exactly what percentage of the taco filling is actually made up of non-meat ingredients. But what's been left out of the discussion is a closer look at what those extra recipe items are doing there. More »
Study: Bad Food May Spur Depression
By Phil Villarreal on January 28, 2011 2:30 PM
58 Comments
While the idea of a giant, greasy fast food burger and a plate full of fries may put a smile on your face, actually ingesting the meal may damage your psyche. Spanish researchers who tracked the dining habits of more than 12,000 people over six years found that those who ate the most trans fats — which are found in some fast food and pastries — were 48 percent more likely to become depressed. More »
Why Won't Burger King Share Its "X-Tra Long" Burgers With America?
By Chris Morran on January 26, 2011 12:15 PM
63 Comments
The next time your snooty European friend goes off on a rant about obese, burger-eating Americans blah blah blah, you can just shut him up by pointing to these super-long beasts from Burger King that are not available stateside. More »
Fans Of Lion Tacos Can Now Cancel Tucson Travel Plans
By Phil Villarreal on January 26, 2011 11:15 AM
96 Comments
A Tucson restaurant created an uproar with last week's announcement that it would be sell tacos made of lion meat. The owner freely admitted it was a publicity stunt, and apparently one that was too successful. Citing "many threats on the safety of our restaurant, our families, our customers and our vendors," the owner said that he'd scrap the plans. More »
If You Like Free Papa John's, Pray For The Super Bowl To Go Into Overtime
By Chris Morran on January 25, 2011 10:15 AM
35 Comments
Some people (read: me) would say there's little reason to watch this year's Super Bowl due to the general lack of Eagles-ness. But for those who are fans of Papa John's pizza, at least there's the possibility of free pizza to give them a reason to check out the game. More »
Vermonters To Get Actual Maple Syrup On Their McDonald's Oatmeal
By Chris Morran on January 24, 2011 11:30 AM
55 Comments
A couple weeks back we wrote about the state of Vermont's allegations that McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal violates state law for lacking actual maple syrup. Now the fast food chain and the Green Mountain State have reached an accord that will give the folks of Vermont the option of getting the real-deal syrup if they so desire. More »
Long John Silver's, A&W Up For Sale
By Chris Morran on January 19, 2011 1:15 PM
79 Comments
Yum! Brands, the fast food company so excitable it requires an exclamation point, is about to trim some fat from its lineup up eateries. The company has announced its intention to put its Long John Silver's and A&W All-American Food chains on the market. More »
The Cheesecake Factory: Where 150 Calories Is A "Skinny" Drink
By Chris Morran on January 18, 2011 12:20 PM
59 Comments
Last spring, the folks at the Cheesecake Factory were responsible for two of the nine items on this list of the most calorific meals in America. Perhaps the restaurant chain can't fit into its pants anymore, because it is about to introduce a line of (somewhat) slimmed-down cocktails to go with your 2,500-calorie pasta entree. More »
Vermont Has Problem With Lack Of Maple In McDonald's Maple Oatmeal
By Chris Morran on January 12, 2011 3:20 PM
97 Comments
Many of us are fully aware that a lot of food products that say "maple" rarely contain even a drop of real maple syrup. Such is the case with McDonald's new Fruit & Maple Oatmeal. But the people of Vermont take their maple seriously and they're demanding that McDonald's make changes to the product or its labeling. More »
Gag Me Or Gimme More? Burger King's Cheese & Jalapeno-Stuffed Burger
By Chris Morran on January 11, 2011 12:15 PM
71 Comments
The idea of jalapenos and cheddar cheese on a Burger King burger doesn't sound so bad (unless you're not a fan of any one of those three things), but judging by the picture of BK's new Stuffed Steakhouse burger, we're not quite sure if the fast food chain made the right decision to actually put the peppers and cheese into the burger itself. More »
KFC Employee Suspended For Screaming At Customer In Australia
By Mary Beth Quirk on January 10, 2011 1:15 PM
167 Comments
We can all get a little bit ornery at KFC, but an employee at one of the Colonel's halal friendly eateries near Sydney, Australia got positively enraged the collar when a customer requested bacon on his burger. More »
PCRM Asks Detroit Mayor To Issue Moratorium On New Fast Food Restaurants
By Chris Morran on January 3, 2011 3:20 PM
76 Comments
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the group behind that TV ad equating Big Macs with death, is continuing its war on the fast food industry, asking the mayor of Detroit to stop the proliferation of fast food eateries within city limits. More »
This Dunkin' Donuts Tip Cup Has Trust Issues
By Chris Morran on December 14, 2010 3:00 PM
101 Comments
The workers at this Dunkin' Donuts hope that you'll be happy enough with their service that you'll leave a tip. But doesn't trust you not to run off with the tip jar. More »
Study: We're Getting Fatter Because We Can't Resist Combo Meals
By Chris Morran on December 13, 2010 11:15 AM
76 Comments
It's becoming more and more rare for customers to walk into a fast food restaurant and order individual meal components off the menu. Why do that when you can just order a #4 and get the sandwich, fries and drink together? It makes sense, but a new study says our penchant for buying bundled meals is causing us to eat more than we should. More »
Buy A Burger At Sonic, Get A Free Hooker
By Chris Morran on December 8, 2010 12:30 PM
69 Comments
Forget that racist Domino's delivery slip or that Kroger receipt long enough to have a ticker-tape parade. The freebie offer on this receipt from Sonic takes the cake. More »
Chef Tries, Succeeds In Making Better Meat Munchkin Than Dunkin' Donuts
By Chris Morran on November 30, 2010 3:40 PM
27 Comments
Earlier this month, Dunkin' Donuts launched a new sausage-in-dough-with-maple-syrup product they call "sausage pancake bites," but which many have just taken to calling "meat munchkins." But one NYC food blogger, unhappy with the results of his taste test, challenged a real restaurant chef to go DD one better. More »
Pizza Store Robbers Need To Learn That 'Dough' Doesn't Always Mean Cash
By Chris Morran on November 23, 2010 12:38 PM
33 Comments
Every day in this good country, masked robbers make off with sacks of dough (aka cash) from fast food joints and pizza places. But a would-be pizzeria thief in Staten Island has learned that sometimes dough just means dough. More »
(Erik R. Trinidad. ©2010 Trinimation)
How To Turn A McRib Into A Hawaiian Thanksgiving
By Chris Morran on November 18, 2010 4:20 PM
26 Comments
With only a couple weeks to go before the McRib disappears into obscurity again, true fans of the pork-ish McDonald's sandwich are trying to get their fill. And now, thanks to Erik Trinidad, the mad genius behind Fancy Fast Food, they can even enjoy their favorite treat on Thanksgiving. More »
Here's The Vending Machine That Recommends Drinks Based On Facial Recognition
By Chris Morran on November 15, 2010 3:20 PM
44 Comments
Ever stepped up to a vending machine and scratched your head as you mulled over the options? Now there's a vending machine in Japan that will recommend certain products for you — based on your face. More »
San Francisco Mayor Vetoes Happy Meal 'Ban'
By Chris Morran on November 15, 2010 1:20 PM
57 Comments
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has made good on his earlier promises that he would veto the recently passed kids meal ban (which isn't actually a ban, but new regulations that would effectively ban most kids meals from being sold in the city as they are currently configured). More »
Professor Drops 27 Pounds In 10 Weeks On 'Twinkie Diet'
By Chris Morran on November 8, 2010 1:10 PM
113 Comments
In an attempt to prove that caloric intake is the main factor in weight loss, a nutrition professor at Kansas State University has been subsisting on mostly Twinkies and other snack foods for 10 weeks. More »
Taco Bell Secretly Tests Lower Sodium Items, No One Notices
By Chris Morran on November 5, 2010 11:32 AM
75 Comments
Fine people of the Dallas-Forth Worth area, you have been tricked! No, not about Wade Phillips being a good football coach; but about the amount of sodium in your Taco Bell. More »
Panda Express Makes You Pay For Food That Never Comes
By Laura Northrup on November 4, 2010 12:40 PM
88 Comments
How long is an unacceptable length of time to wait for your fast food? When Panda Express ran out of a few of the items that Dave ordered, employees first asked him to wait for the missing items, then asked him to pay for the missing items, then (after a half hour had passed) offered to substitute another entree for the missing items that he had already paid for. Dave wanted either a refund, or the food that he actually ordered and paid for. More »
Does "Slurpee Summit" Hype Make You Crave Frozen Sugar Water?
November 4, 2010 10:45 AM
32 Comments
Thanks to President Obama's off-the-cuff comment that he'd like to hold a "Slurpee Summit" with Republican leaders, the 7-Eleven drink is suddenly up there with the McRib and Double Down as a cool guilty pleasure for discerning fast-foodies. What about you? Are you craving Wicked Apple, Kratos Fury, Invincible Orange, or one of 7-Eleven's other mashups of sugar, water and slushed ice? Slide on in and tell the world. More »
Rogue, Penny-Abolishing Dunkin' Donuts Is No Longer Rogue Or Penny-Abolishing
By Chris Morran on November 2, 2010 2:45 PM
79 Comments
Remember just a few days ago when we wrote about that visionary Dunkin' Donuts franchise that had started a voluntary no-penny policy? Well it didn't last long, as NPR has learned from Dunkin' HQ that the penny-abolishing policy has since been abolished. More »
A Lone Dunkin' Donuts Sort Of Abolishes Pennies
By Laura Northrup on October 29, 2010 8:00 AM
170 Comments
One donut shop is taking a stand against the bacteria-ridden zinc disks of suck that are pennies. Reader Tom sent us this photo from a store he recently visited. In a policy change that was probably born during an 8 AM rush, this franchise appears to be are rounding customer totals up or down to the nearest five cents, and only providing pennies to those annoying people who actually want them. More »
Study: Credit Cards Are Making You Fat
By Chris Morran on October 28, 2010 12:15 PM
52 Comments
No, it's not that second Baconator I ate yesterday or the 6-pack of Schlitz I had afterward that's causing my clothes not to fit anymore. It's the credit card I used to pay for them — or at least that what the authors of a new study are theorizing. More »
McDonald's To Raise Prices, Still Sell Crappy Burgers, In 2011
By Chris Morran on October 26, 2010 11:15 AM
65 Comments
While McDonald's may make the worst fast food burger on the market, the company still thinks it isn't charging enough for them. More »
Why Can't We Have The Nacho Whopper Or The McArabia Here In The U.S.?
By Chris Morran on October 25, 2010 11:40 AM
64 Comments
Sure, here in these United States we've got a White Castle that will serve you noodles and a Burger King that makes a Whopper bigger than your head, but the grass is always greener — and the food always more interesting — on the other side of the fence, right? More »
Dept. Of Agriculture Wants To Trick Kids Into Eating Better
By Chris Morran on October 12, 2010 4:15 PM
144 Comments
The U.S. Department of Agriculture really wants kids to eat better, especially during school lunches where parents have a lesser impact on what their children shove down their gullets. To that extent, it is spending $2 million researching how to trick them into picking healthier meal options. More »
KFC Expands On-Butt Ads For Double Down
By Chris Morran on October 12, 2010 1:15 PM
42 Comments
A few weeks ago, we wrote about KFC trying to add some sex appeal to their fried-chicken-as-bun Double Down by paying college coeds to advertise the sandwich on their butts. The guerilla marketing campaign must have had some success, because it is now widening. More »
What's Next For The Folks Behind Bacon Salt & Baconnaise?
By Chris Morran on October 7, 2010 4:48 PM
38 Comments
J&D's Foods is the company that has earned a spot in our heart (and arteries) with their products like Bacon Salt, Baconnaise, Bacon Lip Balm and bacon-flavored envelopes aren't just sitting on their salty, smoked rumps. The company is hard at work at other products, and is also auctioning off this bacon bust of — who else? — Kevin Bacon. More »
Does Olive Garden's Deep-Fried Lasagna Count As Food Porn?
By Chris Morran on October 1, 2010 2:15 PM
41 Comments
So far, 2010 has been a big year for lasagna in the world of extreme food news. First, there was the 100-layer lasagna and then the outright unappetizing (at least to those of us who think cheddar has no right being within 3 feet of lasagna) lasagna sandwich. Now the occasionally over-cautious folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest have labeled Olive Garden's deep-fried Lasagna Fritta as "food porn." More »
Phillies Fans: Order Food Delivery From Your Seat With iPhone App
By Chris Morran on September 23, 2010 2:15 PM
27 Comments
For the remaining three home games at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Phillies fans will be able to get food without having to take a break from watching the greatest team in baseball. More »
Schools Put Carrot-Only Vending Machines In Cafeteria
By Chris Morran on September 20, 2010 11:15 AM
73 Comments
Students at two high schools — one in Cincinnati, OH, the other in Syracuse, NY — are guinea pigs for a new program that's trying to change the way young people look at veggies, by marketing and selling carrots like they're junk food. More »
IHOP Sues IHOP Over IHOP Trademark
By Chris Morran on September 15, 2010 5:15 PM
132 Comments
It's a battle of biblical proportions as one IHOP — better known as the International House of Pancakes — fights another IHOP — the International House of Prayer — over the use of those four famous letters. More »
This Dunkin' Donuts Employee Doesn't Run On Anything
By Chris Walters on September 14, 2010 11:30 AM
126 Comments
I guess it's not appropriate to force Dunkin' Donuts employees to drink the coffee they sell, but they should at least show up to work with their short term memory intact. More »
Burger King Tells Me To Pull Into Handicapped Parking Spot So It Can Cheat Drive-Thru Timer
By Phil Villarreal on September 13, 2010 1:30 PM
210 Comments
You're at a drive-thru, you've already paid and are stuck in line waiting for your food. You're at the mercy of an employee who may ask you to pull off to the side so the restaurant can cheat the timer so Corporate continues to think service is quick. But what do you do when the employee tells you to pull into a handicapped spot? More »
Tips On Getting Less Fat & Less Poor When You Dine Out
By Chris Morran on September 13, 2010 1:15 PM
59 Comments
We'll admit that we tend to focus on the more outrageous end of the restaurant menu, both because it's fun and it's what we (well, at least I) eat. But leave it to our more sensible cousins at Consumer Reports Health to come up with a list of ways to eat out at a restaurant while saving money and watching your waist. More »
Who Is This Strange Goateed Man Trying To Sell Us KFC Products?
By Chris Morran on September 9, 2010 2:30 PM
77 Comments
For those of us who grew up watching Colonel Sanders (or rather, some guy dressed up as Colonel Sanders) on ads for Kentucky Fried Chicken, it might come as a shock to learn that the fast food chain's own survey found that more than 60% of Americans between the ages of 18-25 couldn't identify the man. More »
A Reader Reviews White Castle's New Noodle Venture
September 8, 2010 1:15 PM
35 Comments
Yesterday, we brought you one reader's review of White Castle's new BBQ experiment in Indiana. As promised, today brings a different reader's thoughts on the White Castle in Ohio that just started serving up noodles alongside the sliders. More »
Does McDonald's Really Have The Worst Burgers?
By Chris Morran on September 8, 2010 10:15 AM
171 Comments
In the current issue of Consumer Reports, our science-minded siblings asked readers to rate the burgers at 18 different restaurant chains on a scale of 1-10. More »
(smcgee)
More White Castle Strangeness: Now They're Trying Noodles
By Chris Morran on September 3, 2010 10:15 AM
25 Comments
Just a few days ago, we were writing about how White Castle is experimenting with BBQ at an Indiana outlet. Now we find out that there's a White Castle in Ohio where noodles of all sorts are on the menu. More »
Quiznos Employee Lets Her Little Kid Help Fix My Sandwich
By Chris Morran on September 2, 2010 2:15 PM
155 Comments
Consumerist reader Silver and his wife made a trip to their local Quiznos in Ft. Worth the other day and came face to face with an employee who may have taken the whole "bring your child to work day" thing too seriously. More »
The Coolest & Hottest Wendy's Training Videos Ever
By Chris Morran on September 2, 2010 1:20 PM
56 Comments
Some of you who worked at Wendy's during the early '90s will probably have flashbacks when you check out these two very helpful — and incredibly funky — instructional videos on exactly how to fill up hot and cold beverage cups at the fast food chain. More »
Fast Food Advertising Vs. Reality: Quiznos Baja Chicken Sandwich
By Laura Northrup on September 2, 2010 11:30 AM
99 Comments
Sarah writes that her recent experience at Quiznos was bad enough that she doesn't plan to ever return. Looking at the pictures she sent in and the description of what happened, we can see why. She was served something that sort of resembled a Baja Chicken sandwich, but wasn't much like it at all. More »
White Castle Testing Waters With New BBQ Menu
By Chris Morran on August 30, 2010 11:15 AM
25 Comments
Steamed meat purveyor White Castle has dipped its toe into the BBQ world in the past with its "pulled pork sliders." But now a Castle outpost in Indiana has gone whole hog and become the first of the chain's eateries to debut its "Blaze Modern BBQ" menu. More »
(u2acro)
Wendy's Cook: I Pulled Knife On Co-Worker For Serving Bad Bacon
By Chris Morran on August 30, 2010 10:15 AM
27 Comments
An employee at a Wendy's in Connecticut has been charged with second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, threatening and breach of peace after allegedly pulling a knife and threatening to stab a co-worker. But he claims it was all for a good reason: He was upset at the other employee for serving bacon that had dropped on the floor. More »
Popeyes Decides It's Time To Play Chicken With KFC
By Chris Morran on August 26, 2010 1:15 PM
132 Comments
For years, Popeyes has been bragging about the quality of its fried chicken, but now that the fast food chain says they beat KFC in an independent national taste test, it's decided to take the battle right to the Colonel with a new marketing campaign that pits Louisiana against Kentucky. More »
VIDEO: Sonic Drive-Thru Gets Eaten By A Massive Sinkhole
By Chris Morran on August 26, 2010 10:15 AM
43 Comments
Ever wonder what it would be like if the ground opened up and swallowed a Sonic whole? Well the people of Cleveland, GA, almost got to see just that when much of their local fast food joint — along with the parking lot of the neighboring car wash — sunk several feet into the earth earlier this week. More »
(mbeldyk)
Wendy's Testing "Natural" Fries In Some Areas
By Chris Morran on August 25, 2010 4:15 PM
108 Comments
Perhaps unhappy with the fourth place finish of its french fries in the annual Zagat fast food survey, Wendy's has recently begun testing a new recipe for fries that goes along with the company's new emphasis on "real" ingredients. More »
Does A Sliced Bagel Count As "Prepared Food"?
By Chris Morran on August 25, 2010 3:15 PM
117 Comments
It's generally understood among bagel buyers in New York that you won't be charged tax on a sliced, untoasted bagel with no butter, cream cheese or any other sort of spread. But with the state desperately trying to deal with budget shortfalls, it is now expecting bagel sellers to charge taxes on these often-untaxed items. More »
5 Kids Meals With Adult-Size Calories, Fat
By Chris Morran on August 25, 2010 11:15 AM
117 Comments
Next time you're grabbing some breakfast with your children at McDonald's, Wendy's or Burger King, you might want to pay attention to the nutritional information for the kids meals you order. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine just released its list of the Five Worst Fast Food Meals to highlight those G-rated meals with R-rated calorie counts. More »
(Dario)
Fast Food Ads Are Often Opposite Of Reality
By Phil Villarreal on August 23, 2010 9:15 AM
60 Comments
Last week the overwhelming majority of readers told us that while fast food ads needn't match the actual product exactly, but the food should at least be recognizable. Dario submitted a project showing cases in which fast food companies most definitely didn't live up to this standard. More »
Dunkin Donuts Unveils Incredibly Lame Promo Offer
By Chris Morran on August 19, 2010 3:15 PM
79 Comments
Consumerist reader RandomHookup (probably not their given name) forwarded us a promo e-mail they received from Dunkin Donuts that asks customers to go out to a DD, buy one of their mocha drinks, take a photo of it, and be rewarded for their efforts with... fun facts. More »
Would You Like A Complimentary Upsell While You Wait For Your Sub?
By Laura Northrup on August 19, 2010 12:30 PM
143 Comments
Todd writes that after he paid for his sub at a local pizza/sandwich shop, the helpful counter person asked him, "Would you like a drink while you wait?" Assuming that she was offering him a beverage while he waited for his sub to be made, Todd accepted. Except the drink wasn't complimentary. More »
Should Towns Be Able To Block Fast Food Joints From Opening?
By Chris Morran on August 18, 2010 2:15 PM
131 Comments
Last week, we brought you the story of an Illinois town that rejiggered its zoning regulations to keep an upscale tattoo parlor from opening. This drew several jeers from readers for the village council that made the decision. And yet, there are several municipalities around the country that have effectively banned fast food and chain restaurants from opening within town limits, and there's barely a peep from dissenters. More »
Five Guys Named Best Fast Food Burger In U.S. By Zagat Guide
By Chris Morran on August 17, 2010 10:15 AM
160 Comments
Earlier this year, the burgers at quickly growing fast foodatrorium Five Guys made the Center for Science in the Public Interest's list of most calorie-filled meals in the country. Perhaps that's why the voters at the Zagat Guide recently chose Five Guys as the best burger in the country. More »
How Closely Does Fast Food Need To Resemble The Ad Photo?
By Chris Morran on August 16, 2010 12:15 PM
141 Comments
I think it's safe to say that most people have a decent grasp on the distinction between advertising and reality. Most of us know that the cheese on our Whopper isn't going to perfectly placed like the cheese on TV or that the bacon on our Baconator probably won't be identical to the crispy, glistening bacon we see on the poster. But at what point does fast food cross the line between "acceptably different" from the picture and "completely unrecognizable"? More »
San Francisco Hates Your Happy Meals
By Chris Morran on August 11, 2010 3:30 PM
141 Comments
While the Center for Science in the Public Interest hasn't yet made good on its threat to sue McDonald's for continuing to put toys in their Happy Meals, the city of San Francisco is considering a law that could have your children asking "where's my toy?" the next time you head to the Golden Arches and other fast food joints. More »
Here's The Video Of That Crazy McNugget Lady Who Attacked McDonald's Employees
By Chris Walters on August 10, 2010 10:30 AM
81 Comments
Remember the McDonald's drive-thru customer who went all 28 Days after she was told they'd stopped serving Chicken McNuggets? Obviously a story like this is a hundred times more awesome if you can watch the actual attack, and fortunately for us the security footage of the event is now available. More »
Krispy Kreme Accidentally Gives Customer $5,000 Box Of Donuts
By Chris Walters on August 9, 2010 5:55 PM
76 Comments
The manager of a Krispy Kreme in North Carolina protected each day's haul by hiding it in a donut box. Krispy Kreme just happens to sell donuts by the boxful to its customers, so it's clear that absolutely nothing could go wrong with this plan. More »
McDonald's Employee Robs Place Of Work Twice, Still Keeps Showing Up To Work
By Chris Morran on August 9, 2010 10:15 AM
18 Comments
It takes balls to rob the McDonald's you've been working at for months. It takes balls of steel to do it twice in one month. And it takes balls of steel the size of large boulders to keep showing up for work afterward. Alas, your big mouth will ultimately get you and your massive balls arrested for armed robbery. More »
Outbreak Of Rare Salmonella Strains Linked To Taco Bell
By Chris Morran on August 6, 2010 11:15 AM
54 Comments
In the last few months, at least 155 people in several states have become ill from a pair of rare strains of salmonella. And according to authorities, the source of the salmonella is food served at Taco Bell. More »
Man Voices Displeasure With Taco John's By Throwing A Live Snake Through Drive-Thru Window
By Chris Morran on August 6, 2010 10:15 AM
41 Comments
If you have a grudge of some sort against your local fast food establishment, there are probably better methods of expressing yourself than pulling up to the drive-thru window and throwing a live snake at the employee inside. More »
Wendy's Ditches Crappy Bacon, But You Might Have To Pay More
By Chris Morran on August 4, 2010 3:15 PM
63 Comments
For quite some time, fast-foodies have complained that the flimsy, translucent bacon on Wendy's sandwiches like the Junior Bacon Cheeseburger paled in comparison to the Applewood-smoked bacon the eatery uses on the Bacon Deluxe or the Baconator. That's all about to change as Wendy's phases out the cheaper pork product. Unfortunately, that means you might end up paying more. More »
Cancer Cells Get Fat From HFCS Too
By Chris Morran on August 3, 2010 4:30 PM
79 Comments
It looks like it's not just our waistlines that are getting larger from consuming a ton of High Fructose Corn Syrup. A new study shows that pancreatic cancer cells find fructose much easier to metabolize than glucose, making it easier for the cancer cells to grow, divide and multiply. More »
Man Robs Wendy's, Calls Them Twice To Complain About Lack Of Cash Stolen
By Chris Morran on August 2, 2010 12:14 PM
32 Comments
Most folks who successfully pull off a robbery at a fast food restaurant are happy with whatever cash they were able to make off with. But not one man in Atlanta, who wanted the employees of the Wendy's he'd held up to know that he was disappointed with his haul — and that they'd better start selling more Baconators in preparation for his next heist. More »
5 Secrets Your Waiter Doesn't Want You To Know
By Chris Morran on July 29, 2010 11:00 AM
258 Comments
The kitchens and pantries of restaurants are a strange and mysterious place to many people. We've all heard horror stories on the news about staffers committing heinous acts of food molestation or heard whispers that you should never eat the shellfish special. But the editors at Reader's Digest went straight to the source and spoke to real restaurant wait staff to get the inside scoop. More »
Just Because That Dr. Pepper Has Retro Packaging Doesn't Mean It's Got Real Sugar In It
By Chris Morran on July 29, 2010 10:15 AM
93 Comments
A few weeks back, we wrote about how Dr. Pepper is celebrating its 125th birthday with retro packaging and a real-sugar formula. However, a number of Consumerist readers have written in to complain that they purchased what they thought was real-sugar Dr. Pepper, only to find out it was the same old HFCS-containing soda in old packaging. More »
Dairy Queen Embroiled In Lawsuit Over 'Blizzard' Trademark
By Chris Morran on July 28, 2010 3:00 PM
98 Comments
Having worked four summers of hard labor at the soft serve machine, the word "blizzard" will forever be primarily associated with the blended Dairy Queen treat. But the people at DQ HQ are now worried that customers could be confused by similar-ish sounding desserts being sold by a California-based frozen yogurt shop. In a not-so-shocking twist, the dispute has ended up in court. More »
Swan Song For The Free Refill?
By Phil Villarreal on July 27, 2010 1:30 PM
144 Comments
This dire message at a Tucson Italian beef joint claims the restaurant's dissolution of its free refill policy has to do with outside forces conspiring to make soda syrup too pricey. More »
Which Discontinued Foods Do You Miss Most?
By Chris Morran on July 26, 2010 12:00 PM
522 Comments
The food business is a merciless mistress, leaving countless brands dead at her feet, some before they ever had the chance to find a foothold in the market. But as long as there are those of us who remember these deceased foodstuffs, they will always live on... even if we can't eat them. More »
Panda Express Avoids Food Giveaway Pandemonium, Serves Up Teeny Portions
By Laura Northrup on July 22, 2010 12:30 PM
108 Comments
Matt tells Consumerist that Panda Express may have found a way to avoid a coupon debacle similar to KFC's grilled chicken giveaway last year. Their brilliant plan: dish up tiny portions, then charge comically high prices for meal add-ons. Like a $4 egg roll. More »
Soup Nazi Back In Business, But Not Actually Around To Yell At You
By Chris Walters on July 22, 2010 11:04 AM
30 Comments
Al Yeganeh, the man who inspired Seinfeld's Soup Nazi character, closed up shop six years ago, but this week he re-opened his business at the same location on 55th Street in NYC under the name "The Original Soup Man." The company is now a franchise with locations in nine states and Washington, D.C., and unfortunately (for us, but probably not for him) Yeganeh doesn't actually do any counterwork—he's just the brand at this point. More »
Baseball Teams Invite You To Stuff Your Face With Infinite Nachos
By Phil Villarreal on July 21, 2010 10:15 AM
38 Comments
In an effort to ramp up slumping attendance, 19 of the 30 Major League Baseball teams are offering some sort of all-you-can-eat promotion this year. The feeding troughs keep fans happy as the teams slog through the dog days of the endless season. More »
Burger King Drive-Thru Guys Make Us Pull Off To The Side To Cheat Timer
By Phil Villarreal on July 20, 2010 9:45 AM
184 Comments
Jenn patronizes what is possibly one of the fastest Burger King drive-thrus on record. That doesn't mean the fast food joint serves customers food quickly. She says its workers game the drive-thru timer system by asking people to pull off to the side after they order and wait to be served. More »
KFC Giving Away Free Sandwiches To Fast Food Workers Today
By Chris Morran on July 20, 2010 9:15 AM
23 Comments
In a move to promote its new-ish Doublicious — aka the Double Down on a bun — KFC is attempting to entice employees at competing quick-service restaurants to give it a shot for free today. More »
Breastfeeding Moms Protest Johnny Rockets
By Chris Morran on July 19, 2010 3:00 PM
525 Comments
Public breastfeeding is completely legal in Kentucky, but don't try telling that to the manager of the Johnny Rockets in Newport, where a nursing mother was given the boot for refusing to stop feeding her child when directed to do so by the manager. More »
McDonald's Pulls Plug On Planned Smoothie Giveaway
By Chris Morran on July 19, 2010 11:15 AM
34 Comments
If you had planned on taking advantage of McDonald's planned giveaway of samples of their new line of smoothies, you're out of luck. Perhaps in an attempt to avoid a debacle like the Oprah/KFC clusterf*ck from last year, the Golden Arches has preemptively pulled the plug on the event to avoid shortages. More »
Do Your Patriotic Duty And Eat Ice Cream This Month
By Chris Morran on July 15, 2010 1:30 PM
72 Comments
Whatever problems a liberal jerk like me might have with Ronald Reagan, I will give the man this — In 1984, he had the vision to name July as National Ice Cream Month. And then, within National Ice Cream Month, there is National Ice Cream Day. This year, that falls on July 18. When Reagan made the declaration, he asked Americans to celebrate this glorious month with "appropriate ceremonies and activities," which I will take to mean, "burying my face in a bucket of butter pecan." More »
Get Your Elk Burger On At Fuddruckers
By Chris Morran on July 13, 2010 11:15 AM
67 Comments
While KFC has its Double Down and Carl's Jr. has its foot-long burger, Fuddruckers, the burger chain with the name that sounds more like a syndrome than it does a restaurant, is out to differentiate itself from the competition by offering up a selection of exotic meats to customers. It already has salmon and buffalo burgers on the menu, and in the last week it's added elk to the list. More »
Judge Says KFC Must Answer For Oprah Coupon Debacle
By Chris Morran on July 13, 2010 9:45 AM
50 Comments
Remember last year, when KFC vastly underestimated the popularity of Oprah Winfrey and left millions of customers holding worthless coupons for free grilled chicken meals? The fast food chain had recently asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit over the debacle, but the judge — probably a fan of Popeye's — has said no. More »
Carl's Jr. Whips Out A Foot-long Of Its Own
By Phil Villarreal on July 12, 2010 10:15 AM
42 Comments
Figuring the hot dog and sub sandwich have kept an unfair stranglehold on the concept of the foot-long fast food for too long, Carl's Jr. has struck out in favor of burgers' rights by introducing the foot-long cheeseburger. More »
KFC Hates Vuvuzelas Too; Will Give You A Free Doublicious For Yours
By Chris Morran on July 10, 2010 9:45 AM
25 Comments
Were you one of the few people on this continent to get caught up in the World Cup hullaballoo? Did you get drunk enough to think that buying a vuvuzela — the obnoxiously loud plastic horn that has been the bane of many Cup watchers — would be a good idea? If so, the fried chicken-loving folks at KFC might be willing to exchange your noisemakers for one of their bellyachers. More »
(Jay Adan)
Secret Of The In-N-Out Burger Revealed?
By Chris Morran on July 9, 2010 2:30 PM
160 Comments
A chef at NYC restaurant Lure claims he's uncovered the secret of what makes the burgers at West Coast burger joint In-N-Out burger so tasty. More »
Wendy's New Salads Have "Real" Ingredients, Same Old Calories
By Chris Morran on July 9, 2010 1:15 PM
26 Comments
Starting today, Wendy's has decided to healthy-up its image with a new line of salads that uses, among other things, what the fast-food chain calls "real" ingredients. But if you think real ingredients means fewer calories, you're mistaken More »
Dress Like A Cow, Get Free Chick-fil-A Today
By Phil Villarreal on July 9, 2010 9:15 AM
85 Comments
If you live in one of the 38 states blessed with the wonder that is Chick-fil-A, take your sack lunch and windmill dunk that sucker in the garbage, because you're dressing like a cow and getting a free value meal today. More »
Dr. Pepper Temporarily Ditches HFCS To Celebrate 125th Birthday
By Chris Morran on July 8, 2010 11:15 AM
98 Comments
If you're a real sugar fan and you spot a really old looking can of Dr. Pepper at your grocery store in the next few weeks, you might want to stock up. To celebrate its 125th anniversary, the soda brand is going retro with its can designs — and its sweetener. More »
(strobist)
Only 12% Of Americans Know How Many Calories They Should Eat Each Day
By Chris Morran on July 7, 2010 1:30 PM
84 Comments
While calorie information is available for most of the food we eat, that data doesn't really do the eater any good if you don't know how many calories you should be consuming each day. Unfortunately, a new survey shows that an overwhelming number of Americans are either mistaken or clueless when it comes to that information. More »
Customer Sues McDonald's & Walmart Over A Bone In Her Burger
By Chris Morran on July 7, 2010 11:15 AM
63 Comments
Almost two years two the day after she claims she chomped into something hard in a McDonald's double cheeseburger, a woman in Illinois has filed a lawsuit against the fast food giant. More »
What Is Your Favorite Frozen Treat?
By Chris Morran on July 6, 2010 2:31 PM
105 Comments
It's apparently quite hot here in New York City. I wouldn't know because I refuse to leave the igloo I've created around my air-conditioner. But if I were to venture out onto the sizzling streets, the first thing I'd do is get me a huge bowl of mint chip ice cream... not a cone because in this weather that's just asking for disaster. More »
Kentucky Man Caught With $64,000 In Stolen KFC Gift Checks
By Chris Morran on July 2, 2010 12:45 PM
19 Comments
Yesterday, we wrote about the 10 Commandments Of Good Coupon Users, and among them was "Don't raid multiple coupons from the coupon dispenser." Well, a man in Kentucky ignored — to the extreme! — this commandment, treating a document-storage facility like a coupon dispenser and making off with $64,000 worth of KFC gift checks. More »
(tjean314)
What Are You Cooking For Independence Day?
By Chris Morran on July 2, 2010 12:15 PM
86 Comments
Back on Memorial Day, we dealt with the great gas vs. charcoal debate. And now that it's the July 4th weekend, you've had time to hone your grilling chops in time for some pre-fireworks feasts. But the big question is: What will you be cooking? More »
6-Time Coney Island Hot Dog Champ Kobayashi May Bail On July 4 Eat-Off
By Chris Morran on June 29, 2010 11:15 AM
33 Comments
Since July 4, 2001, when Takeru Kobayashi first wowed the crowd at Coney Island by devouring a then-world record 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes, the pint-sized stomach-stuffer has been a dependable fixture at the annual eat-off, winning the competition six times in a row. But after three consecutive losses in subsequent years, a report claims Kobayashi may not choose to compete next weekend. More »
Gen. Petraeus Not Ruling Out Bringing Burger King Back To Afghanistan
By Chris Morran on June 27, 2010 4:44 AM
50 Comments
A few months back, our men and women stationed overseas in Afghanistan lost a little piece of home when the U.S. military announced they were closing most fast food operations on the bases in Bagram and Kandahar. But now that the reins have been handed over from Gen. McChrystal to Gen. Petraeus, Stars & Stripes is reporting that our soldiers may get their Whoppers back! More »
Panera Planning To Add More Pay-What-You-Want Restaurants
By Chris Morran on June 27, 2010 4:23 AM
49 Comments
A month ago, Panera Bread Co. opened its first non-profit, pay-what-you-can-afford eatery, called the Saint Louis Bread Company Cares Café, in Clayton, MO. And the restaurant chain's chairman is so happy with the results, the company plans to launch two more in the coming months. More »
KFC Doesn't Realize That Lack Of Bun Is Whole Point To Double Down
By Chris Morran on June 24, 2010 3:49 PM
58 Comments
When KFC announced the Double Down a few months back, the only real reason anyone took notice of the sandwich was because they'd made the audacious — not to mention greasy — decision to replace the bun with two slabs of fried chicken. Now, in a move to make the Double Down significantly less interesting, KFC has turned the sandwich into... well, just another sandwich. More »
Man Biking From Florida To NYC To Promote Pizza As Health Food
By Chris Morran on June 24, 2010 3:20 PM
109 Comments
I've always wondered why pizza gets such a bad rap as a junk food, even though one could eat a sandwich with tomato, cheese, pepperoni and basil and not raise an eyebrow. Perhaps it's the fact that people tend to consume massive amounts of it, usually accompanied by massive amounts of high-calorie beverages. But now a man is out to change pizza's junky public image with a one-man bike tour from Florida to New York. More »
Should Restaurant Workers Pay Tax On Free Meals?
By Chris Morran on June 24, 2010 1:15 PM
163 Comments
I believe I mentioned in Monday's Mr. Softee post that I'd toiled for four summers as a soft-serve technician for the Dairy Queen. The hours were horrid, the pay was insulting, but the Blizzards were free — or at least one per 8-hour shift was free. Now, a politician in Michigan wants to rid food-service employees throughout his state of the benefit of free lunches. More »
CSPI Wants To Make Your McDonald's Happy Meal Sad
By Chris Morran on June 23, 2010 9:15 AM
142 Comments
Perennial buzzkills at the Center for Science in the Public Interest have decided to set their sights on McDonald's, issuing the fast food giant an ultimatum: Stop putting toys in their Happy Meals in the next 30 days or face a lawsuit. More »
Restaurants Want You To Spend More, But Won't Stop Selling Cheap Food
By Marc Perton on June 22, 2010 7:04 PM
77 Comments
Fast food outlets and "family style" restaurants are suffering a bit of indigestion. After years of cutting their prices, handing out coupons and creating discounted special menus, they're having trouble making ends meet, and are trying to lure customers to higher-priced meals. But cash-strapped diners aren't buying it; they want the cheap stuff, and restaurants aren't about to say no and risk losing customers to the cheaper eatery next door. More »
Carl's Jr. Guy Tells Me He Doesn't Give A F*ck
By Phil Villarreal on June 21, 2010 3:30 PM
209 Comments
Frequent commenter Jook checks in with his tale of confronting an alarmingly indifferent and potty-mouthed Carl's Jr. drive-thru dude who took his time getting some fries through the window, then explained he didn't "give a f*ck" how long he took. More »
Taco Bell Learns Not To Mess With Texas Man's $.02
By Chris Morran on June 21, 2010 2:15 PM
84 Comments
There was a great man from Texas who once said something about "fool me once" or something like that. He might have been speaking about his fellow Texan, whose spot-on math skills caught his local Taco Bell over-taxing its customers twice — three years apart. More »
Ride Along For The Day In A Mr. Softee Truck
By Chris Morran on June 21, 2010 1:15 PM
44 Comments
Just about every neighborhood has ice cream trucks, but there's something special about Mister Softee. Perhaps it's the treats, but more than likely it's the ever-repeating tune that streams endlessly out of the rooftop speakers... even when the truck is parked outside your apartment for four hours straight... But I digress. More »
(Sean)
Shrink Ray Slurps Up Some Of Your Papa John's Garlic Sauce
By Phil Villarreal on June 18, 2010 10:18 AM
63 Comments
Sean says Papa John's has powered up its own version of the Grocery Shrink Ray and miniaturized its Special Garlic Sauce, a product for which he already pays about 50 cents more. He snapped the accompanying photo of the deeply downsized delectable. More »
Donna Summer Strikes Back At Wendy's Over "So Horny" Lyric
By Chris Morran on June 17, 2010 1:38 PM
55 Comments
Over the weekend, we wrote about Wendy's decision to pull a disco compilation CD included in kids' meals because of supposed suggestive lyrics in a Donna Summer song. But now the disco diva is coming out swinging against the fast food chain, saying Wendy's has burger grease in its ears. More »
$.99 6-Piece Chicken McNugget Mondays (Southeast FL Only)
By Ben Popken on June 16, 2010 4:24 PM
26 Comments
McDonald's is offering $.99 6-piece McNugget Mondays regional promotion, good now through Sept. 30, limited to the Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties of Florida. Normally it's $.99 for 4, so it's basically two free nuggets. More »
Papa John's Somehow Tops Customer Satisfaction Survey
By Chris Morran on June 15, 2010 2:30 PM
84 Comments
While Domino's has scrambled to re-imagine their pizza recipes and Pizza Hut continues to basically give away their pizzas for a pittance, it was Papa John's who apparently made the best impression on eaters in the last year. The Kentucky-based chain has topped not only its pizzeria rivals, but all fast foods in an annual survey of customer satisfaction. More »
Arby's Is Expanding To Supermarket Shelves
By Chris Walters on June 15, 2010 10:59 AM
27 Comments
Although the Arby's spokeswoman who talked to the website Nation's Restaurant News wouldn't give specifics, she confirmed that in the near future you might see "packaged Arby's items" in your grocery store. Sadly, it looks like these will be food items and not giant foam hats. More »
Dunkin' Donuts Robber Says He Was Just Asking For A Honey Bun
By Chris Walters on June 14, 2010 4:16 PM
34 Comments
Be sure to always enunciate clearly when you're placing an order, so that you don't accidentally rob the cashier. That piece of advice comes from a man in Massachusetts who was charged for attempted armed robbery of a Dunkin' Donuts back in April. He now claims that the cashier misunderstood him. What he really said was that he wanted a honey bun, not "Give me the money, I have a gun." More »
(tssparky)
Sausage King Jimmy Dean Dead At 81
By Chris Morran on June 14, 2010 12:20 PM
37 Comments
This is truly sad news for those of us whose best memories of weekend mornings is waking up to the smell of Jimmy Dean sausages wafting up from the kitchen. The man behind the delicious dishes has passed away at the age of 81. More »
McDonald's Blows Off My Food Poisoning Concerns, Loses A Customer
By Phil Villarreal on June 14, 2010 9:27 AM
134 Comments
Personal finance blogger Carrie on the Cheap believes her McDonald's breakfast knocked her off her feet with possible food poisoning. She didn't check her sickness out with a doctor but didn't need medical advice to decide that the meal made her feel so bad she'll never eat there again. She brought her complaint to the restaurant's management but feels she wasn't taken seriously and has yet to even get her money back. More »
The Frankenburger: What Happens When Burger King, Wendy's and McDonald's Collide
By Chris Morran on June 11, 2010 11:00 AM
56 Comments
Forget the Double Down or the McGangBang, the ultimate fast food burger has been found — the Frankenburger. And when I say "ultimate," I literally mean this could be the final thing you ever eat. More »
(dc5dugg)
Meet The McGangBang: The Chicken Sandwich Between Two Burgers
By Chris Morran on June 10, 2010 4:50 PM
98 Comments
Though it's just come to our attention, long before anyone had ever gotten their hands slick with a KFC Double Down, some folks out there were loosening their belts because of the McGangBang — an entire McDonald's McChicken sandwich that is then sandwiched between the halves of a double cheeseburger. More »
Primary Season Is Over -- It's Time To Vote In Our Fast Food Value Menu Item General Election
By Phil Villarreal on June 10, 2010 11:00 AM
87 Comments
Who can beat the amazing McDouble? The answer may well be no one, but we'll put it to a vote to settle the score as to which fast food value menu is king. Yesterday we put a call out for nominations, and these are the contenders that emerged from the crop. More »
The Last Days Of ESPN Zone
By Chris Morran on June 9, 2010 1:18 PM
29 Comments
It looks like Times Square will be losing one of its most venerated eateries with the news today that the Walt Disney Co. has decided to close almost all of their ESPN Zone restaurants. More »
Coffee Shop Owner Throws Cop Out Of Joint Because He's A Cop
By Phil Villarreal on June 9, 2010 11:00 AM
183 Comments
Many small businesses like to have police officers as clientele because their presence is a deterrent to would-be criminals, but a Portland, Ore. coffee shop owner threw a cop out of his shop because he feared the officer would start a game of Taser tag. More »
(Donald)
Name Your Favorite Fast Food Value Meal Item
By Phil Villarreal on June 9, 2010 8:00 AM
181 Comments
Fast food. None of us who partake in its hot, dirty deliciousness are proud of what we do, but life is fast and hard and sometimes you need to hunt and gather your nourishment in a drive-thru. More »
This Subway Meatball Isn't For Kids!
By Chris Walters on June 7, 2010 2:41 PM
125 Comments
It's great that everyone's concerned about keeping kids healthy and all, but Jay says the woman working at his local Subway put her foot down on his request for a meatball sandwich for his kid. He says she told him, "You can get ham or turkey but no meatball." Kids don't need meatballs! More »
Get Plump And Hyper, It's National (Free) Doughnut Day
By Phil Villarreal on June 4, 2010 8:00 AM
24 Comments
As if it weren't awesome enough that today is Friday, you can also cruise around from doughnut shop to doughnut shop and get free goodies. You'll know whether or not your doughnut shop is participating in National Doughnut Day depending on whether or not they call the cops on you after you make off with a free sugary delights, conspicuously shaped like the spare tires that'll emerge around your gut if you munch too many. More »
Is The McRib About To Return As "McRibbles"?
By Chris Morran on June 3, 2010 3:46 PM
31 Comments
UPDATE: We checked with McDonald's and... things aren't what they appear to be. More »
Which Food Brands Are You Most Loyal To?
By Chris Morran on June 3, 2010 2:00 PM
294 Comments
I don't know about you, but when I go to a diner and the ketchup on the table isn't my brand — it rhymes with "Heinz" — or if it's something calling itself "catsup," I know I won't be ordering anything that requires that particular condiment. The same goes true for mayonnaise: Nothing with the word "miracle" in the title is getting anywhere near my taste buds. More »
Chick-Fil-A Will Accept Your Free Sandwich Reservation Now
By Laura Northrup on June 3, 2010 11:15 AM
77 Comments
Perhaps hoping to avoid the chaos, madness and chicken shortages of other recent food giveaways, Chick-Fil-A is trying a novel approach for its current free spicy chicken sandwich promotion. You reserve a specific time slot at a specific restaurant, print out a coupon tied to your reservation time and e-mail address, show up at the appointed time, and.... nom nom nom nom nom. More »
5 Best Airports For Good Fast Food
By Chris Morran on June 2, 2010 4:43 PM
86 Comments
For the most part, airport eating options are pretty similar. There's the eat-in "restaurant" which is more of a bar. There's the quickie place with the pre-made sandwich/salad selection. And you're likely to stumble upon a food court with a couple of recognizable brands of fast food. But the folks at Jaunted.com know that there are a handful of airports providing more intriguing offers for the traveler's taste buds and have put together this list of the top five airports for scoring better eats. More »
(kcdsTM)
Arizona Restaurants Choose Sides On Letting Diners Bring Guns To The Table
By Chris Walters on June 1, 2010 11:49 AM
261 Comments
Arizona has a lot of gun lovers. Almost anyone in the state over 21 will be able to carry a concealed weapon without a permit starting June 29th, but some pro-gun advocates are already visiting local businesses with their weapons in plain sight in an attempt to make the practice more socially acceptable. Arizona lets businesses ban guns at their discretion, so this weekend the Arizona Star looked at how restaurants and bars are deciding who to piss off more: gun carriers or the people who feel uncomfortable around them. More »
The Great Grill Debate: Gas Or Charcoal?
By Chris Morran on May 31, 2010 1:55 PM
109 Comments
In case you hadn't noticed, it's Memorial Day. That means overblown, low-quality movies that will earn more in a weekend than some small countries will in a decade and — most importantly — it's grilling season. Alas, despite decades of debate, countless technological advances and several attempts by Presidents Clinton, Carter and Bush to bring resolution to the matter, there still remains a great divide in this nation between those who swear by charcoal and those who are cooking with gas. More »
Taco Bell To Begin Plaguing The Bowels Of England This Summer
By Chris Morran on May 27, 2010 2:35 PM
62 Comments
The people of England may need to upgrade their plumbing — Taco Bell is coming to the UK later this summer. More »
Man Spends 24 Hours Inside A Starbucks As A Sick Experiment
By Ben Popken on May 25, 2010 2:55 PM
71 Comments
Zug.com's Bayan Rabbani is a glutton for punishment. Having spent 24 hours inside a Walmart in the name of comedy journalism, he thought he was ready to spend 24 hours inside a Starbucks. He was wrong. More »
(Bundle)
Does Your City Spend A Lot On Eating?
By Ben Popken on May 24, 2010 12:16 PM
52 Comments
When it comes to spending on munching and swigging, how do you think your city stacks up? Bundle crunched the numbers and turned it into a plump and juicy infographic, served up piping hot inside... More »
Hide The Children: The KFC Double Down Is Here To Stay
By Chris Morran on May 20, 2010 3:03 PM
59 Comments
This Sunday, May 23, was to have been the final day for grease and salt lovers everywhere to get their hands on the KFC Double Down, which for the two of you just waking from comas is a bacon and cheese sandwich that uses fried chicken as the bread. But before you go and unclog your arteries, KFC has just announced that the Double Down ain't going anywhere anytime soon. More »
Food Companies Pledge To Slash Calories In The Name Of Slimmer Kids
By Phil Villarreal on May 18, 2010 8:30 AM
76 Comments
Some of the nation's largest food producers have promised to take 1.5 trillion calories out of products within the next five years, the Associated Press reports. More »
(nvaine)
Put The Words 'Eat More' In Your Biz And Chick-Fil-A Will Cluck At You
By Phil Villarreal on May 17, 2010 9:40 AM
71 Comments
A Florida businessman named his market Eat More Produce, and Chick-fil-A has taken it as a personal insult, sending the business letters accusing it of ripping off its ad campaign, the Orlando Sentinel reports: More »
(KFreon)
The Pizza Delivery Guy Cussed Me Out
By Phil Villarreal on May 3, 2010 10:30 AM
125 Comments
James says a Papa John's delivery dude called him a "f*gg*t m*th*rf*ck*r" as part of a blowup in a dispute about whether or not the driver rang the doorbell during an unsuccessful delivery attempt. More »
Healthifying KFC's Double Down
By Mary Beth Quirk on May 1, 2010 1:47 PM
43 Comments
Have you heard of this KFC Double Down situation? You know, the fried chicken, bacon, cheese and special sauce sandwich? Sound familiar at all? Well, in case you didn't know, it's fast food, and if you're into that whole healthy eating thing, it might not be for you. Good thing DiabetesDaily.com has gone ahead and put together a couple options that are less likely to clog those arteries. More »
Philly Cream Cheese, AriZona Iced Tea & Other Products With Geographically Misleading Names
By Chris Morran on May 1, 2010 11:38 AM
102 Comments
Earlier this week, we wrote about how the folks at AriZona Iced Tea want everyone to know they're actually from New York. And then I was having a bite at a Connecticut Muffin in Brooklyn when I remembered that Philadelphia Cream Cheese isn't from Philadelphia. More »
(Da Nes)
Which Are You More Loyal To: Your Employer Or Your Soda?
By Chris Morran on April 29, 2010 4:50 PM
152 Comments
Reuters recently conducted a new poll in an attempt to understand those things that Americans are most loyal to. Not surprisingly, the top of the loyalty list was country. But of some interest is that more respondents said they were loyal to their favorite brand of soda than said they were loyal to the company that currently employs them. More »
AriZona Iced Tea: Don't Hate Us, We're From New York
By Chris Morran on April 29, 2010 12:27 PM
187 Comments
While there's much heated discussion about Arizona's controversial new immigration laws, the folks at AriZona Iced Tea have somehow found themselves caught in the crossfire, with some even calling for a boycott on the beverage brand. That's why one of the founders of the company wants everyone to know that, just like inauthentic picante sauce, they're originally from New York City. More »
How Real Is That Olive Garden Cooking School?
By Chris Morran on April 28, 2010 4:10 PM
110 Comments
We've all seen the Olive Garden ads where the popular chain of Italian eateries touts the Olive Garden Culinary Institute of Tuscany, a picturesque cooking school in Italy where they claim to educate chefs and develop new products. But, like many others, the folks at Jaunted.com wanted to know just how reality stacks up against the advertisements. More »
Scientist Says He's Found The Secret To Breeding Nicer Chickens
By Chris Morran on April 28, 2010 1:45 PM
65 Comments
Among the problems faced by chicken breeders who pack their chickens into close quarters is that the territorial birds will often henpeck each other, often to the point of cannibalism. One way to cut down on chicken-on-chicken crime is to trim the beaks of the birds. But a professor at Purdue University thinks he's found the solution — breed nicer chickens. More »
California County Wants To Take The Toy Out Of Your Happy Meal
By Chris Morran on April 28, 2010 12:25 PM
135 Comments
If your kids pester you into purchasing McDonald's Happy Meals, they could be severely disappointed the next time they visit Santa Clara County in California, where the county supervisors have voted to pass a law forbidding toys in Happy Meals and other fast food kids meals that don't meet the county's nutritional guidelines. More »
lord almighty
IHOP Wants To Make You Fat With Cheesecake-Stuffed Pancakes
By Chris Morran on April 27, 2010 2:41 PM
75 Comments
Apparently jealous of the attention KFC was getting with the Double Down, IHOP (or International House of Pancakes if you're not into the whole brevity thing) has rolled out Pancake Stackers — a five-layer calorie bomb that dares to sandwich cheesecake between two pancakes. More »
A&W Owner Takes Full Advantage Of Detour Signs
By Chris Morran on April 27, 2010 1:17 PM
48 Comments
Where some people just see a detour sign and say "argh," the owner of a California A&W franchise sees an opportunity to grow his customer base. More »
Is The Vegan Double Down Worse For You Than The Real Thing?
By Chris Morran on April 23, 2010 12:20 PM
78 Comments
A few weeks back, before KFC had even unleashed their bacon, fried chicken and salt concoction known as the Double Down, vegan website Vegansaurus had already come up with their own animal-friendly version. But while it might not harm any of your furry, feathered, scaly or insecty friends, the vegan Double Down certainly isn't a diet item. More »
Does Double Down Have Double The Calories Reported?
By Phil Villarreal on April 22, 2010 10:39 AM
102 Comments
One of the surprising benefits of KFC's Double Down wonder sandwich is its lack of calories — 540 for the fried version and 460 for the grilled. More »
(SA_Steve)
Burger King: Where Brunch Ends At 10:30 And Mimosas Are Made With Sprite
By Chris Morran on April 21, 2010 11:20 AM
47 Comments
According to a new report, Burger King is trying to class up their recently upgraded breakfast menu by testing so-called "brunch" selections, complete with "mimosas" in a handful of markets. Two problems: BK's brunch menu isn't offered any later than their breakfasts and those mimosas are really just OJ spiked with soda. More »
(name)
Horrors! KFC Sold Me A Baconless Double Down
By Phil Villarreal on April 21, 2010 10:40 AM
88 Comments
Although the Double Down may not be the healthiest thing out there, one way to save yourself some fat, sodium and calories is to make like Greg and get stuck with a sandwich that lacks the key ingredient of bacon. More »
War Declared On Salt!
humpback whale kraken. I have not actually read the report, but it probably said something like that. It also said that public education campaigns have failed to reduce sodium intake, and voluntary self-regulation by the food industry hasn't been effective. More »
By Chris Walters on April 20, 2010 6:37 PM
70 Comments
Are you tired of the high fructose corn syrup battles? Today the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, released a report that said Americans on average eat enough salt every second to kill a
10 Fast Food Items Worse For You Than The KFC Double Down
By Chris Morran on April 20, 2010 1:42 PM
91 Comments
KFC's Double Down — the bacon sandwich where two pieces of fried chicken replace the bread — has been catching a lot of flack lately; much of it deserved. But a quick comparison of the nutritional (for want of a better word) info between the Double Down and some items on the menus at other fast food joints shows that the "warped creation of a syphilitic brain" might not be as bad for you as a salad at Wendy's. More »
What Is Your Favorite Regional Snack?
By Chris Morran on April 19, 2010 1:00 PM
418 Comments
Being a native of the Philadelphia area, I was raised on the various treats made by Philly institution Tastykake. And having moved to New York over a decade ago, I know all too well the pain of not having ready access to butterscotch krimpets. Similarly, friends who've relocated to NYC from Chicagoland get misty-eyed when discussing Matt's cookies and other Windy City snacks. More »
The KFC Double Down: What A Restaurant Does When It Gets Desperate
By Chris Walters on April 19, 2010 11:11 AM
145 Comments
It seems like the best promotional campaigns for KFC in the past few years have been on South Park, and that's despite the fact that Cartman is the chain's most vocal supporter. An AdAge article today points out that Chick-Fil-A has been eating KFC's lunch for a while now, and so far every stunt KFC has pulled—name changes, PR-engineered recipe events, botched giveaways, getting Oprah's blessing—hasn't stopped the restaurant from losing customers.That's right: your lack of interest in KFC is what created this bundle of cheesy fried-fried in the first place. More »
Colbert: KFC Double Down Is "Warped Creation Of A Syphilitic Brain"
By Mary Beth Quirk on April 17, 2010 2:11 PM
36 Comments
As the country is overtaken by an insatiable desire to eat — or at least talk about — KFC's latest heart-stopping creation, the breadless sandwich wonder known as the Double Down, Stephen Colbert is jumping on the deep fried train, dubbing it "the warped creation of a syphilitic brain." More »
Should Insurance Companies Be Investing In Fast Food?
By Chris Morran on April 16, 2010 1:04 PM
66 Comments
A new study in the American Journal of Public Health states that several of the biggest U.S. health insurers are heavily invested in fast food companies, to the tune of $2 billion. This news has caused some to ask whether or not the insurance companies' vested interest in the growth of fast food stands in direct contrast to their interest in having healthy policy holders. More »
Correction: No Free Dunkin' Donuts For Tax Day
More »
By Chris Morran on April 14, 2010 4:00 PM
44 Comments
CORRECTION: We sadly admit that we made a grievous error yesterday in announcing that Dunkin' Donuts would be giving away free donuts nationwide on April 15. We were in possession of an old press release that was no longer valid. According to DD's publicists, the free donut deal is only available in Las Vegas today. This is a huge mistake and we apologize to those who were misled.More »
Jack In The Box To Give Out New Fries Friday
By Phil Villarreal on April 12, 2010 9:30 AM
15 Comments
Jack in the Box has whipped out a new fry recipe and wants to hook you by offering the first hit for free. Go to any participating location and you can get a small fry, no purchase necessary. The offer is limited to one bag per customer, which means you'll need to bring your usual stash of disguises in order to get enough fries to make a meal of it. More »
(mrbill)
Reader Not Impressed With Reality Of KFC Double Down
By Chris Morran on April 11, 2010 2:24 PM
83 Comments
Consumerist reader Bill popped into his local KFC in Houston today and found that they were selling the already infamous Double Down — better known as bacon and cheese wedged between slabs of fried chicken. And, as often happens when confronted with fast food that looks good in ads, Bill was a little let down by what he found inside. More »
Eat More Roast Beef Sandwiches At Arby's For Less
By Mary Beth Quirk on April 11, 2010 1:35 PM
60 Comments
Strapped for cash and got a jones for Arby’s? Good news for you — the company announced they’ll be offering more lower-priced items, including the roast beef sandwich, curly fries and their “jamocha” shake to entice customers dealing with budget constraints. More »
(name)
I Ordered BK Breakfast Bowl, Got Mush A La Plop
By Phil Villarreal on April 7, 2010 9:30 AM
83 Comments
Micah and his wife ordered a Burger King Breakfast Bowl, with visions of something presentable dancing through their heads. So their disappointment with what they were actually served, pictured here, is understandable. More »
(razor512)
No More Burger King Or Dairy Queen For Soldiers In Afghanistan
By Chris Morran on April 5, 2010 6:04 PM
173 Comments
Because the last thing a soldier stationed thousands of miles away fighting the Taliban should want is a taste of home, the U.S. military is axing several fast food vendors from their bases in Afghanistan. More »
Inventor Of Box Wine Dies At 92
By Chris Morran on April 5, 2010 2:32 PM
32 Comments
Days shy of 45 years after he patented the idea of wine in a box, Australian winemaker Thomas Angove has died at the age of 92. More »
(afagen)
Which Baseball Fans Eat The Most Hot Dogs?
By Chris Morran on April 5, 2010 10:46 AM
51 Comments
Baseball season is officially upon us — go Phils — which also mean it's time for baseball fans to start snarfing down hot dogs. And with 2,430 regular season games to be played over the next few months, the sheer number of hot dogs to be devoured is astounding. More »
POLL: Should Ronald McDonald Retire?
By Chris Morran on March 30, 2010 11:16 AM
120 Comments
After a half century of scaring/entertaining children for McDonald's, a health advocacy group is saying it's time for Ronald McDonald to retire, not because he's getting long in the tooth (and hasn't managed to get any less creepy after all these years), but because they believe he's enticing young kids into eating fast food. More »
Burger King Challenges McMuffin With New Breakfast Sandwich
By Chris Morran on March 30, 2010 3:10 AM
71 Comments
For decades, the fast food muffin sandwich market has been dominated by McDonald's. But yesterday, Burger King launched a full-on attack on the McMuffin with the launch of their new Breakfast Muffin. More »
(brookage)
Is It Ever Okay To Not Tip The Pizza Guy?
By Chris Morran on March 27, 2010 12:26 PM
315 Comments
Consumerist reader Chris (no, it wasn't me) wrote to us hoping to get a resolution to a pizza delivery dilemma he recently faced. Because he's outside their delivery area, he went to pick up his order from his favorite pizzeria. But when he got home, he found out they'd given him the wrong pizza. More »
Burger King Employee Tells Facebook Friends He Spits On Food
By Chris Morran on March 26, 2010 9:30 AM
97 Comments
While it may not be as egregious as the Domino's Pizza employees who videotaped themselves desecrating their work kitchen, a Burger King employee in Michigan is in hot water after blabbing on Facebook about spitting in the food. More »
Robbers Hold Up Taco Bell... For Apple Pies
By Chris Morran on March 24, 2010 6:19 PM
31 Comments
It's not exactly Jean Valjean stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family, but on Monday night a trio of hungry robbers held up a Charlotte, NC, Taco Bell just to get some free food. More »
Chicken Wing Prices Soar While Breasts Sag
By Chris Morran on March 24, 2010 4:44 PM
59 Comments
While many bars and restaurants continue to offer cheap chicken wings as an enticement to get diners and drinkers in the door, the demand for the little bits of bird has increased so much in the last decade that wholesale costs for wings have more than doubled. More »
Science Says High-Fructose Corn Syrup Is Pretty Much The Worst Thing Ever
By Phil Villarreal on March 24, 2010 8:00 AM
136 Comments
Those spoilsport researchers at Princeton are off spreading the word that sweet, delicious high-fructose corn syrup is as bad for your diet as Taylor Swift music is for your soul. The substance, found in soda, cookies, salad dressing and pretty much everything else that tastes good, is worse for you than fat or sucrose. More »
Should Taco Bell Charge Extra For Equal-Price Substitutions?
By Chris Morran on March 23, 2010 11:21 AM
117 Comments
Consumerist reader Sean recently went to his local Taco Bell to grab a bite to eat. But when he wanted to make a slight substitution on his order, he had to pay extra. He doesn't think he should have been charged, so we want you... to make the call. More »
(Starbucks)
Reminder: Buy A Starbucks Coffee, Get Free Pastry This Morning
By Phil Villarreal on March 23, 2010 8:10 AM
20 Comments
Yes, we wrote about this yesterday, but we figured it deserved posting a reminder this morning. Today is Free Pastry Day at Starbucks. It's a slightly misleading moniker because you don't just walk in and get a free sweet thing. You have to buy a beverage to get one. But still, it's basically free because why would anyone ever walk into Starbucks and not buy a beverage? More »
PepsiCo Aims To Reduce Sodium With Sexy New "Designer Salt"
By Chris Morran on March 22, 2010 1:15 PM
36 Comments
While Kraft is embarking on a company-wide plan to reduce sodium in their food products, the mad scientists at PepsiCo are trying to do them one better. They're about to start making a new "designer salt" for their Lay's brand potato chips that they claim will reduce the amount of sodium you consume without losing any of that great sodium taste. More »
(Photo: rxb)
"The Woman Next To Me At Eat'n Park Kept Kicking An Old Lady!"
By Chris Walters on March 22, 2010 11:40 AM
100 Comments
What should you do when you witness someone abusing someone else, but you're in a retail establishment and the management won't help you? While eating at an Eat'n Park last week, Myriad claims she watched a young woman repeatedly kick the elderly lady sitting with her, and when Myriad tried to intervene the girl threatened to punch Myriad in the face. Myriad says the manager refused to cooperate, only repeating that he knew the girl and that she was "very nice." More »
McDonald's To Use Nintendo DS For Training Employees
By Chris Morran on March 22, 2010 10:55 AM
21 Comments
Looks like the Nintendo DS isn't just for MarioKart and Brain Age. According to a new report, burger biggie McDonald's is looking to use the handheld gaming device as an employee-training tool. More »
My McDonald's Sets 30-Minute Dine-In Time Limit
By Phil Villarreal on March 22, 2010 8:30 AM
98 Comments
Free Refills spotted this sign at a Michigan McDonald's. This doesn't seem like a national policy, but rather a site-specific thing aimed at combating a loitering problem at this location. More »
Relative Of Slain 7-11 Employee Wants Company To Install Bulletproof Glass
By Chris Morran on March 19, 2010 8:14 AM
55 Comments
Late Wednesday night in a Kansas City 7-11, employee Gurpreet Singh was shot by a robber, even after he handed over the cash without protest. And now a relative of Sing wants the convenience store chain to install safety glass in all their stores before another employee dies. More »
Chicago-Area Subway Now Being Blamed For 78 Illnesses
By Chris Morran on March 18, 2010 11:05 AM
31 Comments
Yesterday, we wrote about a Chicago-area Subway that was the target of lawsuits after being tied to 21 separate cases of Shigellosis, an infectious disease caused by the food-borne Shigella bacteria. Well, that number has increased, just a little bit, to 78 confirmed cases. More »
Kraft Cutting Salt From Oscar Mayer Bologna, Other Products
By Chris Morran on March 17, 2010 5:14 PM
43 Comments
Perhaps feeling a bit bloated, Kraft Foods Inc. announced earlier today that they're cutting down on the amount of salt used in a number of its most popular products. More »
(Kfreon)
Hungry Robber Makes Off With $40 In Domino's Pizza & Wings
By Chris Morran on March 17, 2010 12:02 PM
52 Comments
Yet another Domino's Pizza delivery dude has been attacked. This time, the unfortunate victim wasn't robbed of his cash, but of the pizza and hot wings he was attempting to deliver. More »
Pepsi Pulling Their Sodas From Schools Worldwide By 2012
By Chris Morran on March 17, 2010 9:51 AM
68 Comments
This is a bit of bittersweet news for those of us who remember sneaking down to our high school music room to score a can of Pepsi from the machine between classes — PepsiCo has announced that they've volunteered to pull all their beverage products out of schools around the world by 2012. More »
Police On Lookout For McDonald's Peeper
By Chris Morran on March 17, 2010 3:10 AM
26 Comments
Authorities in Southern California are on the lookout for a man they believe has been peeping into the ladies' room of an area McDonald's. More »
NYC Health Dept. To Post Letter Grades On All Restaurants
By Chris Morran on March 16, 2010 4:06 PM
85 Comments
In a move toward greater transparency, the New York City Board of Health has decided that all restaurants in the five boroughs will now be required to post large letter grades reflecting the results of their most recent health inspection. More »
Researchers Urge Government To Levy Tax On Pizza
By Chris Morran on March 16, 2010 2:38 PM
151 Comments
While the current Soda Tax trend looks doomed to fail in New York state and Philadelphia, researchers are already making a suggestion for the target of the next sin tax — pizza. More »
McSpaghetti & 14 Other Fast Food Failures
By Chris Morran on March 16, 2010 11:47 AM
174 Comments
Have you ever had McSpaghetti? How about a basket of piping hot, deep-fried chicken livers from your local KFC? These are just a few of the not-so-popular menu items that made ChicagoNow's list of the 15 Worst Fast Food Fails. More »
(SA_Steve)
Soda Tax Failing In NY, Big Joke In Philadelphia
By Chris Morran on March 16, 2010 9:16 AM
59 Comments
Several states and cities around the country consider taking part in the latest trend of levying a "soda tax" on high-calorie beverages. But in New York state, the measure looks certain to die a quiet death in the state house, while the folks in Philadelphia are looking at a loophole that could render the whole "combatting obesity" thing nonexistent. More »
Lawsuits Accuse Illinois Subway Of Selling Contaminated Sandwiches
By Phil Villarreal on March 16, 2010 9:00 AM
27 Comments
Patrons of a Chicago area subway got an extra topping with their $5 dollar footlongs — potentially lethal bacteria, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Hospitalized patrons, who dined at the Subway from Feb. 27 to March 2, are filing lawsuits against the sub sandwich chain, which is accused of contaminating sandwiches with the fecal-borne bacteria to customers at the location in question. More »
Sony Exec Asks Theaters To Serve Healthier Snacks
By Chris Morran on March 15, 2010 6:02 PM
73 Comments
The movie theater has never really been a place where people go for healthy eats, but the head of Sony Pictures thinks it could be. More »
Man Robs McDonald's Drive-Thru With Beer Bottle
By Chris Morran on March 15, 2010 4:14 PM
23 Comments
As the world grows more and more technologically savvy, thieves continue to have success with old-fashioned methods. First there was the guy who robbed a Walmart with their own crowbar and now comes report of a man who not only managed to burgle a McDonald's through the drive-thru window, but who did it with a broken beer bottle. More »
Quizno's Was Mean To My Grandma
By Phil Villarreal on March 15, 2010 10:30 AM
98 Comments
Felicia says slacker Quizno's employees were rude to her grandma when she was so difficult as to ask for a menu to look at since her vision is poor. When her father complained to the manager, he wasn't any more helpful. Her story is a head-shaker: More »
Panera First To Go Nationwide With Posting Calorie Info On Menus
By Chris Morran on March 12, 2010 12:01 PM
42 Comments
The trend of chain restaurants posting calorie information alongside their food menu is about to go national. Panera Bread announced this week that they will be doing it at all of the chain's company-owned stores starting on March 24. More »
Is Wendy's Looking To Hook Up With Carl's Jr.?
By Chris Morran on March 12, 2010 11:25 AM
67 Comments
Fast food's cutest redhead is wooing the burger business's West Coast bad boy, as a new report says the parent company of Wendy's is cooking up a last-minute bid to buy Carl's Jr. owners CKE. More »
How Bags Of Oranges Costs More Than Coke
By Ben Popken on March 12, 2010 8:11 AM
85 Comments
This is also why you're fat. A graph of inflation-adjusted data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows how the prices of different food and beverages has changed over the past three decades. The price of crap food over the past 30 years has dropped. At the same time, the food you used to try to hide in your glass of milk has gotten steadily more expensive. No wonder the average man in his 60's is 25 lbs heavier than he was in the late 70's. Hey, govmnt, how about shifting some of those corn and soybean subsidies over to produce growers? More »
VIDEO: Woman Drives Through Burger King Window
By Chris Morran on March 11, 2010 2:13 PM
63 Comments
Apparently unclear about the whole "drive-thru" thing, a woman in Grand Rapids, MI, decided to actually drive her entire car through the window of her local Burger King last night. More »
Subway Charged Me $2273 For $5 Footlong
By Chris Morran on March 11, 2010 1:05 PM
71 Comments
For quite some time, Subway has been advertising their array of $5 footlong sandwiches. But Consumerist reader Josh stumbled across that rarest of fast food treats — Subway's $2273.40 sub. Unfortunately for Josh, now he can't seem to get his money back. More »
Food & Entertainment Industries Get Failing Grade For Pushing Unhealthy Snacks On Kids
By Chris Morran on March 10, 2010 2:33 PM
65 Comments
The folks over at the Center for Science in the Public Interest recently took a look at how 128 different food and entertainment companies market food to kids. And, perhaps not surprisingly, they gave failing marks to 95 of them for having either weak policies for marketing food products to children or having none at all. More »
Hey Domino's, Thanks For The Coupon That's Not A Coupon
By Chris Morran on March 9, 2010 3:52 PM
35 Comments
While it's relatively pleasant to be writing a story about Domino's that doesn't involve a robbery, this is still not a good news post. Consumerist reader Tim recently attempted to use a coupon while ordering online from Domino's, though apparently no one told Domino's that their coupons should actually work. More »
UPDATE: Robbed Domino's Driver Doesn't Have To Pay Back $61
By Chris Morran on March 8, 2010 6:04 PM
37 Comments
Last week, we wrote about the travails of a Domino's delivery driver who was not only mugged on the job, but also told he had to repay the stolen cash to his boss. We're happy to say that there's an update to the story — and it's good news. More »
Watch Your Weight By Gorging On Chicken Nuggets
By Chris Morran on March 8, 2010 5:29 PM
64 Comments
For every ounce of common sense inside of you that knows the last thing you should eat when trying to watch your weight is a deep-fried, battered piece of processed chicken "meat." But don't tell that to the folks at Weight Watchers who have actually given their seal of approval to three separate meals available at McDonald's in New Zealand and Australia. More »
NYC Mayor Bloomberg: Soda Tax Is An Easy Fix For Flagging Economy
By Chris Morran on March 8, 2010 1:36 PM
109 Comments
Even though an overwhelming number of Consumerist readers thought NY state's proposed "soda tax" on high calorie beverages was nothing but a cash grab, NYC Mayor ad eternum Michael Bloomberg says he's all for it, calling it an easy fix. More »
Strangely Beautiful Map Shows Territory Controlled In The Fast Food Wars
By Laura Northrup on March 5, 2010 11:15 AM
71 Comments
I had always assumed that McDonalds' hamburger hegemony of the United States, if not the world, was complete. I was wrong. Clearly, I need to leave the Northeast more. The above map shows the dominant burger chains in different parts of the United States. The black dots represent the density of McDonald's, and other colors represent...everyone else. More »
POLL: Do You Need A 31-Ounce Iced Coffee From Starbucks?
By Chris Morran on March 5, 2010 10:35 AM
91 Comments
While Starbucks has been busy trying to appease both sides of the gun-control debate, they've also been busy test-marketing their latest offering, a 31-ounce iced coffee beast known as a "Trenta." More »
Get Your Shrimp On At Taco Bell Until April 11
By Chris Morran on March 5, 2010 10:12 AM
59 Comments
In a move bound to lure in a few Lent-observing Catholics and give those who keep Kosher another reason to stay away, Taco Bell goes live nationwide today with their new Pacific Shrimp Taco, available through April 11 and the first of three new menu items the fast feeder has in store for us. More »
(Peter)
Check Out The Secret McMenu Item That's Sweeping SF, The Mc10:35
By Phil Villarreal on March 5, 2010 8:46 AM
116 Comments
Peter has stumbled upon a McDonald's secret menu item that can only be ordered during the changeover from breakfast to the standard menu. The Mc10:35 is the unholy but oh-so-hot union between the McDouble and Egg McMuffin. More »
24 Secret Menu Options To Dream About
By Phil Villarreal on March 4, 2010 9:33 AM
85 Comments
It's been nearly three years since Meg put together that epic list of every secret menu known to mankind, and now Coupon Sherpa is following up with 24 items you may not have known you could order. More »
Domino's Makes Huge Profit Selling Less Crappy Pizza For Lower Price
By Chris Morran on March 3, 2010 4:16 PM
105 Comments
While armed robbers might not like the taste of Domino's pizza, the rest of the non-thieving world appears to be taking a liking to Domino's recently revamped recipe and drastically dropped pricing. Want proof? The company's fourth-quarter profits were double what they were a year ago. More »
Robbers Would Rather Steal Domino's Chicken Wings Than Pizza
By Chris Morran on March 1, 2010 11:18 AM
23 Comments
It wasn't exactly the crime of the century, but several folks' nights were ruined last week when a pair of armed robbers attacked a Domino's delivery driver and made off with $36 worth of chicken wings. More »
Will The Soda Tax Do Anything To Curb Obesity?
By Chris Morran on March 1, 2010 10:55 AM
148 Comments
There's a movement in New York to have the state pass a so-called "soda tax" that impose taxes on soft drinks containing more than 10 calories per 8 ounces. Among the beverages included would be just about all non-diet sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened coffees and teas (only in bottles), and fruit and vegetable juices containing less than 70% natural juice. According to the ads being run by the supporters of the tax, the goal is to curb childhood obesity. But will it really work? More »
(ashi)
This Pizza Joint Sent My Credit Card Info Around Via Email
By Phil Villarreal on February 26, 2010 10:15 AM
39 Comments
Andrew blogs about how he ordered pizza online and it came with an unwanted topping — fraud risk. More »
My Starbucks Had No Salt
By Phil Villarreal on February 26, 2010 9:30 AM
165 Comments
Orlando Sentinel consumer advocate Greg Dawson was disappointed to discover Starbucks had no salt for his hard-boiled egg. The barista told him that he needed to head to some other place if he wanted to get his salt on. More »
(CNN)
Hot Dog Found At Coney Island May Be 140 Years Old, But Definitely A Hoax
CNN News12 Brooklyn said, "That's unbelievable, finding hot dogs that are 140 years old. That's crazy, to me it's crazy." Another person said, "These things are irreplaceable, they're priceless. And it's great that they found it, and that it will be here for generations to come and see and learn." More »
By Chris Walters on February 25, 2010 3:50 PM
28 Comments
Update: As several readers have pointed out, it's a Coney Island publicity hoax, which probably explains why CNN yanked the clip. * People are calling it the caveman hot dog. Okay, nobody is calling it that. But one person interviewed by 
Lactose Intolerant? Drink Milk!
By Chris Morran on February 25, 2010 3:24 PM
90 Comments
If you think you're lactose intolerant, the National Institutes of Health says, well... maybe you're not. In a statement released yesterday, the NIH claims that lactose intolerance is nowhere near as prevalent as it's believed and that a general misunderstanding of lactose is causing people to not get the Vitamin D and calcium they need. More »
Street Vendors Protest Because They Would Rather Not Wet Themselves
By Chris Morran on February 25, 2010 5:15 AM
56 Comments
Following the news earlier this week that a street food vendor in New York City had lost his permit because he left his hot nut cart unattended while he used a nearby restroom, several vendors gathered outside the City's Dept. of Health offices yesterday in protest. More »
Denny's Really Wants You To Follow This Taiwanese Twitter Account
By Chris Morran on February 24, 2010 1:50 PM
9 Comments
Most chain restaurants have gotten into the social networking game in recent years, pushing customers to their Facebook and Twitter pages for news, deals, contests and the like. But Denny's is looking to create a paradigm shift, using valuable menu space to direct customers to a Twitter account written in Chinese and having nothing to do with any of their delicious breakfasts. More »
Street Vendor Loses Permit For NOT Urinating In Bottle
By Chris Morran on February 23, 2010 11:59 AM
65 Comments
It's a problem that's common to men and women who drive trucks, make deliveries or work outdoors — When do you go to the bathroom? Well, a law recently passed in New York City gives street vendors an easy answer: Never. Just ask Mohammed Shirajul Islam, a 10-year veteran of the business who is now without a permit because he dared to answer nature's call. More »
(WALB TV)
Dear Pizza Hut, Thanks For The Racist Receipt
By Chris Morran on February 23, 2010 9:00 AM
220 Comments
An African-American man in Missouri is considering legal action against Pizza Hut after having his name replaced on a receipt with the words "BIGBLACK." More »
(Marike79)
Some Believe Subway Can Be Diet Food, Almost No One Trusts Taco Bell
By Phil Villarreal on February 22, 2010 9:00 AM
77 Comments
It's en vogue for fast food companies to section off portions of their menus as "the healthy section," but the label doesn't convince many diners of the fact that the grub can be part of an effective weight-loss diet. More »
Man Spends $7K, One Year Battling Sonic Over $3.45 Overcharge, Resulting Arrest
By Phil Villarreal on February 15, 2010 9:00 AM
120 Comments
Ray wanted his happy hour discount at a Sonic in Colorado, and wasn't about to settle for paying more than double the $3.40 he thought he owed. Although his receipt read 4:11, meaning happy hour was over, Ray correctly insisted Sonic's clock was fast. But the restaurant wouldn't budge on the price and Ray ended up leaving in handcuffs, touching off a yearlong legal battle. More »
Papa John's Heart-Shaped Pizzas Still Heartbreakingly Round
By Laura Northrup on February 14, 2010 12:00 PM
65 Comments
To celebrate Valentine's Day and deliciousness, Shana ordered two heart-shaped pizzas from Papa John's last night. Had she seen our post on this very same pizza last year, she would have been aware that the heart is a lie and the pizza is only vaguely heart-shaped-ish. But Papa John somehow managed to do even worse this year. More »
What Does Prosperity Taste Like? Beef.
By Laura Northrup on February 13, 2010 11:00 AM
44 Comments
What does prosperity taste like? According to McDonald's in Singapore, it tastes like beef. From a historical point of view, I suppose that's true.
What's a Prosperity Burger? It's a beef or chicken burger on a long bun, almost like a small sub sandwich, with onions and a black pepper sauce. If you want mega prosperity, apparently you need to add some twisty fries.
(Thanks to Dan for the picture!) More »
Customer Banned For Life From Tim Hortons For Complaining About Coffee
By Laura Northrup on February 10, 2010 2:14 PM
96 Comments
According to various news sources in Canada, a man in New Brunswick has been banned for life from both of his local Tim Hortons coffee/donut shops after complaining a few times too many about the burnt taste of the chain's decaf. Now he makes his own coffee at home, which is probably just as well for everyone involved. More »
WSJ Says Burger King Is Hurting Because Addicts Have Abandoned It
By Phil Villarreal on February 2, 2010 10:30 AM
129 Comments
Burger King has suffered two consecutive quarters of declining sales, and a Wall Street Journal says the drop is due to hard-core "super fan" Burger King eaters shying away from the chain in favor of, gulp, possibly healthier choices. More »
Subway's Beef Barbacoa Sub Could Use Some Beef
By Laura Northrup on January 30, 2010 8:00 AM
94 Comments
Subway is offering a limited-time sandwich, the "Beef Barbacoa," in a few markets. Skylar in California ordered this sandwich, being misled by the name into thinking that it contained a reasonable amount of beef. Don't be silly, Skylar. More »
(Photo: Ghost of This)
Popeyes Gave Me 'Honey Sauce' Instead Of Honey
By Phil Villarreal on January 25, 2010 10:30 AM
86 Comments
Ghost of This justifies the practices of fast food condiment packet collectors everywhere by dipping into his Popeyes archives and catching the best restaurant in the world red-handed, having replaced real honey with something called "honey sauce." More »
(Photo: Phillyman)
My Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Was Divided, Conquered
By Phil Villarreal on January 20, 2010 9:39 AM
126 Comments
On his blog, Phillyman says Starbucks screwed up his Caramel Macchiato by pouring all the caramel into one cup, then placing the cup containing the rest of the drink inside the caramelized container. More »
(Photo: Kain)
My Girlfriend Got A Raw Deal At McDonald's
By Phil Villarreal on January 19, 2010 10:30 AM
185 Comments
Kain says he and his girlfriend went to an Illinois McDonald's and were served a raw double quarter pounder with cheese. They snapped this photo with a cell phone camera. More »
(Photo: The Searcher)
Brian Got His My Coke Rewards Points Back
By Phil Villarreal on January 18, 2010 9:00 AM
22 Comments
Brian complained to us last week that Coke had zapped away his My Coke Rewards points while he was on vacation, but Coke has returned the points, thanks to advice from reader Fox Mulder: More »
Free Tacos!
By Ben Popken on January 15, 2010 9:17 AM
34 Comments
Taco Bell is giving away printable coupons for free Fresco Tacos. Valid until a million taco coupons are printed. The rules say the manager's decision is final on whether or not to accept the coupon so if there's a mad free taco rush and Mr. Stanley doesn't feel like comping another Fresco Taco, don't come crying to mama. More »
(Photo: afagen)
Be Jealous Of The Woman Whose Purse Was Slimed By Chipotle
By Phil Villarreal on January 14, 2010 10:35 AM
110 Comments
Tanner says Chipotle hooked her up big-time after she bought a burrito bowl in San Francisco only to have the bowl come apart and splattered all over her purse. More »
(Photo: Meg Marco)
KFC Sues Self In Game Of Legal Chicken
By Phil Villarreal on January 12, 2010 8:30 AM
51 Comments
According to a Bloomberg story in BusinessWeek, KFC is suing itself, sorta. More »
(Photo: Paxton Holley)
Pizza Hut's $10 Offer Doesn't Include Stuffed Crust
By Phil Villarreal on January 1, 2010 9:30 AM
60 Comments
Alisha was disappointed to find out Pizza Hut's "Any Pizza, Any Crust, Any Size, Any Topping" for $10" deal isn't quite as all-encompassing as it promises. More »
(Photo: macmedics)
New Time Zone Discovered: BKST (Burger King Standard Time)
By Phil Villarreal on December 31, 2009 9:30 AM
37 Comments
Ihsan says his lunch plans were foiled because he forgot to synchronize his watch to the 18-minutes-slow BKST. More »
(Photo: afagen)
When In Disney World, Skip The Meal Plan Unless You Really Love Dessert
By Phil Villarreal on December 31, 2009 8:45 AM
80 Comments
Blogger Well-Heeled reviews Disney World's $40-per-person-per-day meal plan. She semi-convincingly endorses it with a notable dose of buyer's remorse. More »
(Photo: Huffington Post)
Would You Try The Taco Bell Diet?
By Phil Villarreal on December 30, 2009 11:45 AM
79 Comments
A direct answer to Subway's Jared, Taco Bell's new spokeswoman Christine says she lost 54 pounds in two years in part by substituting the restaurant's lighter fare for her usual fast food splurges. More »
(Photo: name)
Papa John's Delivery Guy Freaked Out When I Forgot To Tip
By Phil Villarreal on December 28, 2009 8:30 AM
319 Comments
Arcturus meant to leave a tip for the Papa John's delivery dude as he ordered over the phone, but he forgot, and then the delivery guy acted in a way that will ensure Arcturus never forgets to tip again — and unsure whether or not he'll ever use Papa John's. He writes: More »
(Photo: The Consumerist)
Reviewer: Domino's New Recipe Is Better
By Phil Villarreal on December 18, 2009 10:30 AM
57 Comments
SeriousEats was daring enough to try Domino's new pizza recipe and penned the most in-depth, insightful review we've seen so far. More »
Photo: JOE M500
Research Shows That People Really Love Bacon
By Laura Northrup on December 17, 2009 12:00 PM
101 Comments
Bacon: it makes the recession taste better. That's our theory, anyway, after reading an article on Burgerbusiness.com with original research showing that menu items containing bacon at all restaurants are up 26.5% since 2005. More »
(Photo: Marike79)
Ronald McDonald Is Dead, Unless He Isn't
By Phil Villarreal on December 16, 2009 9:30 AM
12 Comments
Michael Polakovs, a man credited with creating and playing Ronald McDonald in several 1960s commercials, has passed on to that big play area in the sky, the Telegraph reports. More »
(Photo: KFreon)
Domino's Changing Pizza Recipe
By Phil Villarreal on December 16, 2009 8:04 AM
106 Comments
Finally realizing its pizza is mediocre, Domino's has decided to take its recipe to the wood chipper and start over with an attempt at a new, better product. More »
(Photo: wfyurasko)
Sonic Manager Arrested For Cooking Meth At Work
By Chris Walters on December 15, 2009 10:24 AM
47 Comments
Last week, police arrested a shift manager at a Sonic in Cape Girardeau, MO—it's about halfway between St. Louis and Memphis, TN—after they found him with a big pile of meth supplies in the restaurant. According to Slashfood, he'd come back after the place was closed and tripped the burglar alarm. When police showed up at 1:57 AM they found the man in his Sonic uniform "allegedly attempting to whip up a batch of meth." More »
(Photo: foundphotoslj)
McDonald's Meat Is Safer Than Your Kid's School Lunch
By Marc Perton on December 9, 2009 1:28 PM
88 Comments
You might assume that the meat your kids get from their school cafeteria is held to higher standards than the flesh that's fed through the grinders at McDonald's or Burger King. Not exactly, according to USA Today. The paper conducted an investigation and found that "millions of pounds of beef and chicken" served up in schools wouldn't make the grade in many fast-food restaurants. More »
Domino's Pulls Ads From 'Jersey Shore' Show
By Chris Walters on December 7, 2009 4:40 PM
89 Comments
MTV's gross new reality show, Jersey Shore, goes too far into offensive stereotype land as far as Domino's Pizza is concerned. After seeing the first episode last week, the pizza chain asked MTV to stop airing its ads during the show, apparently before anyone starts complaining. But really, there's no way you can eat Domino's and maintain abs so ripped that you call them "The Situation," so maybe it's for the best. More »
(Photo:wolfclash)
Check Your Math When Accepting Substitutions
By Phil Villarreal on December 7, 2009 9:00 AM
124 Comments
Brooke says she stopped Pizza Hut from short-changing her on soda on a late night pizza run. Her plight demonstrates that it's handy to keep your algebra skills sharp. More »
Let This Flowchart Tell You Which Chain Restaurant To Visit Next
By Chris Walters on November 30, 2009 2:52 PM
115 Comments
Sometimes it's hard to decide on a chain restaurant when you're going out to eat. Luckily, the blog Eating The Road has produced a handy flowchart. What I like best about it is it asks the important questions, things like "Are you Drunk? Do you want to be? Are you high?" And most important, "Do you mind flair?" More »
Arby's Coupon Promotion Wastes Trees, Mystifies Customers
We don't need thousands of useless coupon sheets that will go straight into the trash around to make the point for you. Thanks, commenters—evidently, this is the tray liner, so not so much a waste of paper. But a 1 cent coupon is still inherently silly. More »
By Laura Northrup on November 29, 2009 1:00 PM
30 Comments
Mike received this coupon sheet when buying a $5.01 combo at Arby's. We get it, Arby's, the combo is such a good deal that you don't need a coupon. You've made your point. 
Beware The Popeyes Onion Ring Math Test
By Laura Northrup on November 18, 2009 9:05 PM
3 Comments
—>Um...I guess I'll have two orders of six onion rings. (Thanks, Alan!) More »
Yes, Pringles Are Potato Chips
By consumerist.com on June 1, 2009 3:12 PM
81 Comments
—>Reversing an earlier decision, Britain's Lord Justice Robin Jacob has ruled that Pringles are, indeed, potato chips. The decision means Pringles parent Procter & Gamble will be stuck paying $160 million in back taxes. P&G had insisted that the chips lack enough "potatoness" to qualify as a potato-based product (and be taxed as such), but the Judge disagreed, leaving it to philosophers and nutritionists to determine what exactly qualifies as the "essence of potato." We kind of feel for P&G on this one. We love that crunch, and the way they stack so neatly in the can, but if we want real potatoes, a Pringle isn't likely to be our first choice. More »
Procter & Gamble: Pringles Are Not Potato Chips
By Carey Alexander on July 5, 2008 1:15 PM
99 Comments
—>Seeking to evade a 17.5% sales tax, lawyers for Procter & Gamble successfully argued that Pringles aren't actually potato chips. Even though all Pringles containers are clearly marked "Potato Crisps," Procter & Gamble's lawyers argued that "Pringles don't look like a chip, don't feel like a chip, and don't taste like a chip." More »
Man Loses 86 lbs Eating 1,200-1,400 Calories Per Day Of McDonald's Food
By Meg Marco on June 18, 2008 7:58 PM
98 Comments
—>Chris Coleson, a businessman from Richmond, VA told his wife he could lose weight by eating anywhere — even McDonald's. More »
Northwest Airlines Will Not Trade A Hot Meal For Pringles
By Meg Marco on June 20, 2007 3:14 PM
22 Comments
So I told the flight attendant "no thanks" to the dinner — but instead, I said, I would like a can of the Pringles that, as I'd heard over the P.A., were being offered for sale in coach. More »
