Look, we all know that there is a certain level of self-delusion involved every time we buy a hot dog from a street vendor, but we’d like to believe that any street-meat seller whose lack of cleanliness merits multiple Dept. of Health violations would be put out of business. Which is sort of true, in that the sketchy hot dog dealer merely can merely resurrect his business under a new name with a new license. [More]
Food & Personal Care
Taco Bell Explains What All Those Unpronounceable Ingredients In Its Beef Are
By 4.28.14
I don’t know about you, but I love a hearty meal made of trehalose, torula yeast and maltodextrin, so please excuse the drool covering this post. What’s that, you don’t know what those things and a slew of other ingredients listed in Taco Bell’s beef are? No one does, so Taco Bell has taken it upon itself to explain in detail with a newly launched explanation page. [More]
Pizza Hut Manager Helped Boyfriend Rob Her Own Store… 3 Times In 4 Months
By 4.28.14
It’s bad enough when a fast food manager assists in the robbery of the very store she’s entrusted to manage. It’s even worse when the person robbing the business is that manager’s boyfriend. But helping that no-good boyfriend pull off three robberies in only a few months, well… to quote Jaime Lannister, “The things I do for love.” [More]
Burger King Resurrects Creepy Subservient Chicken, Minus The Chicken
By 4.28.14
Ten years ago, Burger King launched what is still one of the more bizarre marketing ploys of the Internet era — the Subservient Chicken, a “webcam” featuring a person in a chicken suit doing the bidding of visitors to the site. Because there are now people old enough to drive cars and go to college who missed this exceedingly creepy campaign the first time around, BK has (sort of) brought it back… though not quite. [More]
Proposed Regulations On E-Cigarettes Include Health Warning Label, Age Restrictions
By 4.24.14
It only took five years, but the Food and Drug Administration is ready to begin regulating electronic cigarettes. While the new rule covers a lot of ground with the never-before regulated devices, it doesn’t deal with some of critics’ more controversial concerns. [More]
Taco Bell To Break From Its Authentic Mexican Roots With New American-Inspired Taco Joint
By 4.24.14
As everyone knows, Taco Bell’s deeply authentic Mexican roots go back to the company’s humble beginnings in 1843 as Taco Campana, a family business selling flatbreads to hungry travelers outside of Hermosilo. For more than 150 years, the Bell has been a leader in bringing the finest in Mexican cuisine — from the Meximelt to the Chipotle Ranch Chicken Loaded Griller to the Crunchwrap Supreme — to U.S. diners aching for the exotic flavors one can only find south of the border. So it’s surprising that the company has announced a new initiative to create a chain serving “American-inspired” tacos… and booze. [More]
McDonald’s Is Sending Ronald McDonald To Work On Twitter In A New Outfit
By 4.24.14
Let there be no doubt about it — just because there’s some “taco shop” out there using guys named Ronald McDonald to talk breakfast smack, the true Ronny McDonny has only one master and that is McDonald’s. The chain is dusting off the 51-year-old Ronald McDonald character, giving him a new outfit and sending him out to spread the chain’s message on social media. [More]
Pour Out A Bottle Of Ketchup For 40,000 Pounds Of Fries Destroyed In Fire
By 4.23.14
These fries are a little overcooked. In a Walmart parking lot in Maine on Tuesday evening, a tractor-trailer carrying 40,000 pounds of frozen Burger King French fries caught fire. destroying the cargo, the truck, and the dreams of the fast food-loving people of New Jersey. [More]
McDonald’s CEO Not Worried About Breakfast Competition From “Sandwich” Or “Taco Shops”
By 4.23.14
You know what they say about if the breakfast kitchen is too hot you should get out, something like that? Well, McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson sounds like he’s not even breaking a sweat when it comes to any competition from Taco Bell or Subway breakfast offerings. [More]
Supreme Court Justices Grill Coca-Cola Over Scarcity Of Pomegranates In Pomegranate Juice
By 4.22.14
As the top judicial body in the land, the United States Supreme Court has asked some pretty tough questions in its day. But yesterday the justices had a question for Coca-Cola that doesn’t seem like it should be so tricky: Shouldn’t a juice labeled as “pomegranate and blueberry” actually include a fair amount of, um, pomegranates? And blueberries? [More]
Brewers Claim Proposed FDA Animal Feed Rules Would Raise Prices For Beer
By 4.21.14
One might not make the obvious connection between animal feed and beer brewing, but every year the nation’s brewers provide millions of tons of low- or no-cost animal feed to farmers in the form of spent grain left over from the brewing process. But a proposed rule update by the Food and Drug Administration may make it harder for brewers and farmers to continue this relationship. [More]
Now You Can Pay For Your Domino’s Pizza With Google Wallet (And Score Free Chicken)
By 4.21.14
Facing more competition in the online pizza-ordering business, Domino’s is trying to stand out in the crowd by saving customers the hassle of having to type in the 16 digits of their credit card numbers. It’s also giving away free chicken. [More]
Kraft Recalls 96K Pounds Of Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs Because You Shouldn’t Be Surprised By Cheese Filling
By 4.21.14
While I’ve been known to enjoy the occasional hot dog with cheese, I’ve never quite understood the appeal of those hot dogs that come pre-loaded with cheese inside the wieners. And while I’d be a bit annoyed to find out that someone at the factory had goofed and put cheese dogs in the packaging of regular ol’ hot dogs, it would be a much bigger problem for those who are allergic to dairy. [More]
Chipotle Hiking Prices For First Time In Three Years Because It’s Just So Popular
By 4.17.14
Chipotle knows you like it, there’s no need to be coy. And because its popularity is growing, the company seems pretty confident customers will still come back for tacos and burritos once it raises prices for the first time in three years. And you all helped it feel that way, so good job…? [More]
Free Chicken Big King Only An Illusory Dream
By 4.17.14
The Big King is Burger King’s version of a two-patty burger with vegetables, cheese, and “King Sauce,” and it is totally not a clone of the Big Mac. Nope. On Saturday, Burger King introduces a new member of this royal family: the Chicken Big King, with two breaded chicken patties. Reader Adam lives in a test market where he had early access to this burger. It was not, however, free. [More]
Starbucks: Our Ads With Men Named Duncan Came Before Taco Bell’s Ronald McDonald Spots
By 4.16.14
Perhaps you had a good chuckle over those Taco Bell ads starring men named Ronald McDonald where the gag is — can you believe this? — they actually prefer the Bell’s new breakfast over McDonald’s. It’s funny because of their names. And while some are calling Starbucks a copycat for its Seattle’s Best Coffee spots with testimonials from men named Duncan pledging their love (because Dunkin’ Donuts!), the company is stressing that its ads came first. [More]
Health Advocates Say Joe’s Crab Shack Is Breaking Its “No Trans Fat” Promise
By 4.16.14
Seven years ago, the new owners of the 130-location Joe’s Crab Shack restaurant chain promised to completely stop using controversial artificial trans fats in the cooking of its menu items. But the folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest say Joe’s is breaking this promise by serving up heaps of trans fat-heavy margarine on some dishes. [More]
Former Chipotle Worker Claims She Was Fired For Taking Time To Heal After Abusive Situation
By 4.15.14
A former New York City Chipotle worker is suing the Mexican eatery, claiming she was fired from her job because she took time off to recover from an abusive situation involving her boyfriend. She says in the suit that when she fractured her finger during an altercation with her boyfriend, she was punished for taking time off on the doctor’s orders. [More]
