Retailers are constantly attempting to one-up each other in services offered to customers. Recently that has meant introducing the quick delivery of products. Joining the likes of Amazon Now, Google Express, Best Buy, and Staples is PetSmart, you know, because you never know when you’ll unexpectedly run out of dog food. [More]
Food & Personal Care
Complaints About Marijuana Odor From Colorado Grow House Lead To $14K In Fines
By 11.7.16
It’s one thing if you can occasionally smell it when your neighbor lights up a doobie, say, in their yard. But it’s quite another if your neighbor has an extremely stinky — yet very legal — marijuana growing operation going on. [More]
McDonald’s Preparing To Launch Mobile Order-And-Pay Tech Next Year
By 11.7.16
While many fast food chains already offer mobile ways to order and/or pay for your food before you ever step foot in the restaurant, McDonald’s has yet to launch its own version of that kind of technology. But the company says it’s now finally getting ready to roll out a new mobile order-and-pay service, slated to arrive next year. [More]
Is Amazon Adding House Cleaning To Prime Membership Perks?
By 11.7.16
For all of the perks that customers of Amazon’s Prime service receive — free two-day shipping on thousands of items, access to on-demand TV and movies, photo storage, music-streaming library, and free audio books — none include physical services. But a new report claims that Amazon may change that with the launch of a Prime-related cleaning service. [More]
On-Cor Frozen Chicken Patties Recalled For Possible Blue Plastic Pieces
By 11.7.16
People who eschew breaded chicken patties and nuggets often question what’s in the patties, but usually they’re afraid of animal parts that Americans don’t normally eat, or mysterious fillers. Yet another chicken product recall shows us that we should actually be concerned about pieces of production equipment in our chicken products, not mystery meats. Almost eleven tons of chicken patties have been recalled from the brand On-Cor. [More]
McDonald’s Suing Florence For $20M After City Says No To Location Near Famed Cathedral
By 11.4.16
When you think of historic landmarks and centuries-old architecture, do you picture the Golden Arches gleaming nearby? If not, then you agree with the city of Florence, Italy, which recently put the kibosh on McDonald’s plans for a new location near its famed Duomo cathedral. The fast food giant has filed a $20 million lawsuit in response. [More]
Mrs. Fields, Interbake Duking It Out In Court Over Cookie Deal Gone Bad
By 11.4.16
Like any good thriller, the story of cookie biggies Mrs. Fields and Interbake Foods is full of alleged deceit, theft, and betrayal. Now the two companies are headed to the courtroom to air their grievances over a relationship that crumbled like stale cookies. [More]
Popeyes Customer Dropping Lawsuit Over Lack Of Knife With Fried Chicken Order
By 11.4.16
Well, that was quick: only a few days after filing a lawsuit against Popeyes claiming that the lack of a knife in his order caused him to choke on his fried chicken, a Mississippi lawyers is dropping his complaint. [More]
Everyone Relax: Avocado Prices Are Expected To Drop Soon
By 11.4.16
If you’ve been hoarding avocados, stop. First of all because what are you going to do with them once they’re ripe, and also because last month’s shortage is apparently over. [More]
McDonald’s Ends “Create Your Taste” Customized Burger Program
By 11.3.16
For the better part of two years, McDonald’s has tested the “Create Your Taste” menu that allowed diners to customize their burger by choosing from more than 30 premium ingredients without ever talking to an employee. While the fast food giant says those tests went well, the Golden Arches now plans to end the experiment in favor of a more simplified version. [More]
Head Of Target’s Grocery Business Steps Down Amid Lackluster Results
By 11.3.16
The Target executive tasked with turning around the retailer’s so-so grocery sales is stepping down after less than two years on the job. [More]
WI Scientists Study Important Question Of How To Keep Cheese Curds Squeaky Longer
By 11.3.16
If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to pluck a Wisconsin cheese curd from the bag and pop it into your mouth*, you know how important it is to hear the cheese squeak as you chew, thus, indicating its exquisite freshness. Alas, after a day or two, the squeak — and a lot of the joy — is gone. Some intrepid scientists wanted to know: is there any way to extend the squeak so folks outside of Wisconsin can experience this wonderful feeling? [More]
Taco Bell Employee Accused Of Using Martial Arts Against Unruly Customer
By 11.3.16
While there’s no doubt that fast food workers often have to deal with upset, unruly, or otherwise difficult customers, law enforcement tends to frown on situations where employees take matters into their own hands — or, as illustrated recently at a Taco Bell, into their own feet(?). [More]
Popeyes Customer Sues Over Lack Of Knife In His Order After Choking On Chicken
By 11.3.16
A man who claims he choked on a piece of Popeyes fried chicken has sued the fast food chain, claiming that his pain and suffering from the incident could’ve been avoided if a plastic knife had come with his order. [More]
Judge Gives Initial Approval To $26M Settlement For Claims That WEN Products Caused Hair Loss
By 11.2.16
In July, we heard that the Food and Drug Administration was investigating reports of hair loss, balding, itching, and rash associated with using celebrity stylist Chaz Dean’s hair care products, sold by a company called WEN. Now, a federal judge in Los Angeles has given preliminary approval to a $25 million settlement that resulted from a class-action lawsuit more than 200 customers filed against the company. [More]
ClassPass Eliminating Its Monthly “Unlimited” Option
By 11.2.16
More than three months after ClassPass started ticking off customers by raising prices for its “Unlimited” monthly memberships — first on the East Coast and then on the West Coast — the startup fitness company has some more bad news: it’s getting rid of unlimited memberships entirely. [More]
Instacart Shoppers Say Customers Confused By Change To Tipping Policy
By 11.2.16
Two months after Instacart announced it would ditch tips in favor of a “service charge,” and weeks after the company appeared to reverse course, declaring it would keep both the new sharable service charge and an option to tip on all orders, the change has officially gone into effect nationally, and some Instacart shoppers say the change has only resulted in confused customers and fewer tips. [More]
Nutella’s Makers Want To Convince FDA That Chocolate Spread Isn’t Just For Dessert
By 11.2.16
When you think of sweet, hazelnut chocolate spread, are you imagining eating it for breakfast or for dessert? If you’re in the latter camp, you agree with the current stance of federal regulators. The makers of Nutella are now trying to make the case, however, that the spread should be considered more of a breakfast item. [More]
