Here we go, on our weekly thrill ride across the Fast Food landscape. This time, we ask the question, what do recent offerings from KFC and Pringles, and Twitter storms involving Papa John’s and Starbucks have to do with food? And we look at a new Pizza from The Hut, plus a new Chicken Sandwich from BK…
The KFC Internet Escape Pod. A perfect way to avoid the information hurricane
of the Holidays. Chicken and friends not included…
KFC offers ‘Internet Escape Pod’
Fall is – so we are told – the busiest time of the year for smart phone use. And the Internet runneth over. Where can one go to escape this information cacophony? KFC is offering an Internet Escape Pod. It’s like a pup tent, but it’s specially constructed with stainless steel mesh – technically, a Faraday Cage – which blocks phone and wireless signals. It’s also draped in architectural soundproofing foam. KFC claims it’s big enough for four adults and small enough to use almost anywhere. There’s just one catch: There is only one of these in the whole wide world. So, go to the website now and buy it! All you need is a credit or debit card with (US)$10,000 room on it. A steep price? Well… shipping and installation are included. And you get a huge, sculptural Colonel Sanders blessing the whole thing with his symbolic embrace. What has this got to do with Fried Chicken? Nothing at all.
Starbucks weathers storm over Christmas Cups
The premium Coffee giant has released its new Christmas Season disposable cups and a new commercial campaign to go with them. But a blizzard of controversy has erupted, after folks on Twitter opined that a pair of hands holding each other on the cups are unmistakably Lesbians’ hands. The fact that the other Starbucks ads and posters and so on show a Lesbian couple may have set off the debate. Starbucks says only that, ” “Each year during the holidays we aim to bring our customers an experience that inspires the spirit of the season, and we will continue to embrace and welcome customers from all backgrounds and religions in our stores around the world.” Lesbian hands or not, I’m sure Starbucks is wallowing in the flood of free promotion the Twitterstorm is bringing them! What has this got to do with Coffee? Nothing at all.
Pringles celebrates the Holidays with ‘Thanksgiving Dinner’ Chip tray
Pringles – the people who changed Potato Chips by mashing real Potatoes into ‘White Slime’ and extruding untold billions of perfect clone chips – has decided to inject some variety into their product. Sure, they’ve released different flavours over the years. But what Chap maker hasn’t? Now, though, they’ve created a tray that looks haunting like a TV Dinner container and contains a whole selection of Chips in a variety of Christmas Dinner flavours: Turkey, Mashed Potato, Stuffing, Mac & Cheese, Creamed corn, Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry Sauce, and Pumpkin Pie. At least one reviewer has weighed in with the opinion that the majority of the flavours are wither ‘meh’ or ‘misses’. What has Thanksgiving Dinner got to do with Potato Chips? Nothing at all. Well, almost nothing.
Papa John’s Pizza makes it clear that it’s NOT connected with Neo-Nazis
Papa John’s made major waves last week when it was endorsed as the official Pizza of the Aryan Nation. Someone mistook comments by the company’s CEO during a financial call with investors. The chain leapt to its own defense with a series of statements via its Twitter account:
The statements made on our earnings call were describing the factors that impact our business and we sincerely apologize to anyone that thought they were divisive. That definitely was not our intention. (1/3)
We believe in the right to protest inequality and support the players’ movement to create a new platform for change. We also believe together, as Americans, we should honor our anthem. There is a way to do both. (2/3)
We will work with the players and league to find a positive way forward. Open to ideas from all. Except neo-nazis —
those guys. (3/3)
Yup. Papa John flipped off the neo-nazis. That’s gutsy, in my book. But everyone agrees something had to be done, to make the chain’s position clear. Curiously, the message has generated mixed responses…
Pizza Hut tries a variation on the Deep Dish
The Hut has launched a new Ultimate Cheesy Crust Pizza, which sports a ‘frilly’ rim of little tubs full of a nifty Cheese blend which includes Mozzarella, Provolone, white cheddar, Asiago, and Fontina. The little tubs pull off from the main pizza for nibbling. Looks to me like a rework of their previous Stuffed Garlic Knots… There is truly nothing new – at at least very little – under the Fast Food Sun.
BK launches a limited-time Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich
The Burger King Chicken Cordon Bleu has all the ingredients of a real one, but re-imagined into a Sandwich stack: Sliced Ham and Swiss Cheese atop a Chicken ‘White Meat Filet’ on a Potato Roll. And the official photo seems to show Cheddar Cheese Sauce over all. Looks good…
And that’s my take on the week in Fast Food!
See you all tomorrow with an all-new regular FFB post…
~ Maggie J.