Here we are again! Time to run down the top Fast Food headlines of this past week… My top story is the latest attempt by failing Subway to boost sales by bringing back the $5 Footlong deal. But OREO is also launching five new flavours, and Coke and KFC are offering logo-ware/wear for the holidays…
The Classic Subway Ham Sub. I won’t be biting on Subway’s $5 Footlong deal.
They lost me a long time ago when they went cheap on the Meat and Cheese…
Subway may or may not bring back $5 Footlongs
Subway, apparently feeling the pressure of competitors’ moves to bring back limited-time ‘Dollar Menus’, has announced it will bring back its $5 Footlongs deal for two months early next year. That may be great for diners, but more than 400 Subway Franchisees have reportedly signed a petition to their head office protesting the pl,an, which would shave even more bread from their already-thin profit margins. Subway Corporate, in its usual oligarchical way, simply claims that a majority of Subway franchisees support the $5 deal. We’ll see. I won’t personally be trying out the $5 Footlings. Subway went ultra-cheap on the Meat and Cheese a few years ago and they lost me. They seem to have lost a lot of other one-time fans, too. The New York Post reports that Subway sales have dropped by a full 25 per cent in the past five years.
Coke teams with HEX on new luggage line…
Not to be outdone by the likes of KFC and Taco Bell, which partnered with trendy fashion houses this past year to launch their own logo clothing and accessories lines, Coca Cola has announced a new line of soft-sider luggage which will be available at its online store. The partnership with HEX has produced some pretty nice looking pieces – if you don’t mind being a walking billboard for your fizzy quaff of choice.
…And KFC issues new seasonal ‘chicken-wear’ wares
Already veterans in the logo-wear business, KFC has launched an extensive line of Christmas-season-themes clothing and accessories. Choose from t-shirts, baseball caps, enameled pins, mugs and wrapping paper, stickers and even a drumstick-motif pillow. At the KFC online store… And while you’re there, check out the Internet Escape pod, now on at the reduced price of just (US)$5,000!
Kellogg’s to launch Unicorn Cereal in U.S. in New Year
They already have a ‘Unicorn’ Cereal in the UK, but it’s not the same as the stuff cereal giant Kellogg’s is prepping for launch next month. Among other things, the colours of the ‘loops’ are different than those in the UK version, and the flavour is billed as ‘Magic Cupcake’, rather than the Froot Loops flavour offered in the UK. The stuff will make its début at the new KelloggsNYC Café… But, wait… I thought the Unicorn-everything fad was over…
OREOS getting even crazier with new flavour releases
The OREO Cookie is certainly a classic, even an icon. But I’ve been thinking that they’re diluting their brand with all the ‘new flavour’ releases they’ve been making the past year or so. Early next year, expect to see no fewer than four new Oreo flavours appearing, as limited time specials: Pina Colada, Cheery Coke and Kettle corn, plus a featured Nutella-like confection called Chocolate Hazelnut, with brown goo between white (Vanilla) cookies. Thee is also talk of a new Hot ‘N Spicy Cinnamon flavour coming in the new year.
Taco Bell taps local brewer for house brand Beer
We advised you earlier this year in this space, that Taco Bell was opening outlets with Beer licenses. Now, the chain is débuting its first house-label draft, Beach Beer Lager. It’s an amber Beer made for the Bell by Four Sons Brewing, close to the Taco Bell out let that serves it, in Newport Beach, California. Beach Bell Lager is available only at that one location, but we suspect it’s just first such partnership and that other licensed Taco Bells will make similar arrangements with indie brewers in their areas.
And that’s the roundup for this week. Go forth and consume!
~ Maggie J.