Fast Food Week!

Time again for our weekly Fast Food News roundup… And this week, we have a really eclectic selection of reports, from ‘Brekkie Burgers’, to a janitor who became a VP, to a CEO with new Tex-Mex challenges, to a cavalcade of limited-time menu come-backs, to a KFC near-catastrophe in the UK…

Big Brekkie Burger - © McDonalds AustraliaThe McDonald’s Australia Big Brekkie Burger: Only available at Breakfast time.
But we can get an Egg on any Burger anytime, now, in the U.S.
So why not make all items available all the time?

KFC temporarily ‘rebrands’ in wake of Chicken shortage…

By now, everyone interested in food issues will have heard of the catastrophic Chicken shortage that forced more than 750 KFC locations in the UK to close their doors. It was part of the teething pa9ins associated with a change in chicken suppliers by KFC and, while such a screw-up could have killed other, lesser brands, KFC has toughed it out and even published full page apologies in two national tabloids. The abject mea culpa was accompanied by a photo of an empty KFC bucket with the KFC wordmark changed to read ‘FCK’. Fans loved it, and we assume have forgiven KFC for the service outage.

Janitor who became VP getting his own movie

When janitor Richard Montanez suggested to Frito-Lay higher-ups that they create ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos’, he never imagined he’d be promoted for the idea – much less made Vice President of Hispanic Marketing. Now, he’s getting his own movie, about how it all came to be. DeVon Franklin will direct the flick for FOX/Searchlight Films. But who will play Montanez? I nominate Forrest Whitaker. No release date has been announced for the bio-pic.

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McD’s testing ‘Breakfast Burgers’ in Australia…

Last week in this space, we brought you news that you can get an egg on any McDonald’s Burger just by asking – and ponying up the additional fee, as much as (US)$1.89 in some markets. But, now, McD’s is standing up and being heard on the Breakfast Burger front. The down-under branch of the mega-chain is test marketing what they call the ‘Brekkie Burger’, a Bacon Cheeseburger with a layer of Barbecue Sauce, a Round Egg and a Hash Brown on a Sesame Seed Bun. As its name implies, the ‘Brekkie’ is only available during Breakfast hours.

…Szechuan Sauce returns in U.S. – for a limited time…

McD’s was roundly blasted by heat fans when it withdrew its Szechuan Sauce following a high-profile Szechuan-themed promotion last year. Now, it’s back. The condiment will be available again starting this Monday, February 26, until all 26 million packets in stock are gone. Then it’s Szechuan drought again until further notice. No special promotion aside from the Sauce, itself, has been announced.

…And the iconic Shamrock Shake is back for St. Paddy’s Month

The Shamrock Shake – one of the first, if not the first of the seasonal, holiday-themed specialty shakes to emerge on the Fast Food market back in 1970 – is back now through St. Paddy’s Day. Last year, they tried embellishing the classic beverage offering such fancies as a Chocolate Shamrock Shake, a Shamrock Chocolate Chip Frappé, a Shamrock Mocha and a Shamrock Hot Chocolate. Devotees of the real deal said ‘no thanks’ to the McCafé treatments.

Chipotle’s is going out on a limb with new menu ideas

Even before its new CEO – CEO Brian Niccol, pirated from Taco Bell last week – can get comfortable in his new chair, the beleaguered Tex-Mex chain is proposing new menu items in an attempt to reconcile its new, slimmer, healthier menu and get folks interested in its food again. In addition to its traditional Brown and White Rice, you’ll soon be able to get Quinoa as an option on all it’s rice-bearing selections. With Niccol in the driver’s seat, we expect more bold menu and service moves in the near future.

And that’s the skinny on what can make you fat…

We’ll be back in one week with more essential Fast Food News!

~ Maggie J.