We harvest a bumper crop of international novelties this week, along with a flurry of successfully test-marketed menu items going U.S. wide. Impossible Chicken Nuggets finally go retail. Pokémon celebrates its 25th anniversary. And Goldfish Crackers partners on hot pants…
KFC’s new Chicken Ribs: Only in South Korea – for now…
Wing Stop spreads Thighs across America
Remember a while back, when we told you Wing Stop was fighting back against a shortage of chicken wings and soaring prices by bringing out Thigh Stop? Well, the bone-in Thighs and boneless Thigh Bites must have made a real splash in their initial limited outing, because the Stop has now added them to the menu chain-wide. Originally available only on the Stop’s DoorDash delivery menu, Thighs are now on all it’s menus, and can be had by themselves or as part of a number of different combos.
Impossible Chicken Nuggets début at restos, supermarkets
Until now, Impossible Foods’ plant-based Chicken Nuggets have been available only at certain Fast Food restaurants. But by the end of this month, they’ll be in major-chain supermarkets at more than 10,000 locations across the U.S. Impossible says their Nuggets are soy protein-based with sunflower oil as their fat component. As a result, the product is claimed to have have 40 percent less saturated fat and 25 percent less sodium than real chicken meat.
Panera adds two new cheesy menu items
Panera Bread – the nouveau-sandwich people – are adding two new hot specialties to their menu. The Grilled Mac And Cheese sammy features Mac and Cheese made with Fontina and Mozzarella cheeses on thick-sliced Michi-style bread.
The Sausage & Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza adds Tomato Bell Pepper Sauce, shredded Fontina and Mozzarella cheeses, chicken sausage crumbles, and thick-sliced pepperoni rounds to the company’s regular Flatbread Pizza.
Burger King loyalty program launches U.S.-wide
BK’s new Royal Perks rewards program goes U.S.-wide this fall, offering points called ‘Crowns’ redeemable for free food and beverages. fans can earn crowns with orders through the mobile app or the online site. members will get 1 Crown for4 every dollar spent, plus double Crowns during their birthday month.
Pokémon partners on cookies and doughnuts
The Pokémon Cartoon franchise – one of the most popular and enduring on the planet – is celebrating its 25th anniversary by partnerships with Krispy Kreme (Australia) and OREOs, among others.
KK (Aus) is offering a limited edition Pokémon-themed selection including 5 of the most popular Pokémon characters. OREO is offering special sandwich cookies featuring wafers embossed with al 16 of the franchise’s characters. The trick is, bags are filled at random, and some of the characters are much rarer than others. Save ’em! Collect ’em! Trade ’em! – Eat ’em!
Novelty Alert: Goldfish Crackers get hot, pants
Goldfish – the iconic cracker treat beloved by kids everywhere is adding something for the older kids – Japapeño Poppers flavour. And they’re collabbing with JNCO jeans on a special limitred-0edition ‘ultra-wide-leg’ jean to promote the treat.
Get the jeans from JNCO’s online store and receive a complimentary bag of the hot new Poppers. As one blogger writes, “The nostalgia is huge here.” Indeed, it is! Back in the day (c. 1970) we just called them ‘Bell Bottoms’.
Novelty Alert: Shake Shack offers premium Grilled cheese
The Shack is partnering with Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn on a new, exclusive grilled cheese sandwich, available for only one day and at only one location, in San Francisco. It’s made with artisanal bread, cheese and Tomato Jam and sells for $13. All proceeds go toward the establishment of a new San Francisco municipal marketplace in the Tenderloin District.
International Alert: McD’s Japan adds an egg on top
It seems the fast food giants in Japan come out with new, oddball creations every week. This time, it’s McDonald’s Japan with a new family of Tsukimi burgers (see photo, top of page). ‘Tsukimi’, in the food biz over there, means ‘with a fried Egg on top’. And McD’s is adding the egg to celebrate Japan’s traditional fall moon viewing season. The limited-time menu items will be available now through the middle of next month.
International Alert: KFC gives S. Korea ‘Chicken Ribs’
No, not tiny, nearly-meatless actual chicken ribs, but Chicken Ribs – a finger-food specialty out of Australia made from, “the top cut of the breast, perfect finger food with meat on the bone.” AKA, the shoulder blade. They’re breaded with KFC’s signature flour mix and served with gravy for dipping. I wonder if we’ll ever see them here in North America?
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making folks around the world a little fatter over the days and weeks to come. See you back here in 7 for the next edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.