A rare week where the Fast Food moguls deemed it prodigious to give us a little bit of everything. All categories are represented! From burgers to biscuits; Groovy Fries to fizzy drinks; Spicy Tiny Tacos to ‘Barbiecue’ Sauce…
The new Taco Bell Taco Discovery Box: A great way to get to know the new TB headliners…
The rundown
Herewith, your weekly digest of Fast Food sphere developments…
Mains
Taco Bell unveils the Discovery Box
The Bell has launched what it calls The $5 Taco Discovery Box. It’s a combo that includes a Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco, a Crunchy Taco, a Doritos Locos Taco, and a medium fountain drink. But… It’s only available on Tuesdays. Get it? Taco Tuesdays? Through June 4, at participating locations.
McDonald’s rolls out new McCrispy
It’s officially called the new Bacon Cajun Ranch McCrispy. (See photo, top of page.) Basically a regular chicken McCrispy with a new Cajun Sauce and bacon. For a limited time, chain-wide. There’s also a Deluxe version, with Roma Tomatoes and lettuce added.
Checker’s and Rally team on 2 new burgers
They’re the Tangled BBQ Swiss Burger and Fully Loaded Fry Burger. Of course, they’re only available for a limited time.
Both are described as ‘value-priced’, but they have lots of toppings! They’re priced on a bundle basis at around $5 for 2.
Domino’s does a simple deal
Get a large two-topping pizza for just $6.99 each. The catch is, they’re only available for carry-out, today and tomorrow. Check out your local outlet for other pizza deals, also in progress.
Sides
SONIC intros new ‘Groovy Fries’
For the first time in a decade, SONIC is preparing to offer something new in the fries department. They’re calling them ‘Groovy Fries’ – but everyone else calls ‘crinkle-cuts’
There’s a new dipping sauce – ‘Groovy Sauce’ – which is essentially herbed Ranch with a touch of Sriracha. Coming mid-May…
Subway celebrates sides!
Subway is bringing back its special Honey Oat Bread – after a 4-year hiatus – and its zippy Creamy Sriracha Sauce, both for a limited time. There’s also a new potato chip collab with Miss Vickie’: a Baja Chipotle flavored kettle-cooked chip inspired by Subway’s Baja Chipotle Sauce. All three are available for a limited time, at participating locations.
Church’s débuts Biscuit and Hot Sauce combo
They’re calling the new sauce Signature Hot, and the biscuit bites are dubbed Cheddapeño. You can guess what they have in them…
The sauce is described as a zesty, “combination of heat and sweetness with notes of habañero peppers, red chilies, roasted garlic, and flavorful spices.” At participating locations across the US.
Beverages
Sprite chills with every sip!
A new Sprite soda is on the shelf. Its called Chill, and it claims to get colder with every succeeding sip. It’s a cheery-lime twist on the classic lemon-lime Sprite flavour. And its proprietary cooling technology remains a secret. Sprite Chill and Chill Zero (sugar free) are available across North America, now through July 30, while supplies last.
Dr. Pepper pours Creamy Coconut
The new summer quencher features Dr. Pepper’s, “signature combination of 23 flavors layered with a tropical coconut note and a creamy finish.”
Available in regular and zero sugar versions. Available May 1 through the end of July, at all the usual outlets.
Pepsi parades Lime and Peach
Pepsi is partnering with Celeb Chef Bobby Flay to roll out two new flavour combos celebrating the BBQ season. Pepsi Lime and Pepsi Peach are designed to complement the caramelized, smoky flavours of the grill. Follow the hash tag “BetterWithPepsi to get in on Bobby’s tips to make your summer grilling superior…
Snacks
Jack In The Box reprises Spicy Tiny Tacos
They’re just like regular Tiny Tacos, but they’re folded into bright red spicy shells. You can choose from a variety of dipping sauces.
Get them by themselves or in a Jack’s Fan Favs Box, which includes a collection of Spicy Tiny Tacos, Original Tiny Tacos, Curly Fries, and Onion Rings. Both available for a limited time, through June 2.
OREO bursts with new Sour Patch flavour!
OREO is at it again – this time with a truly daring new flavour: Sour Patch Kids. They feature unique, enhanced cookie wafers with, “a resemblance [to] an OREO Golden Cookie but [are] Sour Patch Kids flavored with colorful inclusions.” The filling is studded with more sour-sugar bits, combining on your tongue in a sweet-sour taste.
Pop-Tarts combines Chocolate and Maple
The latest Pop-Tart flavour combines chocolate mini-chunks with maple frosting. Chocolate bits are also to be found in the filling. The new version is officially dubbed ‘Chocolatey Chip Pancake’.
Its mid-April début would normally have been smack in the middle of Maple Syrup season. But thanks top climate change, the season had already come and gone.
Kettle Chips does Sweet & Spicy GoChuJang
It’s a Korean favourite and it defines the current ‘sweet-spicy flavour rage. Gochujang is a fermented chili paste condiment, made with gochugara chili peppers, barley malt, sweet rice, fermented soybean powder, and salt. If you haven’t tried anything ‘Gochujang’ yet, these naturally flavoured chips would be a good place to start…
Novelties
Heinz UK and Mattel bring you ‘Barbiecue Sauce’
Yes, it’s Barbie-pink and it’s billed as, ‘the smoky sauce of the season’. And don’t miss its companion product, Tomato ‘KENchup’. It’s the same pink colour as Barbiecue Sauce, but flavoured to taste like ketchup.
They’re selling the first 5,000 bottles online… Teased in an Instagram post last summer, the idea got such a great response that Heinz UK decided to, ‘make this dream team a reality’.
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of us a little rounder over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next pleasingly plump edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.