An early-autumn windfall of Mains and Snacks in our news this week! Leading Fast Food brands are spotlighting spicy specials and tossing Value Wars volleys. And join us in a moment of silence for the late Wally ‘Famous’ Amos…
The rundown…
New Value deals and BOGOs feature prominently in this week’s Mains news. And get a load of Krispy Kreme’s new NFL Kickoff Collection!
Mains
Panda Express lights up Blazing Bourbon…
The claim it’s the Panda’s spiciest dish yet, spiking Hot Ones Last Dab Apollo hot sauce with booze. The sweet-sour experience comes on Blazing Bourbon Chicken, and features crispy-fried boneless chicken bites, onion, and bell pepper, wok-tossed in the new sauce. Available through the end of this year, at ‘popular’ prices.
… Goes BOGO on popular Mains
This buy-one-get-one-for-$5 Panda deal will get you a whole sandwich, whole salad, bowl of soup, or bowl of mac and cheese. Use the code ‘BOGO5’ at checkout For a limited time, at participating locations.
Popeye’s intros Sweet & Smoky Chipotle
The Louisiana Kitchen is blasting out a new spicy flavour: Sweet & Smoky Chipotle. It’s a little different than what you may be used to…
The boneless wings come tossed in the sauce, and sprinkled with Chipotle flakes. “With our new Sweet ‘N Smokey Chipotle Wings and our commitment to being The Official Wing of Watching Football,” said Bart LaCount, the Chief Marketing Officer of Popeye’s US and Canada…
Chipotle offers BOGO Burritos In Game promo
The Tex-Mex resto has revived its Chipotle IQ trivia game for the fifth season. the game tests players’, “knowledge of Chipotle’s real ingredients, leading food standards, culinary techniques, sustainability efforts, brand history, and community engagement.”
The prize pool contains 5,000 codes winners can cash in for BOGO burritos. You can play once a day, for as many days as you want, at the Chipotle IQ website.
Shake Shack celebrates the Dog Days of Summer
It’s a big promo, and it’s pretty simple. Just place any order worth $10 or more via the app, the website or in-store and you qualify for a free hot dog ($5 value). Use the code ‘DOGDAYS’ now through August 30. Deal does not cover add-ons or toppings…
Carl’s Jr. gives you More Bang for Less Buck
Another volley in the Value Wars. The More Bang, Less Buck Menu features an array of 10 items, spanning mains, sides and desserts – all for under $4.
Example: Four new single-patty burgers (with the option to add another patty to make it a double for 99 cent). Rolling out now into the fall, at participating locations.
Beverages
Cinnamon Bun-flavoured Nesquik is here
The stuff is a Nesquik x DJ Khaled collab. Khaled’s most notable catch line is ‘another one’. The drink is officially titled ‘Another Bun’. It’s described as, “low-fat milk with notes of sweet cinnamon and warm baked dough.” Available in your grocer’s refrigerator case, in 14 oz. bottles, each boasting 14 g of protein.
Snacks & Desserts
Krispy Kreme kicks off football season
KK has released a new NFL-themed doughnut collection. And Dr. Pepper is on the roster. The Krispy Kreme x Dr. Pepper Kickoff Collection features, “an Original Glazed Doughnut piped with Dr Pepper flavored frosting…
… Featuring a Burgundy Sprinkle Blend, and topped with a white chocolate Dr Pepper logo.” There’s also a chocolate-frosted ‘football’ filled sinker, and a Buttercreme Goals doughnut…
Lay’s goes ‘international’
Lay’s is bringing you some of the most the exotic flavours of the world: Honey Butter, Lay’s Masala and Wavy Tzatziki. It’;s the first major new-flavour release of Lays potato chips in a while. “Our fans often post about the fun flavors they see while traveling abroad and continuously ask for them here. Now, at the height of travel season, we’re [going to] bring them adventure through every bite of our Global Flavors lineup,” said Tina Mahal, senior VP of Marketing, PepsiCo Foods North America in a press release.
Cinnabon mounts candy Warheads
The cinnamon bun folks are taking a daring turn – topping their wares with Warheads Sour Popping Candy. It’s a barrage of blue…
… Offered on Cinnabon x WARHEADS Topped Bons and WARHEADS Blue Raspberry Chillatta frozen beverage. And it’s just the beginning of a new line of topped Bons to come…
Little Debbie unveils her fall menu
The venerable snack cake company has a whole menu of fall seasonal specialties. There are 9 in all, available for a limited time at participating outlets. Consult the Little Debbie online snack finder to locate your nearest ‘source’.
Jimmy John’s rolls out a Pumpkin White Chocolate Cookie
The fall specialty joins the Chocolate Chip Cookie, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, and Fudge Chocolate Brownie on JJ’s dessert menu.
It’s a mouthful, priced at $3.39. Warm up with the coordinating logo sweatshirt for… ‘just’ $50.
Popeye’s bakes up Apple Caramel Cheesecake
It’s a single-serving cheesecake-in-a-tub, consisting of ‘tangy’ apple filling swirled with caramel, on a graham cracker bottom crust. One reviewer says the tanginess is submerged by the overall sweetness. And it looks a little on the small side, for $3.79…
Novelties
Wallace ‘Wally’ Amos passes…
The inventor of Famous Amos Cookies has passed away at the age of 88. Wally Amos started literally from scratch, in 1975, to build one of America’s most iconic cookie brands. He died peacefully following a battle with dementia.
Amos’ accomplishments was his story as a black entrepreneur comprise just one of his legendary story lines. Another was his tireless work as a spokesperson for Literacy Volunteers of America. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush presented him with the National Literacy Award for that work…
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making it harder for some of us to zip up our fall jackets in the days and weeks to come. See you back here in 7, for the next brisk edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.