Mains, Beverages, and Snacks all well-represented this time… A record 19 items in this edition fast Food Week! Including a couple of international Novelty items. And a reminder that US Girl Scout Cookie Season is here again!
The rundown…
Some special items to spotlight: Dr. Pepper Blackberry Cola… Halal Guys’ Hot Honey Hummus… Chips Ahoy! Baked Bites Blondies… And Taco Bell’s Steak Garlic Nacho Fries…
Mains
SONIC belts out new Smasher
The new Bacon Deluxe Double Sonic Smasher features two smashed Angus beef patties topped with American (processed) cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, diced onions, crinkle-cut pickles, and Smasher sauce, all on he chain’s signature toasted potato bun. A Triple version is also available with three smashed patties. For a limited time, at participating locations while supplies last.
Checker’s & Rally intro new Burgers
There are 2 of them: the new BLT Burger and the Honey BBQ Bacon Burger. And they’re the stars of a new a 2 for $4 mix-and-match deal where you can get one of each burger or two of the same for just $4. That’s a pretty good deal! Available now for a limited time, at participating Checkers and Rally locations.
Taco Bell unveils Cheesy Dipping Burritos…
The new burritos are filled with your choice of either marinated grilled steak or Cantina slow-roasted chicken. And they come with a choice of: Creamy Chipotle, Nacho Cheese, or Reduced-Fat Sour Cream dipping sauces.
You get 2 burritos per order, which ‘feature a signature cheese pull and offer a customizable dipping experience’. For a limited time only, in spite of the fact that the Bell says the dish premiered in test runs to rave to reviews…
… Updated ‘Value Meal’ Cravings Boxes
The Bell’s Value Meal Menu contender, Cravings Boxes, are being upgraded with new $5, $7 and $9 versions, ‘loaded with fan favourites’. Details at the Taco Bell Website. The Value Meals battle has grown to constitute a whole second front in the ongoing fast Food Value War…
Burger King updates $5 Duo and $7 Trio Value Meals
BK is offering a three-entré Value meal deal. You can any two of the following for just $5, or any three for $7: Whopper Jr.; Bacon Cheeseburger; Original Chicken Sandwich; Medium Fries; 8-piece Chicken Fries; or Medium Soft Drink. It’s an expansion of the original Duo deal that ran for a limited time a year ago this month, with a much-more-limited menu of choices.
Sides
Taco Bell slides out new Steak Garlic Nacho Fries
They’re described as golden Nacho Fries dusted with Mexican spices, and topped with marinated grilled steak, fresh-made pico de gallo,…
… cheddar cheese, nacho cheese sauce, and Taco Bell’s new Garlic Ranch sauce, zipped up with Jalapeños. It was hard to decide if this new menu item is a side or a mini-main!
Halal Guys ooze Hot Honey Hummus
It’s a first of its kind for the Fast Food sector (as Hfar as we know). Hot Honey Hummus is billed as a ‘a unique blend of sweet and spicy flavors, featuring chickpeas, tahini, chipotle peppers, and Mediterranean honey’. In it’s little paper tub, it looks like a lot like a chocolate shake – until you dip into it. Something new and refreshing on the ‘Swicy’ front…
Beverages
Jack In The Box brews up new Tea Infusions
There are two of them, and they’re all Boba-infused, as well. Classic Lemonade Tea Infusion features a half-and-half mix of fresh-brewed iced tea and lemonade (i.e- a non-alcoholic Arnold Palmer) with berry-flavored boba. The Lemon Razz Lemonade Tea Infusion adds raspberry-flavored syrup. They join JITB’s Milk Tea with Boba and Iced Coffee with Boba until February 16…
Dr. Pepper débuts Blackberry blend
Dr. Pepper is not sitting back on its laurels after taking second place in the soda wars from Pepsi late last year. It’s pushing on ahead with a new Blackberry version, coming next month in 12 oz. / 355 ml cans and 20 oz. / 591 ml bottles.
My imagination tells me cola + blackberries could be a new classic that’s just been waiting to happen…
Shake Shack pours three new shakes
Try the new Thai Iced Tea, Cherry Blossom, or Brownie Batter Hot Cocoa Shake. Now, for a limited time, at ‘select’ locations. And check out the new afternoon shake deal where you can get a free shake with a pickup order of $10 or more placed digitally, through a Shake Shack kiosk, the Shake Shack website, or Shake Shack mobile app. For a limited time, at participating locations, from 2 pm to 5 pm.
Desserts & Snacks
Wendy’s rumoured to be prepping a Thin Mints collab
The Little Red-haired Girl must have been a Girl Scout when she was younger. It’s reliably rumoured that Wendy’s is preparing a collab of some kind with the Scouts involving their mega-popular Thin Mints cookies. Details as yet unknown. But GS Cookie Season did officially begin the first of this month…
Chips Ahoy! segues from cookies to blondies…
They look like ice-cube sized, squared of Chips Ahoy! cookies. And they promise – as blondies – to be chewy and moist.
They’re officially called Chips Ahoy! Baked Bites Blondies, and they’re the first of a planned new line of such chewy delights. Look for more flavours in the not-too-distant future.
… And back, with new Chocolate Caramel Cookies
Not content, apparently, to flip its fans on their heads with its new Baked Bites, Chips Ahoy! is also débuting new Chocolate Caramel Cookies this month. Few details available as of this writing. Look for them on the Chips Ahoy! shelf in your supermarket’s cookie aisle later this month, or early next…
Doritos intros ‘it’s own brand’ of Sriracha
“We’re excited to introduce loyal snackers, esteemed foodies, and everyone in between to the Doritos version of Sriracha Doritos,” says Tina Mahal, Senior Vice President of Marketing at PepsiCo.
New Golden Sriracha is described as a combination of yellow and green Sriracha for a ‘milder, more approachable heat’. I didn’t even know there were such beasts as yellow and green Sriracha…
Cheez-Its unveils new Pizza-flavoured crackers
There are both new classic, round Pesto + Mozzarella Duos, and Snapp’d Extra Crunchy Pizza Margherita dippers on the menu, now. “Cheez-It is always looking for new ways to deliver bold, cheesy flavors that our fans love, and with these latest additions […], we’re bringing the irresistible taste of pizza to every bite,” said Cara Tragseiler, Senior Brand Director for Cheez-It.
Events
Girl Scouts Cookie Season on now…
As usual… US Girl Scouts’ annual Cookie Drive is on, now until June. Rather than trumpeting new flavours so much, the GSUSA are announcing a hiatus on 2 popular flavours – Toast-Yay! and classic S’Mores. And the Raspberry Rally chocolate-dipped ‘specialty’ flavour, which premiered online last year to rave reviews, is being set aside at least for 2025.
Take note: Individual GS troops are allowed to set their own prices for cookies. And GS headquarters has announced a price increase across the board of $1. S0… Prepare for a shock when you go to grab your annual supply…
Novelties
Doritos test markets square chips in UK
… And fans are NOT rallying to the cause. Online comments ranged from: “A Dorito [that’s not] a triangle shape is no Dorito at all,” to one-word exclamations such as, simply, “BOOOO!”
More-astute critics say Lay’s is making the change to help disguise recent shrinkflation of its bag size from 180 to 150 g. It amazes me that companies still think consumers won’t notice obvious changes like that!
New Cola benefits Palestinian war victims
Swedish brand Safadfood AB has launched a new softdrink line to benefit the ‘war-torn’ community. The initial menu includes regular and sugar-free versions of cola, lemonade, orange soda, and three energy drinks. All proceeds from sales will go to the charity.Palestine Cola is available online.
That’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of us more snowball-like over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next excessive edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.