Mains, Desserts & Snacks, Beverages all run wild his week! Lenten, Easter and Spring specialties all shine through… Domino’s new Stuffed Crust Pizzas make me want them all, right now! Or maybe a Panda Express Firecracker Shrimp and Steak bowl…
The Shake Shake Shack Chicken Shack Combo Deal…
The rundown…
Can’t wait for the new Taco Bell Flamin’ Crisp Tacos, Chocolate Honey Bunches of Oats, and Domino’s Stuffed Crust Pizzas to hit the streets!
Mains
Shake Shack offers first ‘Value’ combo
It’s the Shack’s first-ever official discounted ‘Value’ combo: You get a Chicken Shack sandwich, an order of crinkle-cut fries, and a small soft drink for $9.99. Now through through March 15, and only when ordering online through the Shake Shack mobile app or website or at a digital in-restaurant ordering kiosk…
Panda Express gets hot as a Firecracker
It’s a celebration of searing-hot Firecracker Shrimp and Steak in the signature Panda bowl format. It’s described as, “wok-tossed with red and yellow bell peppers, onions, string beans, whole dry chili peppers, and Firecracker sauce.” Firecracker Sauce is described as, “a savory, spicy sauce made with fermented black beans and whole dry chili peppers.”
Domino’s intros first Stuffed Crusts
They’re thin, New York-style crusts with rolled edges – generously stuffed with parmesan cheese. It’s available for a limited time, as a carry-out promo only.
You can get a 1-topping Parmesan Stuffed Crust pizza for $9.99. Parmesan Stuffed Crust is also available as a $4 upgrade for any medium pizzas under Domino’s marathon mix-and-match deal.
Heat & Eat: DiGiorno x Hidden Valley…
Is it, as billed, ‘the ultimate Pizza collab? That’s for you to decide. DiGiorno is offering 2 new frozen pizzas in a crossover with Hidden Valley Ranch. The Spicy Rancheroni Thin Crust will be available exclusively at Kroger-family stores (at first, at least). The revamped DiGiorno Chicken Bacon Ranch STUFFED Crust will be available at retailers nationwide starting in April…
Popeye’s unveil’s Lenten specialties…
… The highlights of which are its Flounder Sandwich and Shrimp Tackle Box. There’s also a Surf Or Turf special that features 2 fried chicken tenders OR 4 shrimp.
Beverages
SONIC expands premium drinks menu
The Flavorista Favorites premium drink lineup now includes a new Strawberry Mangonada Slush. It’s a limited-time crossover with Tanjin flavour blends. Specifically, the latter’s Mango-Lime sprinkle. Perfect for one of my all-time faves… Mango Salad!
“By combining the juicy sweetness of strawberries and mango with a hint of zesty lime from Tajín Clásico, we’ve taken classic summer fruit flavors and kicked them up a notch,” says Mackenzie Gibson, Vice President of Culinary & Menu Innovation at SONIC.
Jack In The Box gets dirty…
At the soda fountain, that is. Dirty soda, to be precise. The premiere offering – part of its new St. Patrick’s Day Lucky Mint Trio of beverages – is Mint Twisted Soda. The other members of the minty-green x OREO x-over include: an Oreo Mint Shake and Oreo Mint Mocha Sweet Cream Ice Coffee.
Baskin-Robbins features Frozen Bevergaes
B-R is Beckoning summer with a new $5-$6-$7 deal: a limited-time promotion under which all of its frozen beverages—including Cappuccino Blasts, smoothies, and more—are priced at $5 for a small, $6 for a medium, and $7 for a large. Available now through April 30. There’s also a St. Patrick’s Day ice cream cake made with your choice of cake and ice cream. And new Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Ice Cream (see photo, top of page) is the March Favour of the Month!
Taco Bell blasts out latest Baja flavour
It’s dark, mysterious… And literally ‘cool’ looking. And it’s especially for night-hawks. Baja Blast Midnight is set to premiere this summer across the chain.
But selected celebs got an early taste at second annual Live Más Live event in Brooklyn, NY. It’s the first all-new flavour to premiere under the TB x Mountain Dew Baja partnership…
Desserts & Snacks
Popeye’s previews summer with strawberries
The Strawberry Cream Cheese Fried Pie has a suggested price of just $1.99 is a turnover-style hand pie that will remind you of a classic McDonald’s dessert. But it’s all-Popeye’s flavour-wise. Stuffed with strawberry pie filling an creamed cheese. Avaialable for a limited time at participating Popeye’s restaurants US-wide.
Sour Patch x Turmeric = Glow-In-The-Dark!
It’s actually a turmeric extract that glows under black light. And it’s now brightening up SP Kids Glow Ups candies. The extract is billed as colourless and flavourless, ‘allowing the new strawberry-water-melon flavor to shine through’. “With Glow Ups, we wanted to create a candy that goes beyond just taste—something that delivers a multi-sensory experience and surprises fans in a way only Sour Patch Kids can,” said Grace Howard, Senior Brand Manager, Mondelēz International.
Honey Bunches of Oats celebrates Chocolate
It’s a natural! Behold new Honey Bunches of Oats Chocolate is the cereal’s first new permanent flavor addition in five years. And it’s made with real chocolate and cocoa. There’s a Crispy ‘Fries’ & Choco-late Milkshake version, and a Chocolate Baklava version.
Celeb Pastry Chef and Chocolate Visionary Chef Dominique Ansel created these exclusive new fla-vours both to spoon up from your breakfast bowl and to pop in front of the screen…
Pringle’s doubles down on new flavours
The guys who cloned perfect chip are launching 4 new flavours, in two new ‘families. Flame Grilled Steak i8a aimed at younger consumers seeking ‘more complex and exciting flavor profiles’. Loaded Potato Skins and 7-Layer Dip are designed for summer around the grill. As is Beer Can Chicken, an x-over with Miller Lite, described as ‘a crisp aroma of hops combined with the grilled notes of roasted chicken’.
Blue Diamond x Mike’s gets ‘swicy’
Blue Diamond nuts is exploring new country in a crossover with Mikes Hot Sauce. The snacks legend is launching a new Mike’s Hot Honey ‘swicy’ flavour. “Partnering with Mike’s Hot Honey allowed us to create something truly unique for snack lovers,” Maya Erwin, Vice President of Marketing & Innovation at Blue Diamond, added in a news release.
Events
Live Más Live wows invited media
The recent second annual Live Más Live event in Brooklyn, NY produced more than a few ooohs and ahhhs from invitees…
Among the new Taco Bell menu items previewed: a Rolled Poblano Burrito; a Flamin’ Hot Burrito; Steak Crunchwrap Sliders; a Strawberry Ube Cookie; a Bite-Sized Taco Salad; Mexican Pizza Empa-nadas; Pumpkin Spice Empanadas; Tempura Fajita Veggies; Cantina Tacos with a salted-rim taco shell; Flamin’ Hot Taquitos; and Flamin’ Crisp Taquitos…
Novelties
Doughnut-inspired scents – in body care products?
The aroma of fresh-baked doughnuts is irresistable and addictive. But do I want to smell like that on a first date? That’s irrelevant, say Dunkin and Native body care products. They’re offering an array of scents inspired by Dunkin’s fave dougnut varieties including: Strawberry Frosted, Vanilla Sprinkles, Blueberry Cobbler, and Boston Cream. Available in Deodorant, Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Wash. Get ’em from the Native online shop…
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of our ‘crusts’ a little overstuffed over the days and weeks to come. See you back here in 7 for the next freezer-burned edition of Fast Food News!
~ Maggie J.