Desserts and Snacks take the spotlight this week… Finally McDonald’s Chicken Strips are back – permanently! Ham & Swiss Melt and Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwiches are back on Arby’s menu – permanently! And Pringles and Beer are your new Summer BBQ pals…
The Rundown…
Lots for the chicken lover to love this week. Cinco de Mayo specials are starting to leak out… And don’t forget – Today is National Pretzel Day!
Mains
Del Taco hauls out new El Big Boxes
It’s Del taco’s latest volley in the Value Meal war – and a major challenge to the competition. There are 3 new El Big Box combos: the Classico, the Mex Faves and the Ameri-Mex. They’re teamed with three new Mango-Pineapple beverages: Lemonade Poppers; Sprite Poppers, and Shake Poppers. All available through the summer….
Arby’s brings back two faves – permanently!
Beloved Ham & Swiss Melt and Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwiches are back on Arby’s menu – perman-ently! There’s a special, limited-time ‘welcome-back’ deal offering two Ham & Swiss Melts for $7 at participating locations. Chicken lovers note: Premium Chicken Nuggets are being dropped from the menu to make way for the Ham & Swiss Melt. But Chicken Tenders are staying right where they are…
All You Can Eat Wings back at BWW
Buffalo Wild Wings is bring back its ‘best’ limited-time deal; the AYCE Wings and Fries promo. This time you can mix and match between Boneless and Traditional Bone-In, and choose from any of their 26 sauces. Available Monday through Thursday, for dine-in only.
Sides
5-Hour Energy invades Spicy Territory
The popular caffeinated ‘energy drink’ brand is perking you up in a different way with its latest new product. It’s 5-Hour ‘Cinco de Mango’ Hot Sauce.
The stuff is part of a collab with Taco John’s in honour of Mexico’s May 4th holiday. Arrives April 28, for a limited time, in select cities when you order the ‘No Siesta Fiesta Bundle’.
Beverages
Mtn DEW kicks off summer at LittleCaesar’s
Those wacky Mtn DEW guys are always pushing the promotional envelope. This time, they’re part-nering with Little Caesar’s, giving the pizza chain exclusive launch rights to their new Mango Blast flavour. Available trough the summer starting May 5.
Dunkin’s adds new Spring Cherry energy drink
Dunkin’s already features a relatively huge Spring Menu. But it’s adding a new beverage and 2 new snacks. The drink is Arctic Cherry Dunkin’ Energy, an iced bev dosed with vitamins, minerals and caffeine. Available now, for an unspecified limited time.
Desserts & Snacks
Taco Bell reprises its Nuggets
The Bell’s Chicken Nuggets are back. And they’re accompanied by 3 specially-curated sauces. Hidden Valley Fire Ranch was the top Nugget Sauce last time the crunchy bites appeared. It’s back…
… Alongside Bell Sauce (tangy) and Jalapeño Honey Mustard (sweet heat). Available in 5- and 10-piece orders, a 5-piece Combo with fries a d drink, and a 10-piece combo.
McDonald’s Chicken Strips are back – permanently!
And that’s making a lot of fans happy. The return of Strips has been teased for going on 6 months by McD’s, which has recently taken to long lead-time new product release announcements – one guesses to squeeze the last drop of fan-ticipation out their audience. Choose from 3- or 4-piece orders, with your choice of sauce. Although Strips are coming back accompanied by a new Creamy Chili Dip.
Pringles and Beer the new summer standard?
A new kind of tall-boy (the Pringles cannister) is wearing the Miller Lite label. Choose from Grilled Beer Brat and Beer Can Chicken flavoured Pringles. Coming to you just in time for BBQ season. at the usual retailers across the US, while supplies last. At first, I thought, “Ho-hum…” But the more I think about them, the more I want them…
Krispy Kreme rolls out Cheesecake Collection
It’s the Craving Cheesecake Collection, featuring Strawberry Dream; Cookies & Kreme; and Caramel Delight Cheesecake doughnuts.
Available through May 4, 2025, while supplies last, at participating locations across the US.
Dunkin’s adds 2 new Spring Snacks
The doughnut-and-coffee chain is adding 2 new snacks to its already bulging spring menu. There’s a special Cotton Candy doughnut and a Spring Munchkins Bucket, featuring new Blueberry Sprinkles Munchkins among an assortment of 50 Munchkins doughnut holes in a reusable blue bucket.
Pebbles adds Strawberries & Cream
Fruity Pebbles – the cereal that’s more of a snack – adds Strawberries and Cream flavour for spring. And it’s even creamier when you add cream (or milk) and eat it with a spoon. “Nostalgia packed into every bite.,” they claim. Note: The Flintstones, whence the nostalgia claim commeth, have had a pretty run, haven’t they? First aired in 1960, the animated features turns 65 this September. Will there be a retirement party?
Khloe Kardassian puffs Khloud Protein Popcorn
The infamous reality TV pioneers – the Kardassians – are getting into the food business… Not really – but younger-gen Khloe is fronting a new ‘healthy’ snack brand, Khloud Protein Popcorn.
It’s one of half a dozen or so popcorn options on the market – with more poised to follow – lever-aging the fact that popcorn (plain – no flavouring additives or excess salt added) is just about the healthiest snack you can choose…
Events
Today is National Pretzel Day!
The observation falls conveniently on a Saturday this year, so annoying nuisances like work and school don’t get in the way of the ‘party’. Visit the dedicated webpage for a rundown on the specials high-powered pretzel specialists are offering – most available for today ONLY! But be sure to visit your local Deli to see how they’re celebrating. And if you’re in NYC, be aure to dropo by Central PArk and visit a classic soft Pretzel cart…
Four Guys opens in Lebannon
It’s the most blatant brand ripoff I’ve seen in ages… Four Guys’ is a new Lebanese burger chain that’s a clone of Five Guys – right down to the type face, colour scheme, and menu item names. What hap-pens when and if the Five Guys chain wants to expand to Lebanon remains to be seen. But you can bet it will land up in the courts… Curiously, it appears that the controversy is the biggest factor making the launch such a big deal…
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of us a little more aware of our muffin tops over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next birdsong-blessed edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.