Another week – another coordinated chorus line-like dance by the big Fast Food sector players. This week, the emphasis is back on Mains. With a ‘minor’ in Desserts and Snacks. And the world’s largest theatre popcorn bucket to date…
Here it (finally) is! The returning McDonald’s Snack Wrap…
The rundown…
A bumper crop of oddball items this wee features… War of the Popcorn Buckets, War of the Snack Wraps, War of the Movie Collabs…
Mains
McDonald’s returning Snack Wrap finally here!
At least, it’s coming on June 10. After literally months of teasing and misdirection by the cagey burger joint. It débuts in two ‘elevated’ flavours: Spicy and Ranch, and is now a permanent addition to the McMenu.. And check out the new snackwrapfiles.com, fan website dedicated to all things Snack Wrap.
Sneaky, cheeky Popeye’s upstages McD’s on Snack Wraps
Just days before McDonald’s cult-fave Snacks Wraps make their much-anticipated return to the Gol-den Arches, Popeye’s has unveiled its own version of the nouveau-classic treat.
McD’s wins the show-down on one point: it’s returning Wraps are now going to be a permanent feature of the main men, while Popeye’s version is a limited-time special. Choose from three foundational sauces: Classic, Spicy, or Honey Mustard.
Burger King helps you ‘train your dragon’
The burger giant partners with the new How to Train Your Dragon live-action film with a new limited-time menu ot HTTYD-themes menu items. The slate features four, “dragon-inspired takes on fan-favorite menu items…”
…Including a special Dragon Flame-Grilled Whopper. It’s thoughtfully accompanied by special HTTYD-themed fries, a Strawberry Lemonade and a ‘Vikings’ Chocolate Sundae. The special limited-time menu items also headline a slate of limited-time combos…
Jack In The Box ‘Sprung’ over new T Pain Munchie Meal
This exciting late-night meal and gaming collaboration features your choice of a Burg-R-Tater Melt or Chick-N-Tater Melt, plus Jack’s signature crispy taco, curly fries, a stuffed cookie, and a drink. On the T Pain side, the munchies are complemented by T’s Fortnite debut, in Jack Zone Wars,, a custom in-game world built just for this promo.
COSTCO goes gourmet with Chicken and Waffles
COSTCO has introduced Chicken & Waffles – in the refrigerated section of the food market ‘zone’ of the of its mammoth outlets. Everything you need to build your own version of the Southern Classic for screen-front munching. Just heat-and-eat with the supplied syrup and honey dips. The whole thin is purpose-designed as a finger-food treat…
Sides
Take-with Tabasco in three new flavours
The fad/trend of taking your favourite Tabasco Sauce flavour with you, to your fave dine-out spot, just got bigger. The classic hot cause maker has released: Sweet Chili; Sriracha; and Salsa Picante variants.
The new mini-format squeeze bottles feature the same purse-saving safety lids as the originals. Ac-cording to the 2024 Technomic Flavor Consumer Trend Report, one in four Gen Zers and Millennials say they bring their own condiments to restaurants, especially hot sauce…
Beverages
Summer Spritz from Dunkin: in Pink ‘flavour’
The new summer refresher from Dunkin has all the bases covered: Pink Spritz Refresher ‘features a blend of guava, orange, and passion fruit flavors with a splash of sparkling water, plus a blend of green tea extract and B vitamins’. No mention – Alas! – of a proverbial kitchen sink… The limited-time Spritz menu also features: Strawberry Dragonfruit; Mango Pineapple; and Tropical Guava variants.
Desserts & Snacks
AMC celebrates the return of the Fantastic 4
AMC theatres is blasting out the largest-yet collectible popcorn bucket in the industry: the Glacticus LARGE helmet. It’s a hefty 17.5 in. / 43.74 cm tall x 20 in. / 50 cm wide double-handled design to com-plement the coming Fantastic Four: First Steps début.
And… Not to be outdone by the current run of Mission: Impossible collectible buckets. AMC is also rolling out a companion H.E.R.B.I.E. robot conces-sion vessel – an all-in-one drink and snack ‘transporter’.
Flamin’ Hot Cheetos now in Pretzel Bites
Not sure how this flavour combo goes down with me. But it’s the latest incarnation of the Flamin’ Hot phenomenon to hit the snack racks, nevertheless.
“Last year, our guests loved our collaboration with Cheetos […] So we wanted to keep the flavor party going with a slight twist,” says Katie Thoms, Vice President of Marketing at Pretzelmaker. “We heard our fans, and we delivered — with even more heat.”
Keebler gets into celeb x-overs…
… With its new Superman movie Fudge Stripes edition. The special-edition wafer cookies are stuffed with ‘Strong Berry’ filling and topped with white Fudge frosting stripes. ““We know our Fudge Stripes cookies help create special moments for families…
This new summer flavor [gives] families and Su-perman fans of every generation another delicious way to connect and create sweet memories,” says Kim Thomas, Senior Brand Manager, Ferrero Cookies… The new Superman movie premieres this com-ing week, on June 11.
New dessert collab at Long John Silver’s
It’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake, a collab with Reese’s. And it’s described as, ‘a Reese’s Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake topped with chocolate ganache and chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups’. It’s available by the slice – or as a whole cheesecake, for a mere US)$58.99. The mouth-watering spe-cialty joins LJS’s well-established Classic, Triple Chocolate, Oreo Cookies & Cream, and Red Velvet cheesecakes for a limited time…
Novelties
Too obvious to fail?
I often include ‘novelties’ under this heading just so I can point our how crazy or ill-advised they are. But today, I’ve got a new one for which I have a great deal of admiration: The new KFC finger-lickin’ good presentation fork.
Trouble is, if KFC is so ‘finger lickin’ good’ – isn’t a fork more than a little redundant? Anyway, it s a piece of fine cutlery commissioned by KC UK/Ireland from jewelry designer Sam Ozanne…
Events
Gummies king Haribo recalls Fizzy Cola
It seems ironic: One of the biggest ‘munchies’ makers, Haribo, is recalling one of it’s legendary can-nabis cravings-slayers. Three bags of Happy Cola Fizz gummies in the Netherlands were found to contain cannabis traces. So, Haribo pulled them all. Just to be safe. Meanwhile the confectioner assures fans, its flagship gummy products are free of contamination in other worldwide markets.
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of us a little less swim suit-worthy over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7, for the next gut-busting edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.