Another week stuffed with ‘Mains’ specials and deals. Summer promos are in full swing. Crispy Chi-cken is the ‘focus ingredient’ of the week. S’Mores McFlurry breaks new ground as fan fav. And the stunning newstalgia craze blows up every Fast Food Week category!
Little Caesar’s elegant, complex Four-N-One large
pizza celebrates Marvel summer movie début…
The rundown…
And through it all… There’s still room to celebrate the pickle craze, the immortal Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit breakfast sandwich, and the Veggies of Summer!
Mains
Little Caesar x Marvel = Four-N-One pie
The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie release gets special treatment from Little Caesar’s with a limited-time Fantastic Four-N-One pie. It’s a hand-tossed round, large pizza, cut into eight (large) slices, and includes two slices each with the following toppings: Classic Cheese, Pepperoni, Italian Sausage & Bacon, and Pepperoni & Jalapeno. Available now at participating LC’s locations (when ordering online via the website or mobile app), with general release slated for this coming Monday, June 23.
Taco Bell is all-in on Crispy Chicken
The Bell is following up its recent success with Chicken Nuggets rolling out Tacos and Burritos – based on the Bell’s Chicken Strips. All dressed with your choice of Spicy Ranchero or Avocado Ranch sauce. A little late to the party, the Bell is racing to make up for lost time, hoping to crush the crispy chicken market this summer…
Wendy’s heats up summer
Enter… The Wendy’s Takis Fuego Meal ‘features a scorching, well-seasoned chicken sandwich layered with crushed Takis Fuego chips, chili lime seasoning, corn-based spread and cheddar cheese sauce’. Meal includes even-hotter Hot & Crispy Fries, plus a bag of Takis Fuego chips.
”At Wendy’s, we know how to keep things spicy, and we love serving up fresh, famous collaborations that tap into consumers’ passion points, which made this partnership with Takis a no-brainer,” said Lindsay Radkoski, Wendy’s US Chief Marketing Officer.”
Hardee’s Rolls out BBQ Pulled Pork…
The new BBQ Pulled Pork Frisco starts with Hardee’s signature round Sourdough Bread (toasted), adds a char-grilled Angus beef patty and smoked pulled pork, an tops off with melted American (Processed) cheese, crispy-fried onions, pickles, and Sweet Baby Ray’s Sweet ‘n Spicy Barbecue Sauce. At participating Hardee’s locations now through August 19…
… Revives Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit
The returning Smoked Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit is a breakfast classic, starting with a hor-izontally-sliced Hardee’s signature Made-From-Scratch biscuit and which is stacked with a Hillshire Farm smoked sausage patty, folded egg, and American (processed) cheese. Also at participating Hardee’s locations now through August 19…
SONIC + Grillo’s = Big Dill Meal
It’s full-on homage to the Pickle craze that’s sweeping the American Fast Food scene. Start with your choice of a double or triple SONIC Smasher…
… add a 20 oz. Picklerita Slush, and a finish up with a small order of Pickle-seasoned Tots or Groovy Fries. The full meal deal includes a Pickle-scented car air freshener…
Blimpie celebrates ‘veggies of summer’…
… With its produce-stuffed with Zesty Grinder. The limited-time ‘long sammy’ is described as, “loaded with bold and savory flavors.” Features: turkey, salami, pepperoni, provolone, tomatoes, grinder salad, onions, and banana peppers, served on zesty Parmesan bread. Available now through October 6, in small or large size, for $7.49 and $13.99, respectively. (Prices may vary depending on where you order).
Sides
Beverages
If you’ve got it, flaunt it…
And that’s just what Capri Sun is doing to celebrate the longest day of the year. That’s the Summer Solstice, and it falls on June 20. To mark the occasion, Capri Sun has released a limited-time extra-long pouch. An ‘Extra-Long Pouch – for the extra-long day’. The 15 in. long / 37.5 cm pouch contains 20 oz. / 591 ml – more than 3 times the amount you get in the standard CS pouch. For a limited time, exclu-sively at Walmart.com.
‘Creamsicle’ Summer homage Creamer
Summer has apparently been declared ‘Creamsicle Homage Season’. The newest player in the game is Crush beverages, with an Orange Crème Pop-flavored creamer…
…designed to be mixed with soda or sparkling water to create a fizzy, creamy Dirty Soda. Heck… I’ll bet you could even put it in your coffee! (Nudge, wink…)
Desserts & Snacks
McDonald’s new S’Mores McFlurry blows up Newstalgia
This classic candidate simply oozes the ‘revive + update’ newstalgia vibe. And strictly speaking, you don’t even need a campfire to enjoy it. The limited-time treat offers a multi-layered, muiti-vibe blast from the past updated and twisted as a McFlurry, studded with Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and graham cracker chunks, plus and fluffy mini marshmallows…
‘Sunkissed Ritz Crackers’ flaunt ‘nice tan’
Just what the summer ordered? New limited-time Summer Sunkissed Ritz Crackers are described as, “original Ritz crackers baked to a crisp with a nice tan.” Alas… The BrandEating Taste Tester gave them a mixed review… “I thought maybe these would be more like Toasted Cheez-It crackers, which have had a deep toasty note to them, but Sunkissed Ritz Crackers just taste like regular Ritz to me.”
Zaxby’s serves up Super Snacker
That’s not it’s official name – but maybe it should be! Zax’s extends its summer hours to showcase its new limited-time late-night-exclusive Zappetizer Trio.
You choose from a selection of three sides or shareables, and three signature sauces. Available only after 8 pm, at participating locations.
Novelties
Wendy’s intros home-prep menu
Wendy’s signature square burger patties are now available (on a limited basis) for home prep! At se-lected Kroger’s and King Soopers locations. Also available: Wendy’s Thick-Cut Bacon. No details on how long the special guest engagement will last. This looks like a test of the first of a potential line of Wendy’s fave ingredients for home cooks.
Events
California retiree strikes Lotto gold
Thanks to a pizza craving, a 72-year-old retired California military veteran went from modest retire-ment to instant millionaire. McKinley Nelson stopped in at a local liquor store to get cash for the tip. He bought a couple of lottery tickets to break a couple of $100 bills, and scratched them off as soon as he got back to his truck. Bingo! A scan with the lotto smart phone app showed one of his tickets was an instant $1 M winner! Life Lesson: Listen to your cravings!
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of us a little ’rounder, firmer and more fully-packed’ over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next summer holiday-ready edition of Fast Food Week…
~ Maggie J.