A full slate of Fast Food News for your consideration… It’s unofficially Chicken Wings and Tenders Week, with KFC, Wingstop and Popeye’s all getting into the game. And Taco Bell unveils its new Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza…
The rundown…
And… Don’t miss the Nescafé Espresso ‘kegger’… Or the official début of the new SPAM Hot dog!
MAINS
KFC doubles down with Tenders and Nuggets
The KFC Boneless Buckets have been so popular that the chain is offering a Boneless Bucket or 1. That’s one big appetite! The deal includes three Original Recipe tenders, five nuggets fries, and a medium fountain drink, plus three dipping sauces. It’s priced at $12.99 in most markets (may vary, depending where you live).
Wingstop does ’10 for $10′ Wings
The Stop is also on the wing specials train this week. Now through May 26, at participating locations, get 10 wings for $10, and choose one or two flavours. There’s also a 20 for $20 deal (choose up to three flavours), and a 30 for $30 deal (choose up to 3 flavours). Available in-store for dine-in and carryout, as well as for carryout or delivery when ordering through the Wingstop website or mobile app.
Popeye’s offers ’12 for $12′ Tenders Deal
The Louisiana Kitchen is offering a limited-time special: 12 Tenders or 12 Wings for $2. It’s a pretty good deal… You’re saving at least $5 on the regular price of the Wings and significantly more on the Tenders depending on where you live.
Two catches, though… It’s a Rewards program-exclusive deal. And it’s available at participating locations only.
Papa Murphy’s gets ‘meaty’
PM’s is now offering what it calls a ‘Meaty Italian’ pizza. It’s available in large or family-size, Original or Thin Crust variants. Top your choice with mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, salami, mini-cup pepperoni, sausage, zesty herbs, an olive oil blend and garlic sauce. It’s a limited time addition to the Papa’s Picks menu, now through June 7.
Taco Bell launches new Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza
The Bell has combined two of its post popular innovations of the past decade in one delectable treat: Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza. It’s mounded with goodies including…
… ‘slow-roasted’ Cantina Chicken and black beans sandwiched between two crispy tortilla shells, topped with green chili sauce, three-cheese blend, shredded purple cabbage, and Pico de Gallo. You get a free packet of new Jalapeno Citrus Salsa and one of Avocado Verde Salsa with every Cantina Chicken menu item.
Panera pioneers new Salad Stuffer ‘pockets’
The Steakhouse Stuffer combines Romaine and arugula tossed, new Farmhouse Ranch dressing and marinated steak, applewood-smoked bacon, Gorgonzola cheese, pickled red onions, grape tomato, and crispy frizzled onions. The Santa Fe Stuffer includes Romaine tossed in ranch dressing, served with grilled chicken, taco seasoning, roasted corn, feta, zesty sweet peppers, pickled red onion, fresh cilantro, and blue corn tortilla strips. Both Stuffers come in a Panera signature Italian ‘stuffer roll’…
SIDES
KFC adds two new dipping sauces
The chicken colossus is adding two new dips for summer. Honey Chili Crisp is described as offering, “a balance of sweetness and heat,” while Jalapeño Ranch, “blends creamy ranch with cilantro and Jalapeño for a fresh tasting, herb-forward kick.”
French’s memes the Minions with Green Mustard
Just what the movie tie-in ordered! French’s is celebrating the June 1 launch of the new Minions & Monsters movie with limited-edition Goomi’s Green Mustard. It’s not just green – it’s LIME green.
And its slogan is: ‘Enjoy the MAYHEM’. There’s even a 2-pack that includes a special Minions squeeze-bottle topper – Available online only…
Taco Bell premieres Jalapeño Citrus Salsa
The new sauce joins Avocado Verde Salsa on the sides menu, along with Mild, Hot, Fire Diablo and Breakfast Salsa sauces. Get any of them to go with any TB menu item for just $0.20 a packet…
BEVERAGES
Coke makes viral Sprite + Tea official
What started as a social media hack has been embraced by the coke machine as a new limited-edition official bev. Sprite + Tea. The practice of cold-steeping a tea bag in a glass of Sprite went viral. ‘Spri-ced Tea’ is rolling out now, in regular and zero-sugar versions…
Dunkin’ 48 oz Bev Bucket goes chain-wide
The monster drink tub us going chain-wide after monster fan approval in tests. Dunkin’ already has a huge ‘medium’ coffee – 24 oz. And it’s ‘large’ is 32 oz! But the 48 oz. Bucket out-does them all. And the competition.
The nearest challenger is the 44 oz ‘Route 44′ bucket from SONIC. A Bucket of Dunkin’ Coffee will contain about 600 mg of caffeine – twice the official maximum daily ‘dose’!
Mountain Dew pours summer classic
The Dew is bringing back its famous Star Spangled Splash Froster flavour at CircleK convenience stores. It’s an exclusive, and only in the big K’s slushy machines. According to an AllRecipes review, “The bright red soda featured a combination of berry flavors, and quickly became a fan favorite.”
DESSERTS & SNACKS
SALTY
KFC brigs back Fried Pickles
Folks so loved those little, bite-sized crispy-breaded pickle rounds that KFC just had to bring them back! You can get ’em in an 8-piece order. A great opportunity to try out KFC’s new eight-piece serving with your choice of dipping sauce, including new Jalapeño Ranch and Honey Chili Crisp sauces. (Details: under ‘SIDES’, above.)
Goldfish now come in Pokémon shapes
The limited edition versions feature Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Pikachu faces in each character’s signature colour.
“Teaming up with Pokémon for this limited-edition launch is all about bringing fans a collaboration that feels fun, familiar and made for sharing,” Goldfish Senior Director Mike Fanelli says.
SWEET
Krispy Kreme reprises Original Glazed Lemon Filled
The all-time fan fave makes at least one appearance a year. And the fans flock to it. We last saw it just last November… So the fans must have been screaming extra-loud. And this being Memorial Day weekend, KK is also offering Krispy Kreme is offering a dozen Original Glazed donuts for $2 with the purchase of any dozen regular sized or 16-count Minis at the regular price. Limit 2 dozen special deals per customer…
NOVELTIES
SPAM ships a new ‘Hot Dog’ verson…
SPAM has come out with literally dozens of flavoured versions over the past few years. Now, it’s unveiled something completely different for summer: A Hot Dog version of itself which I’m calling the ‘SPAMfurter’. The rollout starts at select stadiums, ballparks, and convenience stores across the country, in Hawaii, Minnesota, Michigan, and the Northeast. With, we assume, more regions to follow…
Nescafé throws a kegger
A coffee kegger, that is. If you’re kind of fan who stays up all night to play Warcraft, or binge-watch 22 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy… This is the ‘coffee machine’ for you! But it’s specially themed as the pouring station you install to stay up late for all the FIF World Cup games.
The kit comes with a 20-serving keg, a 10 oz bottle of Nescafé Espresso Concentrate Black, one 10-oz bottle of Sweet Vanilla, and a recipe card to achieve the ‘perfect pour’. The Keg is going to be available online May 21, and June 11 at 2 p.m. ET, at nescafe.com/espressokegs for Just $10. Be there at the crack of 2:00 – it’s expected to sell out instantly…
EVENTS
Pizza Hut declared ‘America’s Favourite National Chain’
You (may have) heard it here first! The Hut came out a clear winner in a recent poll of more than 44,000 pizza fans across the US. Even so, the brand tallied only a little over 19 percent of the total support. Competitors included: Domino’s (17.1 percent), Papa John’s (11.4 percent), Little Caesar’s (5.3 percent), and Marco’s (4.7 percent). Now you know…
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to me making some of us a little more ‘contented’ over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for next ‘Spring has Sprung’ edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.