Will the Valentine’s Day specials magically appear en mass this week? It’s now or never! And if not, what will the Fast Food news hold for us? Pour yourself another cup of coffee, settle in, and explore with us the cornucopia of new product and ‘specials’ announcements on tap…
Papa John’s traditional Valentine’s Day Heart-shaped Pizza. Back as usual…
Heart-shaped Pizza back at Papa John’s
It’s a tradition at the chain, and it’s back for Valentine’s Day. The special pie is a heart-shaped regular thin crust pie with one topping of your choice. And it comes uncut, so the shape doesn’t get all shuffles up in transit, ruining the effect. Until February 14.
Pizza Hut gets spicy
The Hut is offering a new trio of Spicy Lover’s Pizzas – perhaps an attempt to warm up your winter a little. They’ll make you a Spicy Double Pepperoni (two kinds of pepperoni, sliced red chilis, Fiery Flakes spice), a Spicy Hawaiian Chicken (chicken, pineapple, sliced red chilis, and Fiery Flakes), or a Spicy Veggie (green bell peppers, red onions, mushrooms, sliced red chilis, and Fiery Flakes). Available now, at participating Hut locations, for a limited time only.
Little Caesar’s promos Batman film
… With a Batman Calzony, cut and folded to resemble the Bat Signal. Sort of. The folded part is brushed with garlic sauce, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, filled with garlic white sauce, and topped with cheese and julienned pepperoni.
The unfolded part is slathered with Pizza Sauce and strewn withj Pepperoni slices. And it comes with a side of Crazy Sauce. The speciual is on npow. The Batman movie débuts in theatres March 4.
Popeye’s brings back Big Box
The $5 Big Box is back. It comes with either two pieces of fried chicken or three tenders, plus any two regular-sized sides and a biscuit. It’s available only in the lower 48 states, though.
Subway adds fancy new Turkey, Chicken subs
Subway, in the throes of a renaissance on its menu, is adding two new poultry-themes sandwiches: a Baja Turkey Avocado sub and a Honey Mustard Rotisserie-Style Chicken sub. You can also get 15 percent off the price of any regular foot-long sub, for a limited time, if you order via the app and use the code ’15OFF’.
Subway doesn’t say if the subs are limited-time specials, but they use ingredients already on the store’s sammy construction buffet, so they maybe around longer.
McDonald’s expanding Texas McPlant trials
McDonald’s started its McPlant burger trials at just 8 very select locations last November. And it must have gone well. They’re expanding it to 600 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Francisco Bay areas. The test marketing programs are seen as major milestones in the plan by McD’s to introduce plant-based options (see photo, top of page) to it’s permanent menu, across the U.S. But, as McD’s always does, it’s making sure the product it wants to add is the best version with the greatest customer appeal.
Novelty Alert! McD’s to offer ordering by Hacks
McDonald’s fans will be well aware of the multitudinous hacks that aficionados have devised to combine and modify regular-menu McItems with the hope of creating something more delectable than the simple sum of the parts.
Now, starting January 31, you’ll be able to order four of the most popular hacks as official menu items: The Hash Brown McMuffin, Crunchy Double, Surf + Turf, and Land, Air & Sea. Your order will come with all the McComponents you need to create your desired hack – which you assemble yourself, because McD’s says that’s part of the fun. It’s a limited time deal, of course.
Lucky Charms intros Green Milk
Well, the ability to make your cereal milk green, anyway. It’s a popular old trick that’s especially popular around St. Patrick’s Day. Green Milk Turn Lucky Charms are the same as regular Lucky charms, but with St, Patrick’s Day themed marshmallows and special shamrock charms that turn your milk green. It’s a limited edition release, of course, and it will; hit store shelves the ed of this month.
Coke unveils new flavour, label designs
Coca Cola has introduced another ‘with coffee’ Coke flavour: Mocha. It joins Dark Blend, Vanilla and Caramel on the crossover menu. And perhaps the bigger news: Coke is rolling out a whole range of ‘vibrant’ new label designs, featuring ‘bold, modern aesthetics’ across Coca-Cola’s Flavors products.
The iconic Coke logos, symbols and wordmarks remain the same but they’re implemented in combinations of gold purple and bright red.
SmartFood pops out two new flavours
The folks who initially encouraged us al to snack healthier with their popcorn, instead of fat- and sugar-laced chips and puffs, are introducing a couple of new, sinful sounding flavours: Cinnamon Sugar Cupcake and Doritos Nacho Cheese. Cinnamon Sugar is available everywhere now, but Doritos Nacho Cheese is only at Sam’s Club for the time being, blasting out to all the usual retailers later this year.
Post shakes up Pebbles treats
Post cereals is releasing two new Pebbles brand snacking products: Pebbles Shake-Ups!Coca Explosion and Sweet & Salty.
They’re also i9ntroduycing Marshmallow Coca Pebbles – regular Coca Pebbles with mini marshmallows. They’re available at ‘selected retailers’ starting this month, we assume for a limited time.
Sonic reprises Double Stuf OREO Waffle Cones
The Waffle Cone is coated inside with OREO Cream, then filled with vanilla soft serve and topped with more Oreo creme and Oreo cookie pieces. The Double Stuf Oreo Blast is a waffle cone filled with vanilla ice cream blended with OREO cookie pieces and topped with more OREO cookie pieces. They’re available online, through the mobile app and in person, starting January 31 and continuing through March 27.
And that’s the skinny…
… On what will be making us a little fatter over the coming days and weeks – and festive occasions. See you back here in 7 for the next edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.