If the weather outside wasn’t hot enough, the Fast Food universe is starting to simmer with the first major menu announcements for Fall – all themed to coincide with the start of the NFL Football Season… And ‘The Soup People’ have launched a new line of frozen meals…
The rundown
On the oddball beat… KFC Spain offers rabid fans a special Simpson’s Meal deal. Buffalo Wild Wings teams with Pringles for BBQ chips. And Cheez-Its joins Coors for a beer cheese flavoured cracker…
MAINS
Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Burrito is back!
The fan-fave roll-up is returning as the star of a broader, limited-time Crispy Chicken Strips ‘revival’. The new Crispy Chicken Chipotle Bacon Melt Burrito, combines Crispy Chicken Strips, new chipotle-seasoned bacon, shredded cheddar, lettuce, and Avocado Ranch sauce, and grills it inside a big flour tortilla. You can also get a 4-piece order of Crispy Chicken Strips; an Avocado Ranch Crispy Chicken Soft Taco; and an Avocado Ranch Crispy Chicken Burrito.
Jack In The Box rolls out new Cheesesteak
JITB is sampling the delicacies of the north with two new Philly Cheesesteak-inspired offerings; the Philly-Style Bonus Jack and the (Classic) Philly Cheesesteak.
The Bonus Jack burger starts with a standard beef patty on a cheesesteak-style bun, and tops it with Swiss-style (Processed) cheese, grilled onions and peppers, and mayo. Looks really good. And larger appetites can get in a double- or triple-patty version…
Campbell’s branches out to frozen Meals
The “Mmm’, Mmm’ Good” soup people are branching out – into the frozen meal spacer. Their initial foray includes 8 ‘Chunky’-branded frozen ‘bowl’-format entrées such as Beefy Pasta & Stroganoff Sauce, Cheesy Loaded Potato with Steak & Bacon, and Meat Lover’s Lasagne. Plus 5 assorted Mac And Cheese bowls. They’re described as perfect, “for a simple fall dinner or a last-minute work lunch.” The suggested launch price, across the board, is $5.95.
BEVERAGES
Taco Bell splashes out Pineapple Freeze
The fan-fave beverage is returning as an accompaniment to the Limited-time Chicken Strips revival (see Mains, above). This time, you can ‘make it dirty’ by adding a shot of vanilla creamer for an ad-ditional $0.30.
DESSERTS & SNACKS
SWEET
COSTCO unveils new Cinnamon-filled Crossantes
We don’t hear much from COSTCO in the Fast Food realm. By then it makes a foray into snacking ter-ritory, we take note. The ‘everything’ store is now offering Twice Baked Cinnamon Filled Croissants. Fans a e calling them ‘Churro Croissantes’.
Instagrammer @costcohotfinds says, “The outside is dipped in a sugar cinnamon streusel which is incredible!” Other bloggers report, they’re filled with cinnamon cream, and come in 6-packs for $9.99…
Krispy Kreme celebrates Latin American Desserts
The new ‘Destination Dessert Collection’ features three new limited-time confections: Tres Leches; Guava Cheesecake; and Choco Dulce Cookie Crunch doughnuts. All three are filled creations, with innards that complement their lavishly decorated tops.
Novelties
Tostitos Celebrates the NFL Season
The new NFL season doesn’t start until September, but Tostitos is getting a jump on the game. As the official Chip and Dip Sponsor of the NFL, the brand is bringing back its now-traditional team-themed chip bags. The limited-time bags will feature the colours and logos of teams including the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
The promo also marks the début of new Spicy Queso Blanco Flavored Tortilla Chips and new Chunky Guacamole Mild and Medium Hint of Lime Flavored Dip.
Buffalo Wild Wings + Pringles = Hot Chips
BWW and Pringles are collaborating on a new limited-time series of spicy chips featuring BWW wing sauce flavours – just in time for football season. Including: Parmesan Garlic, Medium Buffalo, and Asian Zing flavors.
“We’ve taken the unmistakable flavors people love from Buffalo Wild Wings and packed them into our iconic stackable crisps, creating a lineup that’s made for every kickoff, watch party and tailgate,” says Mauricio Jenkins, Salty Snacks Brand and Content Lead for Mars Snacking North America.
¡KFC España habla el idioma de Los Simpson!
KFC Spain is bringing its fans a promo Americans wish they could access: A Simpson’s menu! The leg-endary US animated social comment program is a huge hit dubbed in Spanish, both in Mexico and Europe.
The star of KFC’s show is a KFC fried chicken sandwich with bacon, cheese, and Kentucky Gold (Honey-Mustard Sauce) sauce served in a sliced Homer’s signature pink-frosted donut topped with rainbow sprinkles. You can also get Chillibites of Madness, the Kwiki Mart-inspired Fresisuis bev; and Mr. Burns’ Catsup. It all comes in Simpsons’-themed packaging, with 5 limited-time series collectibles…
Cheez-Its + Coors = New Tailgating Staple
Cheez-Its and Coors have come together to offer a limited-time snack to kick off football season. And it’s a mouthful: ‘Cheez-It Coors Light Beer Cheese flavored crackers’, “bringing the flavor of a classic beer-cheese spread to the snack aisle.”
Fast Food blogger Reach Guinto notes, “The partnership also gives Cheez-It another entry into the increasingly crowded world of splashy snack collaborations, except this one has the benefit of mak-ing immediate sense.”
Events
Consumer Reports ranked America’s Rotisserie Chickens…
… And COSTCO didn’t win!
According to Food & Wine: ” Consumer Reports tested rotisserie chickens from 10 major grocery stores, judging them based on their texture, flavor, and appearance.”
The organization also analyzed sodium content and the presence of chemicals such as PFAS from plastic packaging. And an anonymous taste test revealed that Sam’s Club has the best rotisserie chicken, but five other stores received high marks, too. If you were wondering… Sam’s Club’s premium chicken won. COSTO’s regular Kirkland Rotisserie Chicken came in second.
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of us a little more likely to over-indulge in the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next fall- temps-can’t-come-fast-enough edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.