Midsummer appears to be a time when major players in the burgers and sandwiches segment announce major changes. Subway has unveiled a new menu with new ingredients, Beyond Foods has launched new plant-based chicken tenders, and that’s just the beginning!
Subway is launching a new menu and new ingredients, including smashed avocado,
fresh mozzarella, bacon, steak, rotisserie chicken, roast beef, and more.
Subway blasts out new ingredients, new Sandwiches
In its first major menu overhaul since… forever, Subway is premiering a news whole new slate of Sandwiches and ingredients. The ‘Eat Fresh Refresh’ program involves in excess of 20 menu changes including including 11 new and improved ingredients, six new or returning sandwiches, and four renovated signature sandwiches. The new regime rolls out this coming Tuesday, July 13, and Subway is celebrating by giving away up to 1 million free subs between 10 am. ad noon that day. What a change from the old days (like, three years ago) when Subway was still being vilified for its uncaring attitude toward its customers’ complaints, when they were shaving their costs by slicing their meats paper thin that you could read the newspaper through them…
Beyond Foods launches plant-based Chicken Tenders
Just as restaurants start to reopen with more or less normal service routines, Beyond Foods is moving to disrupt the Resto Chicken Wars with the release of Beyond Chicken Tenders in restos across the U.S. They’re touted as providing 14 g of protein per serving and 40 percent less saturated fat than real Chicken. Folks who’ve been privileged to try the prototypes say they look and chew well, but flavour will depend on how various restos prepare them.
Burger King about to launch ‘Spicy As Fire’ Whopper?
Burger King U.S. has teased its fans with a photo of a new ‘Spicy As Fire’ Whopper on its official website. No description (yet) of the new Burger, and no further explanation of the photo.
Based on what one can see in the picture, the new menu offering includes a regular Whopper Patty on a spice and/or herb-studded bun, topped with lettuce, bacon, some kind of cheese (with flecks of colour in it that may indicate spices), tomatoes, jalapeños and a pink/tan coloured sauce that’s undoubtedly spiced up, too. Other than that, all we know at this point is, a 2-Patty version will also be offered. Stay tuned…
Campbell’s hops on the Spicy bandwagon
Campbell’s the staid old maid of the prepared food industry, is hopping on the Spicy bandwagon with the release of new Chunky Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup. According to the official news release, you’ll experience, “a kick of heat up front from capsaicin (the active component of chili peppers that makes them spicy) and then a lingering heat from vinegar for a hot sauce-like finish.” Look for additional hot-spicy Campbell’s offerings in the near future.
Canada gets Taco Bell Loaded Taco Grande Nachos
Loaded Taco Grande Nachos consist of: a box of tortilla chips topped with nacho cheese sauce, the Bell’s signature seasoned ground beef, crunchy red corn tortilla strips, spicy ranch sauce, lettuce, cheddar cheese and tomatoes.
The Bell has already found success with similar menu offerings in the U.S. and hopes to have a strong run north of the border. The Bell is also offering Beef Supreme Grande Nachos in Canada – which the U.S. audience already knows as Grande Nachos.
Arby’s offers Kids Meal deal
Last week, Fast Food Week revealed that Arby’s was floating a new Kids Meal with Chicken Nuggets. This week, they’re offering all their Kids Meal combos for just a buck. with the purchase of any regular-priced combo meal. Arby’s offers Kids Meals with a selection of mains including: 4- or 6-piece Premium Chicken Nuggets; a Chicken, Roast Beef or Turkey Slider; or Chicken Tenders.
Wendy’s offers full slate of Specials
Wendy’s is offering a whole slew of specials this month. Visit this post for the details. Just a note: You’ll need to use the Wendy’s mobile app to take advantage of most of these deals. On the up side, they’re all available across the U.S. at all Wendy’s locations. And both U.S. and Canadian Wendy’s outlets will be offering unannounced specials through the app.
McDonald’s makes new Loyalty Plan official
The ‘My McDonald’s Rewards’ plan is rolling out officially across the U.S. following a limited test-run in selected cities. When you order through the McDonalds App, you get 100 loyalty points towards free food for every dollar spent. For example. For example, 6,000 points will get you a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit, a Big Mac, a Happy Meal, or a Quarter Pounder with Cheese. And through the end of this year, you’ll get 1,500 bonus points just for placing your first Rewards order.
OREO has MORE new flavours
OREO has probably blasted out more new flavours in the past couple of years than any other snack food brand. And that includes Pringles.
Now they’re rolling out Apple Cider Donut and Salted Caramel Brownie flavoured sandwich cookies, due to hit store shelves next month. The more complex, compound and convoluted the ‘new’ snack food combos and collabs become, the less they appeal. To me, anyway.
Novelty Alert: BK Maylasia débuts Chocolate Sauce
On burgers, that is! The Chocolate Melt Beefacon (Beefacon is what Burger King calls its proprietary Beef Bacon) and Chocolate Melt Crispy Chick’N Crisp feature a new Chocolate Sauce as a topping. Otherwise, they’re pretty much the same as any other fancy-dressed burger.
At the same time, BK is offering Tri-Color Fries, made from three different colours of sweet potatoes. Both the burgers and the Fries will be around for a limited time only this summer. If you’re in Maylasia. My take” I’m not rushing over to the Malaysia Airlines website to reserve a seat on their next flight home. Chocolate belongs in the sack/dessert universe – never to be seen in the burger galaxy.
And that’s the skinny…
… On what will be making making some us a little fatter and a lot hotter through the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.