What're some fast food items that are no longer offered that you enjoyed and would like to see brought back?
My list:
McDonald's
- McDLT
- McFish Fry (I feel this was a regional thing. Most SE Wisconsin restaurants have Friday fish fries, and McDonald's attempted to jump on this in the early 90s)
Hardee's
- Fried chicken. Hardee's had delicious fried chicken and biscuits once upon a time.
Taco Bell
- Enchrito
- Mexican Pizza
Arch Deluxe. How that failed when so much gross stuff survives at McDonald's perplexed me.
Though it was out when I was in high school, about 50 lbs ago, I'd rather it not come back for my own sake. :-D
Quote from: SectorZ on February 01, 2022, 11:43:41 AM
Arch Deluxe. How that failed when so much gross stuff survives at McDonald's perplexed me.
Though it was out when I was in high school, about 50 lbs ago, I'd rather it not come back for my own sake. :-D
Those were so good! They had a delicious mustard sauce on them! Yum!!
Nacho fries at Taco Bell.
They come and go at random intervals. They're gone right now, but I wish they would just keep them on the menu permanently.
I remember really liking the Wendy’s Fish Sandwich. Last year, they stopped using codfish and started using wild caught Alaskan pollock. I like seafood, but I wish they sold it year round.
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 11:49:02 AM
Nacho fries at Taco Bell.
They come and go at random intervals. They're gone right now, but I wish they would just keep them on the menu permanently.
Maybe it's their version of the McRib. Don't add it permanently, but create a feeding frenzy when you roll it out.
Does anyone remember the McLobster from McDonalds? I've never had it, but I'd rather have real lobster and not the fast food version.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 11:56:53 AM
Does anyone remember the McLobster from McDonalds? I've never had it, but I'd rather have real lobster and not the fast food version.
I feel that's one of those regional things McDonalds tried, much like the Mc Fish Fry I mentioned.
Anyone ever live in a market where they tried the McPizza? I never had one.
I suppose it might be questionable whether it's truly "fast food," but the first thing that I thought of when I saw this thread was the Bigfoot Pizza from Pizza Hut.
I believe OCGuy81 is correct that McLobster is a regional item.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 11:56:53 AM
Does anyone remember the McLobster from McDonalds? I've never had it, but I'd rather have real lobster and not the fast food version.
I remember seeing them but doubt they did too well in New England (unless they had them in the winter as well).
Culvers used to do fried chicken; it was pretty solid. Two, three and four piece dinners, if I recall.
Quote from: triplemultiplex on February 01, 2022, 12:12:02 PM
Culvers used to do fried chicken; it was pretty solid. Two, three and four piece dinners, if I recall.
Yes!! Those were great. This post is sure making me hungry!
Double Decker Tacos from Taco Bell. They can still make them, but choose not to.
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:38:42 AM
- McDLT
The McDLT was probably the stupidest idea for a sandwich ever, and yet it was genius at the same time.
Idea: Hey, let's throw the sandwich items on the buns, but instead of actually closing the sandwich, we'll just leave it open. No, don't give them extra stuff to put on it. They'll need to open the Styrofoam container and flip it themselves. They'll love the hands-on work, trying to keep the lettuce and tomato from falling off. And let's charge a premium for the customer to finish making their own sandwich.
Marketing: We'll just say it's to keep the hot side hot, and the cold side cold.
Store franchisees and managers: Yeah, so what if the entire thing will sit on the warming tray, takes up twice as much room, and won't fit into a standard sized bag. We'll sell millions of a sandwich that inconveniences everyone!
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 01, 2022, 12:41:57 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:38:42 AM
- McDLT
The McDLT was probably the stupidest idea for a sandwich ever, and yet it was genius at the same time.
Idea: Hey, let's throw the sandwich items on the buns, but instead of actually closing the sandwich, we'll just leave it open. No, don't give them extra stuff to put on it. They'll need to open the Styrofoam container and flip it themselves. They'll love the hands-on work, trying to keep the lettuce and tomato from falling off. And let's charge a premium for the customer to finish making their own sandwich.
Marketing: We'll just say it's to keep the hot side hot, and the cold side cold.
Store franchisees and managers: Yeah, so what if the entire thing will sit on the warming tray, takes up twice as much room, and won't fit into a standard sized bag. We'll sell millions of a sandwich that inconveniences everyone!
You raise a good point! 😂
My biggest complaint is the cheese should've been with the hot items. I'm not a fan of cold cheese on a burger.
The polystyrene packaging (aka "styrofoam," though they're not necessarily the same thing) is one major reason why the McDLT will never return in its original form.
As I recall, the McDLT was phased out when they introduced the McLean Deluxe, which flopped; the McLean Deluxe in turn was phased out in favor of the Arch Deluxe.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 01, 2022, 12:41:06 PM
Double Decker Tacos from Taco Bell. They can still make them, but choose not to.
Hell yes!!
We make them at home most taco nights in my house. My wife and I both loved those!
Health professionals will cringe, but I'd really like a return of the original McDonald's French fries. For younger people, they were fried in lard (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/original-mcdonalds-french-fry-recipe) and even Julia Child loved them. I still enjoy them hot and fresh, but they're honestly not as good as they once were.
I forgot one!
Anyone remember the pizza sub from Subway??
This was from that same magical era where they did a "V" cut in their bread!
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 12:43:33 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 01, 2022, 12:41:57 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:38:42 AM
- McDLT
The McDLT was probably the stupidest idea for a sandwich ever, and yet it was genius at the same time.
Idea: Hey, let's throw the sandwich items on the buns, but instead of actually closing the sandwich, we'll just leave it open. No, don't give them extra stuff to put on it. They'll need to open the Styrofoam container and flip it themselves. They'll love the hands-on work, trying to keep the lettuce and tomato from falling off. And let's charge a premium for the customer to finish making their own sandwich.
Marketing: We'll just say it's to keep the hot side hot, and the cold side cold.
Store franchisees and managers: Yeah, so what if the entire thing will sit on the warming tray, takes up twice as much room, and won't fit into a standard sized bag. We'll sell millions of a sandwich that inconveniences everyone!
You raise a good point! 😂
My biggest complaint is the cheese should've been with the hot items. I'm not a fan of cold cheese on a burger.
I (technically, my parents) were responsible for buying a few hundred of those! Lol
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:59:50 AM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 11:56:53 AM
Does anyone remember the McLobster from McDonalds? I've never had it, but I'd rather have real lobster and not the fast food version.
I feel that's one of those regional things McDonalds tried, much like the Mc Fish Fry I mentioned.
Anyone ever live in a market where they tried the McPizza? I never had one.
I did. Shockingly, it wasn't terrible, but I've certainly had much better.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 11:56:53 AM
Does anyone remember the McLobster from McDonalds? I've never had it, but I'd rather have real lobster and not the fast food version.
I had one in Nova Scotia (forget the year). Really sloppy, couldn't eat it behind the wheel (an important feature of fast food, especially McDs), so I was disappointed.
Later, I had better luck with a lobster roll, from a food truck in Maine. There were picnic tables on site, and by then I knew it was best eaten at a table.
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on February 01, 2022, 01:05:37 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:59:50 AM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 11:56:53 AM
Does anyone remember the McLobster from McDonalds? I've never had it, but I'd rather have real lobster and not the fast food version.
I feel that's one of those regional things McDonalds tried, much like the Mc Fish Fry I mentioned.
Anyone ever live in a market where they tried the McPizza? I never had one.
I did. Shockingly, it wasn't terrible, but I've certainly had much better.
Geez I thought I fever dreamed remembering McDonald's selling pizza. I swear as a kid I remember it at the one in Wethersfield CT in the late-80's and no one in my family believes me.
Quote from: SectorZ on February 01, 2022, 01:46:50 PM
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on February 01, 2022, 01:05:37 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:59:50 AM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 11:56:53 AM
Does anyone remember the McLobster from McDonalds? I've never had it, but I'd rather have real lobster and not the fast food version.
I feel that's one of those regional things McDonalds tried, much like the Mc Fish Fry I mentioned.
Anyone ever live in a market where they tried the McPizza? I never had one.
I did. Shockingly, it wasn't terrible, but I've certainly had much better.
Geez I thought I fever dreamed remembering McDonald's selling pizza. I swear as a kid I remember it at the one in Wethersfield CT in the late-80's and no one in my family believes me.
I've heard McPizza was a thing but never found one!
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 01, 2022, 12:41:06 PM
Double Decker Tacos from Taco Bell. They can still make them, but choose not to.
^This x2
The fried chicken Po-boy at Popeyes. It was lost in the change to the new Popeyes chicken sandwich (which is my current favorite chicken sandwich, don't get me wrong), but man, that po-boy was good. I wish they could've kept both sandwiches on the menu.
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 01, 2022, 12:07:13 PM
I suppose it might be questionable whether it's truly "fast food," but the first thing that I thought of when I saw this thread was the Bigfoot Pizza from Pizza Hut.
I believe OCGuy81 is correct that McLobster is a regional item.
I remember having some of that stuff while doing lunch at a McDs on northbound US 1 in north suburban Boston, MA during a roadtrip in about 2000. It was served cold in a tray much like a salad. I thought that it was pretty good.
Mike
The smoked brisket at Chipotle was really good.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 01, 2022, 02:16:25 PM
The smoked brisket at Chipotle was really good.
I think they recently brought it back....🤔
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 01, 2022, 02:16:25 PM
The smoked brisket at Chipotle was really good.
Oh yeah. I'm usually a carnitas guy, but I tried that once and it was really good. Unlike barbacoa which I find overseasoned.
Quote from: skluth on February 01, 2022, 12:53:22 PM
Health professionals will cringe, but I'd really like a return of the original McDonald's French fries. For younger people, they were fried in lard (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/original-mcdonalds-french-fry-recipe) and even Julia Child loved them. I still enjoy them hot and fresh, but they're honestly not as good as they once were.
IIRC, they were cooked in beef tallow, not lard. Also, ISTR that McDs dropped it for veggie oil due to objections from the Animal Rights crowd and not from health professionals.
Mike
Culver's buffalo tenders
Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Arby's potato cakes
Popeye's Cajun Rice (side item) :nod:
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on February 01, 2022, 02:22:02 PM
Quote from: skluth on February 01, 2022, 12:53:22 PM
Health professionals will cringe, but I'd really like a return of the original McDonald's French fries. For younger people, they were fried in lard (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/original-mcdonalds-french-fry-recipe) and even Julia Child loved them. I still enjoy them hot and fresh, but they're honestly not as good as they once were.
IIRC, they were cooked in beef tallow, not lard. Also, ISTR that McDs dropped it for veggie oil due to objections from the Animal Rights crowd and not from health professionals.
Mike
I read a book called Fast Food Nation years ago, and I believe you're correct. The original fries were cooked in beef tallow
The King Sized plastic soda cups at Burger King (and other similar, ie McDs, Subway, etc,). Refill it with Diet Coke and there was enough there to last at least two days in either the car or at the desk.
Mike
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 02:32:10 PM
Quote from: mgk920 on February 01, 2022, 02:22:02 PM
Quote from: skluth on February 01, 2022, 12:53:22 PM
Health professionals will cringe, but I'd really like a return of the original McDonald's French fries. For younger people, they were fried in lard (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/original-mcdonalds-french-fry-recipe) and even Julia Child loved them. I still enjoy them hot and fresh, but they're honestly not as good as they once were.
IIRC, they were cooked in beef tallow, not lard. Also, ISTR that McDs dropped it for veggie oil due to objections from the Animal Rights crowd and not from health professionals.
Mike
I read a book called Fast Food Nation years ago, and I believe you're correct. The original fries were cooked in beef tallow
You're correct; the formulation was primarily (though not entirely) beef tallow. McDonald's dropped that over concern about saturated fat; they later changed the formulation again due to concern about trans fats.
I seem to recall a lawsuit in which vegetarians and Hindus sued over the use of beef flavoring in manufacturing the fries after McDonald's phased out the beef tallow blend. I believe the case was settled.
Taco Cabana nixed their Street Tacos in the last year or so. Really liked those.
Only here would so many people remember the McDLT; I enjoyed it more than the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder at the time.
I'll second the fried chicken from Hardee's in the original post. That stuff was like the fast food version of cocaine when I was a kid, I couldn't get enough when I visited family in Florida.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 03:09:16 PM
I'll second the fried chicken from Hardee's in the original post. That stuff was like the fast food version of cocaine when I was a kid, I couldn't get enough when I visited family in Florida.
Far superior to KFC, in my opinion
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 01, 2022, 02:45:09 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 02:32:10 PM
Quote from: mgk920 on February 01, 2022, 02:22:02 PM
Quote from: skluth on February 01, 2022, 12:53:22 PM
Health professionals will cringe, but I'd really like a return of the original McDonald's French fries. For younger people, they were fried in lard (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/original-mcdonalds-french-fry-recipe) and even Julia Child loved them. I still enjoy them hot and fresh, but they're honestly not as good as they once were.
IIRC, they were cooked in beef tallow, not lard. Also, ISTR that McDs dropped it for veggie oil due to objections from the Animal Rights crowd and not from health professionals.
Mike
I read a book called Fast Food Nation years ago, and I believe you're correct. The original fries were cooked in beef tallow
You're correct; the formulation was primarily (though not entirely) beef tallow. McDonald's dropped that over concern about saturated fat; they later changed the formulation again due to concern about trans fats.
I seem to recall a lawsuit in which vegetarians and Hindus sued over the use of beef flavoring in manufacturing the fries after McDonald's phased out the beef tallow blend. I believe the case was settled.
I stand corrected. Pork fat vs beef fat. Never knew there were different words for each. I still wish McDonald's cooked their fries in fat instead of oil.
Wendy's had fried chicken, probably on and off, and the last time I remember it being on the menu was 2004 or so. It was surprisingly good.
Arby's seems to have done away with potato cakes. They had a sandwich called the Triple Cheese and Bacon that I liked (I think you had a choice of beef or chicken on it, and I would get the chicken). They also had breakfast in the early 2000s, which was also good.
It's not fast food, but I really wish Cracker Barrel would bring back the sausage biscuits and steak biscuits.
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 03:26:51 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 03:09:16 PM
I'll second the fried chicken from Hardee's in the original post. That stuff was like the fast food version of cocaine when I was a kid, I couldn't get enough when I visited family in Florida.
Far superior to KFC, in my opinion
Mine too, really made me wish there was a location near me in Michigan at the time. When did it actually disappear from the menu?
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:59:50 AM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 11:56:53 AM
Does anyone remember the McLobster from McDonalds? I’ve never had it, but I’d rather have real lobster and not the fast food version.
I feel that’s one of those regional things McDonalds tried, much like the Mc Fish Fry I mentioned.
Anyone ever live in a market where they tried the McPizza? I never had one.
Tried it once as a child. It was ok, but the crust was burned. It was also at a McDonalds that had a 50s diner theme, much like a modern Denny’s.
I miss Hardee’s fried chicken.
Quote
Wendy's had fried chicken, probably on and off, and the last time I remember it being on the menu was 2004 or so. It was surprisingly good.
It was regional. The ones down here in Richmond didn’t have them, but some up around the DC metro did. I don’t think I ever had it.
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 12:43:33 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 01, 2022, 12:41:57 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:38:42 AM
- McDLT
My biggest complaint is the cheese should've been with the hot items. I'm not a fan of cold cheese on a burger.
That was always my complaint as well. Other than that, they were pretty good.
I remember Wendy's fried chicken being pretty good.
I don't think I ever had Hardee's fried chicken. They didn't have a lot of locations in the DC area; I recall one on Gallows Road in Fairfax County near Luther Jackson Junior High. We didn't eat there very often. But then in the early 1990s, whoever owned Hardee's acquired Roy Rogers (with the exception of locations in turnpike service areas and a few locations owned by franchisees). They then converted the Roy's to Hardee's but kept Roy's fried chicken on the menu under the name "Roy Rogers Recipe Fresh Fried Chicken." The chicken was the same, but the conversion to Hardee's caused a customer revolt and then they tried to convert the restaurants back to "Roy Rogers featuring Hardee's breakfast," but that also flopped and then it all got sold to McDonald's.
Reading this thread makes me wonder why Hardee's needed to introduce Roy Rogers fried chicken if they had their own, unless Roy's chicken was simply better.
(To complete the circle, we didn't have KFC in the DC area when I was a kid. We had Gino's, a burger chain started by some former Baltimore Colts players that somehow acquired the KFC franchise for this part of the country. I'd kind of like to see Gino's make a comeback. I recall the burger called the "Sirloiner" being pretty good.)
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:53:11 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 11:49:02 AM
Nacho fries at Taco Bell.
They come and go at random intervals. They're gone right now, but I wish they would just keep them on the menu permanently.
Maybe it's their version of the McRib. Don't add it permanently, but create a feeding frenzy when you roll it out.
I like the nacho fries but this turns me off of ordering them. Usually I'm ordering for myself and my wife, and sometimes a friend. I want to have my order ready to go by the time I pull up to the speakerbox so that I don't forget anything. If they're playing a stupid "will-they-or-won't-they" game with a menu item, I just assume "won't" so it doesn't get put on the order (I don't want to deal with my wife having the expectation of getting nacho fries and then having to let her down when I get home).
Quote from: mgk920 on February 01, 2022, 02:33:40 PM
The King Sized plastic soda cups at Burger King (and other similar, ie McDs, Subway, etc,). Refill it with Diet Coke and there was enough there to last at least two days in either the car or at the desk.
The King size is now just called Large. It's the same size. (While I was working there in the late 2000s, they changed small→value, medium→small, large→medium, king→large. They claimed it was to meet customer portion size expectations, but I'm guessing it was really because most people order "medium" so this was a way of nudging people toward a larger, more profitable size.)
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 03:54:01 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 03:26:51 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 03:09:16 PM
I'll second the fried chicken from Hardee's in the original post. That stuff was like the fast food version of cocaine when I was a kid, I couldn't get enough when I visited family in Florida.
Far superior to KFC, in my opinion
Mine too, really made me wish there was a location near me in Michigan at the time. When did it actually disappear from the menu?
Apparently some Hardee's locations still have it - it was removed from the menu from most locations in the early 2000s because of the cost, plus Hardee's wanted to focus more on burgers. I also preferred Hardee's fried chicken over KFC (but of course, I now have celiac disease, so even if I could find it, I can't eat it anymore).
Quote from: Takumi on February 01, 2022, 03:57:50 PMIt was regional. The ones down here in Richmond didn't have them, but some up around the DC metro did. I don't think I ever had it.
Yeah, this would have been at the Wendy's in DC that was on K St NW between Connecticut and 18th (I'm almost positive it's gone now).
No mention of the Loaded Potato Griller? That thing was great.
The last few times I've been to Taco Bell, they didn't have the chili cheese burrito on the menu. I always liked it. A couple of them at $1.59 each made a good meal.
McDonald's experimented with bratwurst, at least in Wisconsin they did. It did not le=ast very long.
How about the Donut Chicken Sandwich from KFC. It was basically a slab of fried chicken with two hot glazed donuts replacing the traditional bread. Very messy too.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 06:09:31 PM
How about the Donut Chicken Sandwich from KFC. It was basically a slab of fried chicken with two hot glazed donuts replacing the traditional bread. Very messy too.
That sounds glorious. Did it come with extra crispy as the breading on the chicken?
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 06:09:31 PM
How about the Donut Chicken Sandwich from KFC. It was basically a slab of fried chicken with two hot glazed donuts replacing the traditional bread. Very messy too.
My arteries hardened just reading that!
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 06:55:16 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 06:09:31 PM
How about the Donut Chicken Sandwich from KFC. It was basically a slab of fried chicken with two hot glazed donuts replacing the traditional bread. Very messy too.
That sounds glorious. Did it come with extra crispy as the breading on the chicken?
I think it was the standard chicken.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 06:55:16 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 06:09:31 PM
How about the Donut Chicken Sandwich from KFC. It was basically a slab of fried chicken with two hot glazed donuts replacing the traditional bread. Very messy too.
That sounds glorious. Did it come with extra crispy as the breading on the chicken?
Ha! Like they'd ever actually not be "out" of extra crispy. I think you have a better chance at getting ice cream from McDonald's than getting extra crispy from KFC.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 01, 2022, 07:16:30 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 06:55:16 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 06:09:31 PM
How about the Donut Chicken Sandwich from KFC. It was basically a slab of fried chicken with two hot glazed donuts replacing the traditional bread. Very messy too.
That sounds glorious. Did it come with extra crispy as the breading on the chicken?
Ha! Like they'd ever actually not be "out" of extra crispy. I think you have a better chance at getting ice cream from McDonald's than getting extra crispy from KFC.
KFC has a wild variation by location, you have to find the good ones or just not bother. Fortunately the KFC on Kings Canyon is Fresno is a good one and always has extra crispy.
Quote from: hbelkins on February 01, 2022, 05:39:48 PM
The last few times I've been to Taco Bell, they didn't have the chili cheese burrito on the menu. I always liked it. A couple of them at $1.59 each made a good meal.
Most/all Minnesota locations still have them as of now, as well as the Madison, WI locations (but not Milwaukee's) as of 2018. However, the price is reaching the point it's barely worth it, at 2.79-2.89 per.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 07:18:49 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 01, 2022, 07:16:30 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on February 01, 2022, 06:55:16 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 01, 2022, 06:09:31 PM
How about the Donut Chicken Sandwich from KFC. It was basically a slab of fried chicken with two hot glazed donuts replacing the traditional bread. Very messy too.
That sounds glorious. Did it come with extra crispy as the breading on the chicken?
Ha! Like they'd ever actually not be "out" of extra crispy. I think you have a better chance at getting ice cream from McDonald's than getting extra crispy from KFC.
KFC has a wild variation by location, you have to find the good ones or just not bother. Fortunately the KFC on Kings Canyon is Fresno is a good one and always has extra crispy.
Norman must just be blessed with the bad ones then. (Probably some shithead manager who's overly fixated on food waste and won't let the kitchen cook enough food ahead of time.) At the KFC closest to my house, I once had a transaction take way longer than it should have because I paid with a $20 from the 80s (one of the ones with the cool scrollwork at the top) and the cashier was butthurt that it didn't have a watermark or security strip (the former of which was added in 1996 and the latter of which was added in 1990). Another time they kept bumping cars from the drive-thru window and having someone run them out to the parked cars, and it took them at least three trips to get all of the order to me (I finally gave up and went inside to have it fixed instead of playing telephone with the cooks).
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 01, 2022, 04:26:52 PM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 01, 2022, 11:53:11 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 11:49:02 AM
Nacho fries at Taco Bell.
They come and go at random intervals. They're gone right now, but I wish they would just keep them on the menu permanently.
Maybe it's their version of the McRib. Don't add it permanently, but create a feeding frenzy when you roll it out.
I like the nacho fries but this turns me off of ordering them. Usually I'm ordering for myself and my wife, and sometimes a friend. I want to have my order ready to go by the time I pull up to the speakerbox so that I don't forget anything. If they're playing a stupid "will-they-or-won't-they" game with a menu item, I just assume "won't" so it doesn't get put on the order (I don't want to deal with my wife having the expectation of getting nacho fries and then having to let her down when I get home).
Yeah, it's annoying because it's only really fair to adjust your order on the fly if you're by yourself. When you've got a group, the only other way to do it is just to have a "backup" option... as in, I'll take nacho fries if they have them, otherwise I'll take chips or whatever. But that can get messy too.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 01, 2022, 04:26:52 PM
The King size is now just called Large. It's the same size. (While I was working there in the late 2000s, they changed small→value, medium→small, large→medium, king→large. They claimed it was to meet customer portion size expectations, but I'm guessing it was really because most people order "medium" so this was a way of nudging people toward a larger, more profitable size.)
Are the larger sizes really more profitable? I've always assumed the smallest size is the most profitable, especially with drinks because the price is usually set higher proportional to what you actually get.
Quote from: hbelkins on February 01, 2022, 05:39:48 PM
The last few times I've been to Taco Bell, they didn't have the chili cheese burrito on the menu. I always liked it. A couple of them at $1.59 each made a good meal.
That used to be one of my favorites.
Quote from: Big John on February 01, 2022, 05:59:04 PM
McDonald's experimented with bratwurst, at least in Wisconsin they did. It did not le=ast very long.
I recall at least a couple McDonald's having bratwurst in Iowa and Missouri - think it was in the early 2000's.
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 10:05:16 PM
Are the larger sizes really more profitable? I've always assumed the smallest size is the most profitable, especially with drinks because the price is usually set higher proportional to what you actually get.
Yes. Soda only costs a few cents. Even for foods that do cost money, the food is significantly cheaper than what you're paying for it, and labor costs are the same regardless of what size you get.
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on February 01, 2022, 10:11:20 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on February 01, 2022, 05:39:48 PM
The last few times I've been to Taco Bell, they didn't have the chili cheese burrito on the menu. I always liked it. A couple of them at $1.59 each made a good meal.
That used to be one of my favorites.
As an extension of this, apparently you can still find the chili cheese burrito at a bunch of Taco Bell locations. I found a website (https://chilichee.se/) that shows locations that still carry it, and it turns out it's correct (I verified a few locations on Taco Bell's website). In fact, it's actually cheaper now than it was when it was a regular menu item ($1.49 instead of $1.59).
The final decision to ditch Breakfast Bagels and Wraps, leaving only McMuffins, didn't go down well when McDonalds announced it earlier this week in the UK (though the items hadn't been sold for nearly 2 years anyway, due to reduced pandemic menu).
It's not as if, wrap-wise, they don't have rest-of-the-day wraps. The McMuffins were criticised for being dry - which, compared to wraps, they are.
---
Decent fries at KFC - they weren't amazing, but at least they weren't pseudo-healthy nonsense that don't taste how fast food fries should.
---
Sodas that don't have sweeteners at many of fast food restaurants in the UK. Charge me more (all that extra being pure profit) due to the sugar 'tax' (as McDonalds does), or give me a smaller serving (as I've seen with places that do bottles in the meal deals rather than fountains), rather than offering me the choice of a drink I can't drink or a smaller bottle of water - I don't want either of them!
Quote from: Big John on February 01, 2022, 05:59:04 PM
McDonald's experimented with bratwurst, at least in Wisconsin they did. It did not le=ast very long.
I remember that from a few years back. I think they were a one time promotion during football season, might have even been linked to the Packers in some way. I never tried them, but knowing McDonald's, they would have been flash cooked on their "grill", and not slow grilled over charcoal like bratwurst should be.
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on February 02, 2022, 09:15:24 AM
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on February 01, 2022, 10:11:20 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on February 01, 2022, 05:39:48 PM
The last few times I've been to Taco Bell, they didn't have the chili cheese burrito on the menu. I always liked it. A couple of them at $1.59 each made a good meal.
That used to be one of my favorites.
As an extension of this, apparently you can still find the chili cheese burrito at a bunch of Taco Bell locations. I found a website (https://chilichee.se/) that shows locations that still carry it, and it turns out it's correct (I verified a few locations on Taco Bell's website). In fact, it's actually cheaper now than it was when it was a regular menu item ($1.49 instead of $1.59).
I also used to get the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito (hold the sour cream) when it was $1.59. A couple of those would fill me up. Now, they're considerably more expensive.
I can't remember Wendy's ever having fried chicken, but I did like what Hardee's offered years ago.
Quote from: hbelkins on February 02, 2022, 10:27:31 AMI can't remember Wendy's ever having fried chicken
I could've sworn it was a nationwide thing - they had a tie-in with Purdue and everything.
Quote from: hbelkins on February 02, 2022, 10:27:31 AM, but I did like what Hardee's offered years ago.
My parents still wax poetic about a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich Hardee's sold in the 70s.
Quote from: tchafe1978 on February 02, 2022, 10:10:42 AM
Quote from: Big John on February 01, 2022, 05:59:04 PM
McDonald's experimented with bratwurst, at least in Wisconsin they did. It did not le=ast very long.
I remember that from a few years back. I think they were a one time promotion during football season, might have even been linked to the Packers in some way. I never tried them, but knowing McDonald's, they would have been flash cooked on their "grill", and not slow grilled over charcoal like bratwurst should be.
Your assessment was the same as mine. They're not grilling them or at least boiling them in beer so even if they were J-ville's (which I believe was the case), they still wouldn't be doing them right. In fact, I assumed they'd be precooked from the factory, which to me, a pre-cooked brat is not a brat at all but a brat-flavored hot dog. ;)
Quote from: abefroman329 on February 02, 2022, 11:12:26 AM
My parents still wax poetic about a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich Hardee's sold in the 70s.
I recall Culver's having this on their menu a few years back, though I think it was when I was in Iowa.
Quote from: 1 on February 02, 2022, 07:58:45 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 10:05:16 PM
Are the larger sizes really more profitable? I've always assumed the smallest size is the most profitable, especially with drinks because the price is usually set higher proportional to what you actually get.
Yes. Soda only costs a few cents. Even for foods that do cost money, the food is significantly cheaper than what you're paying for it, and labor costs are the same regardless of what size you get.
I guess if bigger sizes are better for the fast food company and the customer, I'm not sure why they even bother with smaller sizes. If the customer is paying more for what they get, and it's costing the restaurant more to produce less, it seems like nobody wins.
Quote from: webny99 on February 02, 2022, 12:26:52 PMI'm not sure why they even bother with smaller sizes
Granted, I'm a pinko commie, but I prefer to only buy as much pop as I'm going to actually drink. Which, close to 100% of the time, is a McDonalds small size pop.
Taco Salad at Taco Bell. Another reason to "Run" from the border.
Slightly off topic... it's weird that KFC Famous Bowls have stayed on the menu as long as they did. It really seems like something that would be taken off the menu. Heck, it even features popcorn chicken, which has been taken off the menu once before at KFC.
Quote from: MoiraPrime on February 02, 2022, 02:28:16 PM
Slightly off topic... it's weird that KFC Famous Bowls have stayed on the menu as long as they did. It really seems like something that would be taken off the menu. Heck, it even features popcorn chicken, which has been taken off the menu once before at KFC.
Especially after getting roasted by Patton Oswalt, what, fifteen years ago?
Quote from: MoiraPrime on February 02, 2022, 02:28:16 PM
Slightly off topic... it's weird that KFC Famous Bowls have stayed on the menu as long as they did. It really seems like something that would be taken off the menu. Heck, it even features popcorn chicken, which has been taken off the menu once before at KFC.
KFC's original popcorn chicken was great. And that's a name the company really should have preserved the rights to. Instead, they allowed the name to become generic instead of holding on to it like Kleenex or Q-Tips or Band-Aids.
Those bowls are now replicated in frozen dinners. You can get similar products from both Banquet and Stouffer's.
I never had the Hardee's breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, but I've had their breaded pork chop breakfast biscuits. Awesomeness.
Quote from: webny99 on February 02, 2022, 12:26:52 PM
Quote from: 1 on February 02, 2022, 07:58:45 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 10:05:16 PM
Are the larger sizes really more profitable? I've always assumed the smallest size is the most profitable, especially with drinks because the price is usually set higher proportional to what you actually get.
Yes. Soda only costs a few cents. Even for foods that do cost money, the food is significantly cheaper than what you're paying for it, and labor costs are the same regardless of what size you get.
I guess if bigger sizes are better for the fast food company and the customer, I'm not sure why they even bother with smaller sizes. If the customer is paying more for what they get, and it's costing the restaurant more to produce less, it seems like nobody wins.
Decoy pricing. If someone sees the price for a large soda in isolation it might be viewed as expensive. "$2 for a large soda is outrageous!" That customer might choose not to get a soda at all. But if they have a $1.50 small soda that's half the size, suddenly the calculation becomes "I only have to pay 50¢ more for twice as much soda? What a good deal!"
There are people who go to school for four years to come up with these sort of psychological games.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 02, 2022, 05:32:55 PM
Quote from: webny99 on February 02, 2022, 12:26:52 PM
Quote from: 1 on February 02, 2022, 07:58:45 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 10:05:16 PM
Are the larger sizes really more profitable? I've always assumed the smallest size is the most profitable, especially with drinks because the price is usually set higher proportional to what you actually get.
Yes. Soda only costs a few cents. Even for foods that do cost money, the food is significantly cheaper than what you're paying for it, and labor costs are the same regardless of what size you get.
I guess if bigger sizes are better for the fast food company and the customer, I'm not sure why they even bother with smaller sizes. If the customer is paying more for what they get, and it's costing the restaurant more to produce less, it seems like nobody wins.
Decoy pricing. If someone sees the price for a large soda in isolation it might be viewed as expensive. "$2 for a large soda is outrageous!" That customer might choose not to get a soda at all. But if they have a $1.50 small soda that's half the size, suddenly the calculation becomes "I only have to pay 50¢ more for twice as much soda? What a good deal!"
There are people who go to school for four years to come up with these sort of psychological games.
It's also about revenues. You rarely hear a story that says a company made $$$ in profits. You usually hear a story say a company made $$$ in revenue.
Also, most people will only be buying something once during a transaction. By encouraging a person to buy something that costs more, the company is getting more of their money, even when the profit level isn't as great.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 02, 2022, 05:32:55 PM
Quote from: webny99 on February 02, 2022, 12:26:52 PM
Quote from: 1 on February 02, 2022, 07:58:45 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 10:05:16 PM
Are the larger sizes really more profitable? I've always assumed the smallest size is the most profitable, especially with drinks because the price is usually set higher proportional to what you actually get.
Yes. Soda only costs a few cents. Even for foods that do cost money, the food is significantly cheaper than what you're paying for it, and labor costs are the same regardless of what size you get.
I guess if bigger sizes are better for the fast food company and the customer, I'm not sure why they even bother with smaller sizes. If the customer is paying more for what they get, and it's costing the restaurant more to produce less, it seems like nobody wins.
Decoy pricing. If someone sees the price for a large soda in isolation it might be viewed as expensive. "$2 for a large soda is outrageous!" That customer might choose not to get a soda at all. But if they have a $1.50 small soda that's half the size, suddenly the calculation becomes "I only have to pay 50¢ more for twice as much soda? What a good deal!"
There are people who go to school for four years to come up with these sort of psychological games.
It's a tested method to have a Good, Better, Best option when selling anything. Give the lowest price, and that's all the customer will remember. But if you give them options, they can have something better for just a little more. They'll bounce between the adage of "you get what you pay for", but don't want to "look like a sucker" for potentially overpaying.
It really depends on how the pricing structure is set up between the multiple options; if the Best is literally pocket change from the Better option, people will remember the value they received. If it's a real hike to the Best, then they can confidently go to the Better option if money (or the item is not valued) is not an issue.
Quote from: formulanone on February 02, 2022, 06:28:07 PM
It really depends on how the pricing structure is set up between the multiple options; if the Best is literally pocket change from the Better option, people will remember the value they received. If it's a real hike to the Best, then they can confidently go to the Better option if money (or the item is not valued) is not an issue.
That's the reason the structure is usually set up to have the "real hike" between Good and Better, and a smaller hike between Better and Best. They really don't want you buying the Better.
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 01, 2022, 12:45:19 PM
As I recall, the McDLT was phased out when they introduced the McLean Deluxe, which flopped; the McLean Deluxe in turn was phased out in favor of the Arch Deluxe.
A big part of what doomed the McLean Deluxe was the "grand revelation" that it contained carrageenan, a vegetable gum derived from seaweed, to replace some of the fat to keep the burger moist and hold it together. Carrageenan has been used in lots of foods for umpteen decades, but this became the flavor-of-the-day (pardon the expression) for negative ads from McDonald's competitors. "I hear McDonald's uses seaweed in its burgers" said the actor with a look of disgust on his face, and there we go. Demonstrating that duping the public with idiocy is nothing new.
And even if they do use seaweed in their burgers, so what? It's not like seaweed is bad for you or anything. It's used in Japanese cuisine all the time.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 02, 2022, 07:29:24 PM
And even if they do use seaweed in their burgers, so what? It's not like seaweed is bad for you or anything. It's used in Japanese cuisine all the time.
That's a far cry from what people expect on a burger though.
Dunkin Donuts has a bit of a sneaky way to compensate for those that get medium coffees.
Their pricing structure is generally 20 or 30 cents between Small, Medium & Large. At a store near me, the pricing is 1.99, 2.29 & 2.59.
The coffee sizes though are 10 oz, 14 oz & 20 oz.
So for those getting a medium, they are getting what is a poorer value for the size differential from a small to medium compared with a medium to a large.
1. Cheesy Potato Burrito and Grilled Stuffed XXL burrito from Taco Bell
2. The McSkillet Burrito from McDonalds. Doesn't anyone remember this from like 2008-2010? It was one of the best fast food breakfast burritos I've ever had.
3. Eggnog shakes from McDonalds at Christmas time. They have not had them for the past several years for whatever reason.
Two items from Chick Fil A - Banana Pudding Milkshake, and their Frosted Limeaide, which was better than their Frosted Lemonaide.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 02, 2022, 08:08:10 PM
Dunkin Donuts has a bit of a sneaky way to compensate for those that get medium coffees.
Their pricing structure is generally 20 or 30 cents between Small, Medium & Large. At a store near me, the pricing is 1.99, 2.29 & 2.59.
The coffee sizes though are 10 oz, 14 oz & 20 oz.
So for those getting a medium, they are getting what is a poorer value for the size differential from a small to medium compared with a medium to a large.
That's smart on their part, because "those that get medium" is pretty much everyone except those who have figured out exactly what you mention and care enough to get a large instead. (Personally I find a large coffee is too much, so I stick to tea and refreshers.)
I remember the Oreo themed items like the Coolatta, donut, and coffee from Dunkin. I think it was a mistake to do away with them.
Quote from: webny99 on February 02, 2022, 09:30:19 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 02, 2022, 08:08:10 PM
Dunkin Donuts has a bit of a sneaky way to compensate for those that get medium coffees.
Their pricing structure is generally 20 or 30 cents between Small, Medium & Large. At a store near me, the pricing is 1.99, 2.29 & 2.59.
The coffee sizes though are 10 oz, 14 oz & 20 oz.
So for those getting a medium, they are getting what is a poorer value for the size differential from a small to medium compared with a medium to a large.
That's smart on their part, because "those that get medium" is pretty much everyone except those who have figured out exactly what you mention and care enough to get a large instead. (Personally I find a large coffee is too much, so I stick to tea and refreshers.)
I like how in the '80s and before they were really big on the word "Regular". Regular Drink, Regular Fries.
Quote from: RoadWarrior56 on February 02, 2022, 09:05:29 PM
Two items from Chick Fil A - Banana Pudding Milkshake, and their Frosted Limeaide, which was better than their Frosted Lemonaide.
Chick Fil A's milkshakes are generally horrible. They're a dark spot on their menu.
I like their mainstays, though.
Quote from: GCrites80s on February 02, 2022, 09:52:07 PM
I like how in the '80s and before they were really big on the word "Regular". Regular Drink, Regular Fries.
Implying that if you ordered a different size you got irregular fries.
Agreeing with other posters about:
McDonalds Fries cooked in Beef Tallow
Hardee's and Wendy's Fried Chicken
True story re Wendy's fried chicken - Went into a Wendy's to order a three piece fried chicken meal. Order-taker asks me if I want white or dark meat. I'm thinking "WTF ... why not a mix", so I ask for a breast, thigh, and drumstick/wing. Order-taker gets that deer-in-the-headlights look, probably thinking I'm from Mars or something, and just replies "White or dark meat". I figure that the order-taker is under-qualified for the job and instead of trying to explain, just got dark meat.
Not fast food (maybe this should be a spinoff thread), but I would like to see the return of:
Noodles & Co. stroganoff pasta
Red Robin A-1 peppercorn burger
Hardee's Fried Chicken. 😃
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 02, 2022, 05:32:55 PM
Quote from: webny99 on February 02, 2022, 12:26:52 PM
Quote from: 1 on February 02, 2022, 07:58:45 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 10:05:16 PM
Are the larger sizes really more profitable? I've always assumed the smallest size is the most profitable, especially with drinks because the price is usually set higher proportional to what you actually get.
Yes. Soda only costs a few cents. Even for foods that do cost money, the food is significantly cheaper than what you're paying for it, and labor costs are the same regardless of what size you get.
I guess if bigger sizes are better for the fast food company and the customer, I'm not sure why they even bother with smaller sizes. If the customer is paying more for what they get, and it's costing the restaurant more to produce less, it seems like nobody wins.
Decoy pricing. If someone sees the price for a large soda in isolation it might be viewed as expensive. "$2 for a large soda is outrageous!" That customer might choose not to get a soda at all. But if they have a $1.50 small soda that's half the size, suddenly the calculation becomes "I only have to pay 50¢ more for twice as much soda? What a good deal!"
There are people who go to school for four years to come up with these sort of psychological games.
You also have to learn some of the games different chains play. For example, a small pop at BK is a medium pop at McDonald's. Yes, McDonald's has the $1 any size at most stores, but in terms of how much pop you want, different chains have different games.
Right. Before the change I mentioned upthread, BK's sizes matched McDonald's. After the change, they matched Wendy's.
Quote from: dlsterner on February 02, 2022, 11:18:41 PMTrue story re Wendy's fried chicken - Went into a Wendy's to order a three piece fried chicken meal. Order-taker asks me if I want white or dark meat. I'm thinking "WTF ... why not a mix", so I ask for a breast, thigh, and drumstick/wing. Order-taker gets that deer-in-the-headlights look, probably thinking I'm from Mars or something, and just replies "White or dark meat". I figure that the order-taker is under-qualified for the job and instead of trying to explain, just got dark meat.
Well that's just weird - was a three-piece white meat meal a breast and two wings, and a dark meat meal a thigh and two legs?
Quote from: roadman65 on February 02, 2022, 01:03:56 PM
Taco Salad at Taco Bell. Another reason to "Run" from the border.
Dude, I used to LIVE off those things.
Quote from: dlsterner on February 02, 2022, 11:18:41 PM
True story re Wendy's fried chicken - Went into a Wendy's to order a three piece fried chicken meal. Order-taker asks me if I want white or dark meat. I'm thinking "WTF ... why not a mix", so I ask for a breast, thigh, and drumstick/wing. Order-taker gets that deer-in-the-headlights look, probably thinking I'm from Mars or something, and just replies "White or dark meat". I figure that the order-taker is under-qualified for the job and instead of trying to explain, just got dark meat.
Honestly, you're a bit more offended than you should've been. Most places, even chicken fast food restaurants, primarily offer dark meat or white meat meals. If there's a "mix", it is the half chicken option, or you can buy pieces solo.
The options the restaurant offered are white or dark meat. The training consisted of two options - white and dark meat. The register is programmed for those two meals. What qualifications would you demand for someone working a register, a culinary degree?
If you're criticizing a teenager working a fast foot restaurant that specializes in burgers about "fowling" up your not-on-the-menu order, and you still remember it to this day, that's on you, not on the kid working the register.
↑ Especially since if there's a price difference between the white and dark meat... Say three pieces of white meat are $3.59 and three pieces of dark meat are $4.29 and the register is set up to accommodate either of those two orders. Now someone wants to order one piece of white and two pieces of dark? Okay, even if I can figure out $3.59 ÷ 3 + 2 × ($4.29 ÷ 3) in my head* while I have this guy yelling in my ear and the general chaos of the back half of a restaurant going on around me, there's still no way to input that into the register without fucking up the inventory report that management uses to determine how much chicken they need to order next week, and no way to accurately display on the monitor in the kitchen what the customer actually wants (so I have to go back there and tell them and hope they remember by the time they get to that order).
*I'm not mathematically inclined so that would probably take me working out the price on a napkin. Even under the best conditions, that would take more than the 5 seconds of leeway customers give you before assuming you're incompetent at everything.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 03, 2022, 02:51:16 PM
↑ Especially since if there's a price difference between the white and dark meat... Say three pieces of white meat are $3.59 and three pieces of dark meat are $4.29 and the register is set up to accommodate either of those two orders. Now someone wants to order one piece of white and two pieces of dark? Okay, even if I can figure out $3.59 ÷ 3 + 2 × ($4.29 ÷ 3) in my head* while I have this guy yelling in my ear and the general chaos of the back half of a restaurant going on around me, there's still no way to input that into the register without fucking up the inventory report that management uses to determine how much chicken they need to order next week, and no way to accurately display on the monitor in the kitchen what the customer actually wants (so I have to go back there and tell them and hope they remember by the time they get to that order).
*I'm not mathematically inclined so that would probably take me working out the price on a napkin. Even under the best conditions, that would take more than the 5 seconds of leeway customers give you before assuming you're incompetent at everything.
Completely agree. Although white meat normally has the upcharge from dark meat. What savages on this earth actually think a chicken breast is better than a chicken thigh?
I prefer dark meat myself, but get the impression that I'm in the minority on that.
Quote from: I-39 on February 02, 2022, 08:42:17 PM
3. Eggnog shakes from McDonalds at Christmas time. They have not had them for the past several years for whatever reason.
These were damn good and I'm sad they don't have them anymore.
Quote from: webny99 on February 03, 2022, 03:11:51 PMI prefer dark meat myself, but get the impression that I'm in the minority on that.
I agree that dark meat is more flavorful than white meat, but I still prefer white meat for...I dunno, reasons.
I can't eat more than two pieces of fried chicken anyway, and I don't want to get one piece of each.
Quote from: abefroman329 on February 03, 2022, 03:54:01 PM
Quote from: webny99 on February 03, 2022, 03:11:51 PMI prefer dark meat myself, but get the impression that I'm in the minority on that.
I agree that dark meat is more flavorful than white meat, but I still prefer white meat for...I dunno, reasons.
I can't eat more than two pieces of fried chicken anyway, and I don't want to get one piece of each.
Clearly the hierarchy of a fried chicken basket is:
1) Thigh
2) Leg
3) Breast
4) Wing
Quote from: webny99 on February 03, 2022, 03:11:51 PM
I prefer dark meat myself, but get the impression that I'm in the minority on that.
That's what I prefer too.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 03, 2022, 03:58:15 PM
Clearly the hierarchy of a fried chicken basket is:
1) Thigh
2) Leg
3) Breast
4) Wing
I can support this ranking.
I'm just here for the skin, and the rest of the chicken can fuck off. :D
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 03, 2022, 05:27:08 PMI'm just here for the skin, and the rest of the chicken can fuck off. :D
OK Cartman, hope no one pretends you're dead in retaliation.
Quote from: triplemultiplex on February 03, 2022, 05:12:25 PM
Quote from: JayhawkCO on February 03, 2022, 03:58:15 PM
Clearly the hierarchy of a fried chicken basket is:
1) Thigh
2) Leg
3) Breast
4) Wing
I can support this ranking.
1) Leg
2) Breast
3) Thigh
4) Wing
Please resume your normal bickering. :D :D :D
Fully cooked chicken at Costco/Sams Club: $4.99
2 wings at a pizzeria, split into 2 drums & 2 flats: $4.99
Ohhh...speaking of the topic at hand, didn't McDonalds do wings at one point?
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 03, 2022, 05:43:27 PM
Fully cooked chicken at Costco/Sams Club: $4.99
2 wings at a pizzeria, split into 2 drums & 2 flats: $4.99
Ohhh...speaking of the topic at hand, didn't McDonalds do wings at one point?
Yes. They were called Mighty Wings. They were McDonald's attempt to capitalize on game day sales because chicken wings are very popular to eat during a sports game. Unfortunately, everyone thought they were more like fried chicken than actual wings. Ultimately they flopped to the point that they started to discount them heavily. The final nail in the coffin was the steep price tag. No one could justify spending a ton of money on mediocre chicken wings. If you want good wings, go to Buffalo Wild Wings or Wingstop. Not Mickey D's.
^^ article on why they failed: https://www.mashed.com/492304/the-real-reason-mcdonalds-got-rid-of-its-mighty-wings/
The only dark meat I like is drumsticks. Anything else the bone structure is too inconvenient for me to want to deal with. If I'm going to eat something that's horrible for me, at least let me have the benefit of being lazy about it.
My wife won't eat anything on the bone at all. She just hates the flavor of chicken on the bone.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 03, 2022, 06:14:33 PMMy wife won't eat anything on the bone at all. She just hates the flavor of chicken on the bone.
Mine won't either, but she won't eat any meat that's attached to the bone. She's also too squeamish to remove the shells from cooked shrimp.
A lot of people absolutely love boneless, tasteless chicken breasts. My wife and I argue about it when I want to use thighs for a recipe that recommends thighs and she wants to substitute breasts. I suppose, ultimately, it ought to come down to who's cooking that night.
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 03, 2022, 06:39:11 PM
A lot of people absolutely love boneless, tasteless chicken breasts.
The problem I find with breasts is it's hard to cook them properly, because it doesn't take too much overcooking to turn them into dry, shriveled, barely-edible gruel. Usually I put them in my crock pot for 3-4 hours with a little seasoning and they turn out great. A lot of people knock organic foods and not always unjustifiably, but I find organic meat typically tastes much better than "conventional" meat does, including chicken breasts.
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 03, 2022, 06:39:11 PM
A lot of people absolutely love boneless, tasteless chicken breasts. My wife and I argue about it when I want to use thighs for a recipe that recommends thighs and she wants to substitute breasts. I suppose, ultimately, it ought to come down to who's cooking that night.
I pretty much buy skin-on breasts exclusively. The boneless/skinless chicken breasts dry out quickly when cooked, especially on the grill.
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 03, 2022, 07:16:50 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 03, 2022, 06:39:11 PM
A lot of people absolutely love boneless, tasteless chicken breasts. My wife and I argue about it when I want to use thighs for a recipe that recommends thighs and she wants to substitute breasts. I suppose, ultimately, it ought to come down to who's cooking that night.
I pretty much buy skin-on breasts exclusively. The boneless/skinless chicken breasts dry out quickly when cooked, especially on the grill.
If I'm going to grill the boneless/skinless ones, I pretty much always marinate them first. The moisture in the marinade helps a lot in terms of preventing them from drying out, though depending on the specific marinade and how much oil it uses you may have to reduce the heat to avoid flare-ups.
McDonald's has two items I wish they would bring back: McPizza and the cheese danish.
The McPizza lasted a lot longer than everywhere else in the Huntington/Ashland/Ironton (WV/KY/OH Tri-State) area, which is where I partially grew up. Whenever I would visit I would have to get it at least once. Now I think Donato's Pizza may be close to the same thing, but we don't have them in SC where I currently live now.
As for the cheese danish, I think it just got overshadowed by the cinnamon roll sometime in the mid-90's and was just discontinued. I have never been able to find another cheese danish anywhere that compares to McD's.
If you're going to grill boneless skinless breasts, cut them into strips first and then marinade. More marinade goes into the meat, and they cook much quicker so you won't dry out the meat waiting for the center to get done.
Back in the Seventies, Jack In The Box had a Jack Steak Sandwich that I thought was quite tasty. Love to see it come back.
Rick
If I'm eating fried, roasted, or grilled chicken, I prefer breasts over legs or thighs. This is a 180º shift from my childhood, when I preferred legs.
For chicken soup or chicken and dumplings, I have no preference.
Wings are too much trouble to eat to be worth it.
A friend of mine loved thighs. He'd get the three-piece dark meal at KFC and would request all thighs.
There must be a reason that breast strips are all the rage and no one has ever really marketed thigh strips.
Quote from: hbelkins on February 04, 2022, 02:15:22 PM
There must be a reason that breast strips are all the rage and no one has ever really marketed thigh strips.
It's much easier to debone breasts.
Quote from: hbelkins on February 04, 2022, 02:15:22 PMWings are too much trouble to eat to be worth it.
They are kinda like the old Mitch Hedberg joke about rice being great if you want two million of something.
McDonald's also used to have the McSpaghetti. The reason it was cancelled was because spaghetti isn't exactly fast food. It took 10 minutes to cook.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 03, 2022, 05:51:30 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 03, 2022, 05:43:27 PM
Fully cooked chicken at Costco/Sams Club: $4.99
2 wings at a pizzeria, split into 2 drums & 2 flats: $4.99
Ohhh...speaking of the topic at hand, didn't McDonalds do wings at one point?
Yes. They were called Mighty Wings. They were McDonald's attempt to capitalize on game day sales because chicken wings are very popular to eat during a sports game. Unfortunately, everyone thought they were more like fried chicken than actual wings. Ultimately they flopped to the point that they started to discount them heavily. The final nail in the coffin was the steep price tag. No one could justify spending a ton of money on mediocre chicken wings. If you want good wings, go to Buffalo Wild Wings or Wingstop. Not Mickey D's.
Thanks for that reminder of what they were called, although BWW and Wingstop tend to be on the bottom rung for wing places. Most local pizzerias do a better job with wings.
I remember McDonald's advertising "Mighty Wings." I always thought they missed a marketing opportunity by failing to secure the rights to use Cheap Trick's song of that name (from the Top Gun soundtrack, for those who might recall that excellent album).
Quote from: triplemultiplex on February 02, 2022, 12:15:16 PM
Quote from: tchafe1978 on February 02, 2022, 10:10:42 AM
Quote from: Big John on February 01, 2022, 05:59:04 PM
McDonald's experimented with bratwurst, at least in Wisconsin they did. It did not le=ast very long.
I remember that from a few years back. I think they were a one time promotion during football season, might have even been linked to the Packers in some way. I never tried them, but knowing McDonald's, they would have been flash cooked on their "grill", and not slow grilled over charcoal like bratwurst should be.
Your assessment was the same as mine. They're not grilling them or at least boiling them in beer so even if they were J-ville's (which I believe was the case), they still wouldn't be doing them right. In fact, I assumed they'd be precooked from the factory, which to me, a pre-cooked brat is not a brat at all but a brat-flavored hot dog. ;)
I also remember them selling desktop models of Lambeau Field (yes, the building) at that same time (late 1990s - right after the Packers won SB XXXI).
Mike
Quote from: 1 on February 02, 2022, 07:58:45 AM
Quote from: webny99 on February 01, 2022, 10:05:16 PM
Are the larger sizes really more profitable? I've always assumed the smallest size is the most profitable, especially with drinks because the price is usually set higher proportional to what you actually get.
Yes. Soda only costs a few cents. Even for foods that do cost money, the food is significantly cheaper than what you're paying for it, and labor costs are the same regardless of what size you get.
An old cliché is that the most expensive cost item in a cup of soda is the cup. At some of the places where I have worked over the years, that statement was and remains very true.
Mike
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 04, 2022, 02:38:52 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 03, 2022, 05:51:30 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 03, 2022, 05:43:27 PM
Fully cooked chicken at Costco/Sams Club: $4.99
2 wings at a pizzeria, split into 2 drums & 2 flats: $4.99
Ohhh...speaking of the topic at hand, didn't McDonalds do wings at one point?
Yes. They were called Mighty Wings. They were McDonald's attempt to capitalize on game day sales because chicken wings are very popular to eat during a sports game. Unfortunately, everyone thought they were more like fried chicken than actual wings. Ultimately they flopped to the point that they started to discount them heavily. The final nail in the coffin was the steep price tag. No one could justify spending a ton of money on mediocre chicken wings. If you want good wings, go to Buffalo Wild Wings or Wingstop. Not Mickey D's.
Thanks for that reminder of what they were called, although BWW and Wingstop tend to be on the bottom rung for wing places. Most local pizzerias do a better job with wings.
Not if they don't have a deep fryer and are baking them instead.
Quote from: 1995hoo on February 04, 2022, 02:53:45 PM
I remember McDonald's advertising "Mighty Wings." I always thought they missed a marketing opportunity by failing to secure the rights to use Cheap Trick's song of that name (from the Top Gun soundtrack, for those who might recall that excellent album).
For some reason I never heard of the Mighty Wings until they came back in 2013. I was sitting there thinking, "Do they owe Cheap Trick money?"
Quote from: GCrites80s on February 04, 2022, 07:47:59 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 04, 2022, 02:38:52 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 03, 2022, 05:51:30 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 03, 2022, 05:43:27 PM
Fully cooked chicken at Costco/Sams Club: $4.99
2 wings at a pizzeria, split into 2 drums & 2 flats: $4.99
Ohhh...speaking of the topic at hand, didn't McDonalds do wings at one point?
Yes. They were called Mighty Wings. They were McDonald's attempt to capitalize on game day sales because chicken wings are very popular to eat during a sports game. Unfortunately, everyone thought they were more like fried chicken than actual wings. Ultimately they flopped to the point that they started to discount them heavily. The final nail in the coffin was the steep price tag. No one could justify spending a ton of money on mediocre chicken wings. If you want good wings, go to Buffalo Wild Wings or Wingstop. Not Mickey D's.
Thanks for that reminder of what they were called, although BWW and Wingstop tend to be on the bottom rung for wing places. Most local pizzerias do a better job with wings.
Not if they don't have a deep fryer and are baking them instead.
I don't think I'm aware of a single pizzeria that cooks them this way. If they're doing that, then I guess they don't have many other common side items or appetizers that are normally deep-fried.
There are some that put them on a grill, but that's very specifically mentioned as the way they cook them, or as an option.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 04, 2022, 08:02:31 PMI don't think I'm aware of a single pizzeria that cooks them this way.
Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Papa John's all make their wings this way.
Donato's too, and people who work there say that customers who hate baked wings but are ordering pizza too will ask them to run the wings through the oven 2, 3 and even 4 times. At 4X employees report that the wings are almost inedible to most people.
Speaking of McDonald's and chicken, they should make spicy McNuggets a permanent menu item.
Quote from: LilianaUwU on February 04, 2022, 08:24:24 PM
Speaking of McDonald's and chicken, they should make spicy McNuggets a permanent menu item.
I always liked Wendy's spicy nuggets.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 04, 2022, 02:26:53 PM
McDonald's also used to have the McSpaghetti. The reason it was cancelled was because spaghetti isn't exactly fast food. It took 10 minutes to cook.
I don't remember McSpaghetti, but if they want to revive it, they could take some lessons from Gold Star Chili (and I presume Skyline as well) on quick service. I've never had to wait 10 minutes to be served a three-way at Gold Star. Gold Star has table service, but the turnaround time from order to service is very fast.
I used to work at McDonald's, and I remember seeing a picture of McSpaghetti from an internal publication. It was available in The Philippines and they showed someone boiling the noodles in water directly inside what would otherwise be a fryer.
Quote from: ErmineNotyours on February 10, 2022, 07:12:22 AM
I used to work at McDonald's, and I remember seeing a picture of McSpaghetti from an internal publication. It was available in The Philippines and they showed someone boiling the noodles in water directly inside what would otherwise be a fryer.
So wait, they just put water in the fryer and cooked it that way? I don't know if I am mortified or impressed.
Quote from: ErmineNotyours on February 10, 2022, 07:12:22 AM
I used to work at McDonald's, and I remember seeing a picture of McSpaghetti from an internal publication. It was available in The Philippines and they showed someone boiling the noodles in water directly inside what would otherwise be a fryer.
If you want fast food spaghetti with a Filipino flavor, there's always Jollibee (https://www.jollibeefoods.com/collections/spaghetti-and-palabok-fiesta). Their spaghetti comes with little pieces of ham and hot dog. Jollibee's is a Filipino-based chain that can be found in areas where there is a good-sized Filipino population like LA and Virginia Beach.
Quote from: SectorZ on February 10, 2022, 09:09:25 AM
Quote from: ErmineNotyours on February 10, 2022, 07:12:22 AM
I used to work at McDonald's, and I remember seeing a picture of McSpaghetti from an internal publication. It was available in The Philippines and they showed someone boiling the noodles in water directly inside what would otherwise be a fryer.
So wait, they just put water in the fryer and cooked it that way? I don't know if I am mortified or impressed.
Why would you be mortified? Provided they cleaned the fryer thoroughly (or it was never used as a deep fryer to begin with), they're cooking spaghetti the exact same way they cook it at most Italian restaurants.
You don't have to put water straight in the fryer. Just stick a pot filled with water into the fryer. It will boil at 212º without spoiling the 400º frying oil.
Panera Bread Toffee Nut Cookies. There were some of the best cookies I ever ate, and they were suddenly discontinued several years ago.
Quote from: Road Hog on February 11, 2022, 03:51:54 AM
You don't have to put water straight in the fryer. Just stick a pot filled with water into the fryer. It will boil at 212º without spoiling the 400º frying oil.
That too, although I don't think you need or want a violently rolling boil to reheat pasta.
Little Caesars Pizza did spaghetti for awhile in the late '90s or early '00s (it was before their Hot 'n Ready concept). I don't remember how they heated the noodles but the sauce was put in a small pan and run through the oven to heat. I think it failed because it was overpriced and labor-intensive, but I thought the spaghetti sauce was damn good. It was based on a recipe from chain founder Mike Ilitch.
Pizza Hut used to have a pizza in which the crust was made out of hot dogs. It was called the hot dog stuffed crust pizza. The pictures make it look real good.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 11, 2022, 07:22:42 PM
Pizza Hut used to have a pizza in which the crust was made out of hot dogs. It was called the hot dog stuffed crust pizza. The pictures make it look real good.
Anything having to do with Pizza Hut is ralphtastic.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 11, 2022, 07:22:42 PM
Pizza Hut used to have a pizza in which the crust was made out of hot dogs. It was called the hot dog stuffed crust pizza. The pictures make it look real good.
If I remember it right, this was one of those items developed and only sold in certain markets outside North America.
I'm going to be lazy and not go through the other pages, but I don't recall salads being mentioned. Wendy's had a full salad bar that was pretty good. McDonald's and others had smaller side and entree salads. For the most part, the salads weren't too bad.
Wendy still makes prepared salads, although no idea how many they actually sell
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 13, 2022, 01:50:31 PM
Wendy still makes prepared salads, although no idea how many they actually sell
From my time at BK, we'd probably sell about 2-3 a day. More during summer when you either have parents trying to have a "fit" summer or the family on their way up north who rarely eats fast food but didn't plan their meals out well enough that day.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 13, 2022, 01:50:31 PM
I'm going to be lazy and not go through the other pages, but I don't recall salads being mentioned. Wendy's had a full salad bar that was pretty good. McDonald's and others had smaller side and entree salads. For the most part, the salads weren't too bad.
Wendy still makes prepared salads, although no idea how many they actually sell
Quote from: GCrites80s on February 13, 2022, 07:35:40 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 13, 2022, 01:50:31 PM
I'm going to be lazy and not go through the other pages, but I don't recall salads being mentioned. Wendy's had a full salad bar that was pretty good. McDonald's and others had smaller side and entree salads. For the most part, the salads weren't too bad.
Wendy still makes prepared salads, although no idea how many they actually sell
I've heard of this. This was Wendy's attempt to be like Golden Corral. Clearly it didn't last long.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 13, 2022, 07:46:41 PM
Quote from: GCrites80s on February 13, 2022, 07:35:40 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 13, 2022, 01:50:31 PM
I'm going to be lazy and not go through the other pages, but I don't recall salads being mentioned. Wendy's had a full salad bar that was pretty good. McDonald's and others had smaller side and entree salads. For the most part, the salads weren't too bad.
Wendy still makes prepared salads, although no idea how many they actually sell
I've heard of this. This was Wendy's attempt to be like Golden Corral. Clearly it didn't last long.
We used to go to the SuperBar all the time. I remember I was afraid when we saw that the salad bar was going away (because I love making my own salad with so much other stuff on it that you can't see the few shreds of lettuce) but when we saw the SuperBar, it was great--basically the same salad bar plus more. Friends who worked at Wendy's told me how at busy times it was an insane amount of work to keep stocked and clean though.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 13, 2022, 01:31:33 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 11, 2022, 07:22:42 PM
Pizza Hut used to have a pizza in which the crust was made out of hot dogs. It was called the hot dog stuffed crust pizza. The pictures make it look real good.
If I remember it right, this was one of those items developed and only sold in certain markets outside North America.
Correct. The concept went viral when Pizza Hut's Japanese division started aggressively marketing it. It was briefly sold in the US and Canada but didn't take off (apparently it wasn't made quite the same way here, which probably didn't help).
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on February 14, 2022, 10:36:27 AM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 13, 2022, 01:31:33 PM
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 11, 2022, 07:22:42 PM
Pizza Hut used to have a pizza in which the crust was made out of hot dogs. It was called the hot dog stuffed crust pizza. The pictures make it look real good.
If I remember it right, this was one of those items developed and only sold in certain markets outside North America.
Correct. The concept went viral when Pizza Hut's Japanese division started aggressively marketing it. It was briefly sold in the US and Canada but didn't take off (apparently it wasn't made quite the same way here, which probably didn't help).
I think it was also sold in the Middle East, and that there was another concept where the crust area of each slice of pizza was a mini-cheeseburger.
I don't think they sold either one in the US, but they did briefly sell a pizza that had mozzarella sticks on the crust, and it was disgusting.
Quote from: GCrites80s on February 13, 2022, 07:35:40 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 13, 2022, 01:50:31 PM
I'm going to be lazy and not go through the other pages, but I don't recall salads being mentioned. Wendy's had a full salad bar that was pretty good. McDonald's and others had smaller side and entree salads. For the most part, the salads weren't too bad.
Wendy still makes prepared salads, although no idea how many they actually sell
I'm going to guess the Wendy's superbar was a response to Rax Roast Beef. I remember when Rax opened in my hometown in the mid 1980s, we went all the time, then Wendy's seemed to copy their ideas, sans the roast beef of course.
McD's lost me as a customer when they got rid of their entree salads.
I understand why -- they didn't have the greatest margins from their perspective -- and I had hoped it was just a temporary pandemic thing, but it seems to be a longer-term change.
Considering the amount of travel I did pre-pandemic, it was good to have a widely-available quick, predictable meal option that wasn't a burger.
Taco Bell Taco Salad. Loved that edible shell & salsa. :nod:
I miss the mcdonalds breakfast bowl the chorizo and egg one. Although they did not put enough egg in it so i would buy the deluxe breakfast to get more egg for the breakfast bowl
iPhone
Quote from: allniter89 on February 14, 2022, 11:57:54 PM
Taco Bell Taco Salad. Loved that edible shell & salsa. :nod:
Salsarita's has these. It's usually my go-to every time I go there.
Quote from: MikeTheActuary on February 14, 2022, 08:40:49 PM
McD's lost me as a customer when they got rid of their entree salads.
I understand why -- they didn't have the greatest margins from their perspective -- and I had hoped it was just a temporary pandemic thing, but it seems to be a longer-term change.
Considering the amount of travel I did pre-pandemic, it was good to have a widely-available quick, predictable meal option that wasn't a burger.
As far as I can tell nothing has been restored to the menu from the Spring 2020 menu cuts.
The Wendy's SuperBar commercial reminds me that there were a few KFC locations along I-5 in Northern California that advertised an All You Can Eat buffet on billboards. I'm thinking that was late '80s or early '90s, about the same time as those Wendy's ads. One of them was the KFC in Yreka. I didn't have a lot of money at the time so that sounded like a good idea once or twice.
Actually I should probably be posting that comment in a "Fast food items you hope they never bring back" thread.
^^ KFC buffets still exist in sporadic locations.
KFC buffets are common at KFC locations near expressway exits, probably because a meal at a buffet is much faster than a meal where you have to order from a cashier and wait for it to be prepared.
Quote from: Big John on February 15, 2022, 09:10:34 PM
^^ KFC buffets still exist in sporadic locations.
The pandemic looks like it might have taken a lot of these down for the count. For two of Minnesota's KFC buffet locations since spring 2020, the Elk River KFC went out of business entirely. Roseville's KFC removed the buffet space in a remodel. Having lived in Elk River, that KFC probably made a good chunk of its business on that buffet. Couldn't tell you if it was a case of the restaurant being told they couldn't bring it back by their franchise owners despite being asked if they could, or what.
Quote from: abefroman329 on February 16, 2022, 11:39:22 AM
KFC buffets are common at KFC locations near expressway exits, probably because a meal at a buffet is much faster than a meal where you have to order from a cashier and wait for it to be prepared.
Mostly in rural areas. The aforementioned Roseville location that no longer has a buffet was the only one I knew of anywhere near a major metro area.
Quote from: abefroman329 on February 16, 2022, 11:39:22 AM
KFC buffets are common at KFC locations near expressway exits, probably because a meal at a buffet is much faster than a meal where you have to order from a cashier and wait for it to be prepared.
You know the chicken is on warmers, right? The 90 seconds it takes between ordering and getting the meal isn't exactly all that long.
Yes, but if there's other people that have ordered before you, you have to wait through their 90 seconds too.
I remember going to a KFC buffet in Williamsburg with my brother (who went to William & Mary) and a fellow who would later be my fourth-year college roommate (we were visiting my brother). My brother was trying to figure out a way to hide chicken down his shirt and in his pockets to take some back to his dorm. Didn't go particularly well because KFC can be greasy. It got worse later that night after we had too much to drink, as college kids are wont to do, and then wound up laughing way too much at something such that the combination of fried chicken, beer, and liquor led to ugly results involving vomiting at the base of a tree.
Quote from: oscar on February 01, 2022, 01:42:21 PM
I had one in Nova Scotia (forget the year). Really sloppy, couldn't eat it behind the wheel (an important feature of fast food, especially McDs), so I was disappointed.
I can't eat a Big Mac while driving, I usually save it until I pull up to my destination. Or I order something else.
Belgium Waffle at Dennys.
Quote from: roadman65 on February 16, 2022, 11:50:30 PM
Belgium Waffle at Dennys.
Denny's ain't fast food. Heck, the last time my wife went to Denny's, her order was actually forgotten due to incoming online/call orders and she walked out after confirming that after something like half an hour.
I can't remember who originally said it, I think it was Drew Carey, but whoever it was, they said that you don't go to eat at Denny's, you end up there when you can't find anywhere else to eat.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 16, 2022, 03:17:10 PM
Yes, but if there's other people that have ordered before you, you have to wait through their 90 seconds too.
No, because while you're placing your order, they are prepping and bagging their order. Even if the order is "buffet", most of the 90 seconds is taken up by the transaction to pay for it, get your soda cup, etc.
Quote from: oscar on February 01, 2022, 01:42:21 PM
I had one in Nova Scotia (forget the year). Really sloppy, couldn't eat it behind the wheel (an important feature of fast food, especially McDs), so I was disappointed.
No such requirement exists. Otherwise , every fast food place would only offer basic burger or chicken sandwiches with minimal toppings, nuggets without dipping sauces, etc.
Quote from: abefroman329 on February 17, 2022, 12:29:08 PM
I can't remember who originally said it, I think it was Drew Carey, but whoever it was, they said that you don't go to eat at Denny's, you end up there when you can't find anywhere else to eat.
The kids today say Denny's is where you go when it's 3 AM and you've lost control of your life.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 16, 2022, 02:39:25 PM
Quote from: Big John on February 15, 2022, 09:10:34 PM
^^ KFC buffets still exist in sporadic locations.
The pandemic looks like it might have taken a lot of these down for the count. For two of Minnesota's KFC buffet locations since spring 2020, the Elk River KFC went out of business entirely. Roseville's KFC removed the buffet space in a remodel. Having lived in Elk River, that KFC probably made a good chunk of its business on that buffet. Couldn't tell you if it was a case of the restaurant being told they couldn't bring it back by their franchise owners despite being asked if they could, or what.
The Elk River KFC closed due to the Hwy 169 freeway conversion and a planned holding pond at that location, although the closure was earlier than expected. There are rumors that the owners will be rebuilding in another part of town since they will be receiving relocation expenses from Mn/DOT.
Howard Johnson's fried clam strips. Could eat that, and only that, until I couldn't eat any more.
Quote from: Zaphod on February 17, 2022, 02:03:49 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 16, 2022, 02:39:25 PM
Quote from: Big John on February 15, 2022, 09:10:34 PM
^^ KFC buffets still exist in sporadic locations.
The pandemic looks like it might have taken a lot of these down for the count. For two of Minnesota's KFC buffet locations since spring 2020, the Elk River KFC went out of business entirely. Roseville's KFC removed the buffet space in a remodel. Having lived in Elk River, that KFC probably made a good chunk of its business on that buffet. Couldn't tell you if it was a case of the restaurant being told they couldn't bring it back by their franchise owners despite being asked if they could, or what.
The Elk River KFC closed due to the Hwy 169 freeway conversion and a planned holding pond at that location, although the closure was earlier than expected. There are rumors that the owners will be rebuilding in another part of town since they will be receiving relocation expenses from Mn/DOT.
Ah, that would make sense. Thank you.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 17, 2022, 12:58:38 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 16, 2022, 03:17:10 PM
Yes, but if there's other people that have ordered before you, you have to wait through their 90 seconds too.
No, because while you're placing your order, they are prepping and bagging their order. Even if the order is "buffet", most of the 90 seconds is taken up by the transaction to pay for it, get your soda cup, etc.
Will you please go to my KFC and tell them they're doing it wrong then?
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 17, 2022, 03:17:14 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 17, 2022, 12:58:38 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 16, 2022, 03:17:10 PM
Yes, but if there's other people that have ordered before you, you have to wait through their 90 seconds too.
No, because while you're placing your order, they are prepping and bagging their order. Even if the order is "buffet", most of the 90 seconds is taken up by the transaction to pay for it, get your soda cup, etc.
Will you please go to my KFC and tell them they're doing it wrong then?
I can't believe we even need a discussion on how a fast food restaurant should operate. Sure, some aren't as efficient, but it's a pretty basic concept. Having enough employees helps.
"Should" and "does" don't often overlap.
I say this as someone who managed fast food. Yeah, we "should" have gotten orders out in 2m 30s drive and 3m front counter. Did that happen most of the time? No. Because we didn't sell enough food to pay for the four people in the kitchen and four doing customer service that it would take to make that happen. And even if we did, if there's someone in line ahead of you that ordered 20 cheeseburgers, it just straight up isn't going to happen.
And we still did a better job of it than KFC.
Quote from: Scott5114 on February 18, 2022, 12:04:27 AMAnd we still did a better job of it than KFC.
And probably did a much better job of it than Popeye's.
The old KFC near our place (saving for the inevitable "What's the closest fast food place you've never been to?" thread) closed and became Vons Chicken (where the "K" now stands for "Korean"). That's a nice upgrade.
On-topic: Roy Rogers used to have more locations and might still have a burger bar -- basically a salad bar's worth of toppings to customize your burger. They handed you a bun and plain patty and you did the rest. That was fantastic.
Speaking of KFC buffets, are there any more Pizza Huts that offer their lunch buffet? I used to love that!
^^ The last time I went to Pizza Hut in Wisconsin a year ago, they still had the lunch buffet.
Quote from: Big John on February 18, 2022, 11:56:46 PM
^^ The last time I went to Pizza Hut in Wisconsin a year ago, they still had the lunch buffet.
Nice!! Most of the Pizza Huts I see around here are just carry out. I do miss the dine in Pizza Hut experience as an 80s kid! Scratched red soda cups, a Galaga/Pac Man tabletop machine. Good times!
Quote from: OCGuy81 on February 19, 2022, 12:04:47 AM
Quote from: Big John on February 18, 2022, 11:56:46 PM
^^ The last time I went to Pizza Hut in Wisconsin a year ago, they still had the lunch buffet.
Nice!! Most of the Pizza Huts I see around here are just carry out. I do miss the dine in Pizza Hut experience as an 80s kid! Scratched red soda cups, a Galaga/Pac Man tabletop machine. Good times!
The Pizza Hut in Princeton, MN still did leading up to COVID. No idea if they brought it back or not now. I think a lot of these remaining are in rural or semi-rural locations that corporate Pizza Hut has designs on shuttering as many of as possible in the not too distant future.
Quote from: kurumi on February 18, 2022, 12:56:35 PM
The old KFC near our place (saving for the inevitable "What's the closest fast food place you've never been to?" thread) closed and became Vons Chicken (where the "K" now stands for "Korean"). That's a nice upgrade.
On-topic: Roy Rogers used to have more locations and might still have a burger bar -- basically a salad bar's worth of toppings to customize your burger. They handed you a bun and plain patty and you did the rest. That was fantastic.
The Roy Rogers Fixin's Bar was shut down during the pandemic, but the location nearest to us announced they were bringing it back. Not sure if they've done that yet. During the pandemic, they'd give you a little cup with some burger toppings.
Does Arby's still sell the exclusive "meat mountain" sandwich? Like the one with every type of meat?
Quote from: elsmere241 on February 16, 2022, 11:42:33 PM
Quote from: oscar on February 01, 2022, 01:42:21 PM
I had one in Nova Scotia (forget the year). Really sloppy, couldn't eat it behind the wheel (an important feature of fast food, especially McDs), so I was disappointed.
I can't eat a Big Mac while driving, I usually save it until I pull up to my destination. Or I order something else.
If I'm going to eat while driving & I often do. I go to Arbys & get 2 Classic Roast Beef sandwiches with no sauce or McD Fish with no tarter sauce. Or sliders. damn now I'm hungry bbl :wave:
I would love to see McLobster make its return, at least on a regional/seasonal basis.
I would also love to see McSpaghetti and McPizza return, again maybe just as a promotional thing.
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 12:01:56 AM
I would love to see McLobster make its return, at least on a regional/seasonal basis.
I would also love to see McSpaghetti and McPizza return, again maybe just as a promotional thing.
With the issues mentioned regarding a fast food restaurant cooking spaghetti, especially as they strongly focus on drive thru speed, McSpaghetti will never be back on the menu. McPizza has almost no chance either, although I don't say never with that one. McDonalds will look at handheld sandwich ideas and continue to develop options that allows then to cook quickly and allows the consumer to eat without utensils.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 21, 2022, 12:44:03 AM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 12:01:56 AM
I would love to see McLobster make its return, at least on a regional/seasonal basis.
I would also love to see McSpaghetti and McPizza return, again maybe just as a promotional thing.
With the issues mentioned regarding a fast food restaurant cooking spaghetti, especially as they strongly focus on drive thru speed, McSpaghetti will never be back on the menu. McPizza has almost no chance either, although I don't say never with that one. McDonalds will look at handheld sandwich ideas and continue to develop options that allows then to cook quickly and allows the consumer to eat without utensils.
There are other factors at play, both were introduced in the first place for a reason.
While I am skeptical that appealing to the dinner crowd is a viable reason for introducing either again, other things have changed since then. McDonald's has positioned its dining experience at least somewhat more upmarket, and still seems to want to market to a customer base that is not eating there now.
And then there is another factor, social media. A product that would, under normal circumstances, be a flop can have unusually strong appeal due to social media marketing and the bandwagon effect. Example, McPizza, for a limited time only, not available in all locations, try it before its gone.
Did anyone really think the Land, Air, and Sea would be a menu item 10 years ago?
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 01:05:17 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 21, 2022, 12:44:03 AM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 12:01:56 AM
I would love to see McLobster make its return, at least on a regional/seasonal basis.
I would also love to see McSpaghetti and McPizza return, again maybe just as a promotional thing.
With the issues mentioned regarding a fast food restaurant cooking spaghetti, especially as they strongly focus on drive thru speed, McSpaghetti will never be back on the menu. McPizza has almost no chance either, although I don't say never with that one. McDonalds will look at handheld sandwich ideas and continue to develop options that allows then to cook quickly and allows the consumer to eat without utensils.
There are other factors at play, both were introduced in the first place for a reason.
While I am skeptical that appealing to the dinner crowd is a viable reason for introducing either again, other things have changed since then. McDonald's has positioned its dining experience at least somewhat more upmarket, and still seems to want to market to a customer base that is not eating there now.
And then there is another factor, social media. A product that would, under normal circumstances, be a flop can have unusually strong appeal due to social media marketing and the bandwagon effect. Example, McPizza, for a limited time only, not available in all locations, try it before its gone.
In 2022, how much actual curiosity would there be about crappy novelty fast foot spaghetti or pizza? In today's world there are dozens of dedicated, well-known, superior options for these just clicks away. Spaghetti is fairly easy to make at home to a quality that does better than most restaurants.
I think McDonald's problem has been spending too much time on stupid gimmicks and not focusing enough on improving their basic menu offerings, which can be some of the best in the business.
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 12:01:56 AM
I would love to see McLobster make its return, at least on a regional/seasonal basis.
I would also love to see McSpaghetti and McPizza return, again maybe just as a promotional thing.
Regarding the McLobster, I don't see that making a comeback either because of possible health concerns. Even in regions where lobster is popular, like New England, there would also be sales issues because there are way better places to get a lobster roll, including your local grocery store
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 21, 2022, 12:44:03 AMMcPizza has almost no chance either, although I don't say never with that one.
I'll say "never." McPizza requires a separate oven that does nothing but make pizza, and your average McDonalds kitchen doesn't have much unused space to begin with. Never.
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 01:05:17 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 21, 2022, 12:44:03 AM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 12:01:56 AM
I would love to see McLobster make its return, at least on a regional/seasonal basis.
I would also love to see McSpaghetti and McPizza return, again maybe just as a promotional thing.
With the issues mentioned regarding a fast food restaurant cooking spaghetti, especially as they strongly focus on drive thru speed, McSpaghetti will never be back on the menu. McPizza has almost no chance either, although I don't say never with that one. McDonalds will look at handheld sandwich ideas and continue to develop options that allows then to cook quickly and allows the consumer to eat without utensils.
There are other factors at play, both were introduced in the first place for a reason.
While I am skeptical that appealing to the dinner crowd is a viable reason for introducing either again, other things have changed since then. McDonald's has positioned its dining experience at least somewhat more upmarket, and still seems to want to market to a customer base that is not eating there now.
And then there is another factor, social media. A product that would, under normal circumstances, be a flop can have unusually strong appeal due to social media marketing and the bandwagon effect. Example, McPizza, for a limited time only, not available in all locations, try it before its gone.
Did anyone really think the Land, Air, and Sea would be a menu item 10 years ago?
Land, Sea and Air is technically a combo meal. They give you the individual sandwiches and you build the burger yourself. McDonalds is doing it because of the profit aspect of someone buying 3 sandwiches at once. Sandwiches which are already on the menu.
As mentioned by Abe, the other things you desire to come back aren't as easy to prepare with their existing equipment. And they're, after all, a fast food restaurant. They've gotten themselves in trouble in the past by attempting menu items that may cater to more affluent customers or may take longer to prepare, only to irritate their bread-and-butter customers, sending then elsewhere. Many of the more expensive burger and chicken sandwich options have disappeared. They have limited kitchen staff and room that can't be spread too thin, so menu options need to take that into consideration as well. Their all-day breakfast was discontinued at many locations for these reasons.
And social media can be a blessing or a curse. I can't see the world going wild over McD's Spaghetti.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 21, 2022, 09:48:04 AM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 01:05:17 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 21, 2022, 12:44:03 AM
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 12:01:56 AM
I would love to see McLobster make its return, at least on a regional/seasonal basis.
I would also love to see McSpaghetti and McPizza return, again maybe just as a promotional thing.
With the issues mentioned regarding a fast food restaurant cooking spaghetti, especially as they strongly focus on drive thru speed, McSpaghetti will never be back on the menu. McPizza has almost no chance either, although I don't say never with that one. McDonalds will look at handheld sandwich ideas and continue to develop options that allows then to cook quickly and allows the consumer to eat without utensils.
There are other factors at play, both were introduced in the first place for a reason.
While I am skeptical that appealing to the dinner crowd is a viable reason for introducing either again, other things have changed since then. McDonald's has positioned its dining experience at least somewhat more upmarket, and still seems to want to market to a customer base that is not eating there now.
And then there is another factor, social media. A product that would, under normal circumstances, be a flop can have unusually strong appeal due to social media marketing and the bandwagon effect. Example, McPizza, for a limited time only, not available in all locations, try it before its gone.
Did anyone really think the Land, Air, and Sea would be a menu item 10 years ago?
Land, Sea and Air is technically a combo meal. They give you the individual sandwiches and you build the burger yourself. McDonalds is doing it because of the profit aspect of someone buying 3 sandwiches at once. Sandwiches which are already on the menu.
As mentioned by Abe, the other things you desire to come back aren't as easy to prepare with their existing equipment. And they're, after all, a fast food restaurant. They've gotten themselves in trouble in the past by attempting menu items that may cater to more affluent customers or may take longer to prepare, only to irritate their bread-and-butter customers, sending then elsewhere. Many of the more expensive burger and chicken sandwich options have disappeared. They have limited kitchen staff and room that can't be spread too thin, so menu options need to take that into consideration as well. Their all-day breakfast was discontinued at many locations for these reasons.
And social media can be a blessing or a curse. I can't see the world going wild over McD's Spaghetti.
I am aware of how it works, but that does not change the fact that something like that would never have been unremarkable without social media.
Again, read what I wrote about limited time and
select locations, they have excellent data on where might be a good place for these.
Of course the recent state of affairs is an entirely different matter, service and quality have completely gone down the tubes, but presumably this is not permanent, at least we hope not.
Quote from: abefroman329 on February 21, 2022, 09:08:51 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on February 21, 2022, 12:44:03 AMMcPizza has almost no chance either, although I don't say never with that one.
I'll say "never." McPizza requires a separate oven that does nothing but make pizza, and your average McDonalds kitchen doesn't have much unused space to begin with. Never.
Bold of you to assume it wouldn't be microwaved.
Same goes for spaghetti, honestly. When Burger King had mac and cheese (do they still?) that's how it was done. Noodles and sauce were pre-prepared (they were soft when we got them) and put in a pouch, which was cut open, poured into a cup, and microwaved. Then sent on down the chute.
Quote from: BlueOutback7 on February 19, 2022, 09:20:50 AM
Does Arby's still sell the exclusive "meat mountain" sandwich? Like the one with every type of meat?
They no longer advertise it, but it still exists as a "secret" menu item and some Arby's will make it for you if you ask.
Quote from: HighwayStar on February 21, 2022, 01:41:25 PM.
Again, read what I wrote about limited time and select locations, they have excellent data on where might be a good place for these.
You're right about their excellent data. Which is why they aren't selling it in the US.
It appears they are selling it in the Philippines, and only there.