It seemed like a new press release was coming out of Jack in the Box headquarters every 15 minutes the last couple days, so instead of making several small posts, I’m combining all the information for you, cutting out the boring dribble, and posting only the good stuff below. I used Photoshop to create a nice graphic collage with all four new products for your viewing pleasure, using photos supplied by Jack’s reps.

1) Teriyaki Bowls are back! — In 1993 the original Teriyaki Bowl was introduced and had a successful run of 10 years, but it was removed from the menu in 2003 due to “changing tastes” of customers. Over the past 5 years the company has received lots of requests to bring it back, and now they have. Jack’s Teriyaki Bowls are made from steamed white rice, broccoli florets and carrots, with chicken or sirloin steak, and topped with teriyaki sauce, then served in a sealed bowl for easy on-the-go eating. The new Chicken bowl sells for $4.29 and the Sirloin Steak bowl is $4.79.

2) Introducing: Mini Churros — Based on the classic Latin-style treat, Jack’s new Mini Churros are bite-sized pastries sprinkled and filled with cinnamon and sugar. Aimed at satisfying your sweet tooth, a 5-piece order is $1 and 10-piece is $1.89.

3) New Homestyle Chicken Sandwiches — Jack has introduced a new “Homestyle” chicken filet, served in two versions. The Homestyle Ranch Chicken Club is $4.29, featuring a chicken filet on a toasted bakery-style bun, bacon, Swiss cheese, green leaf lettuce and sliced tomato topped with ranch sauce. Next is the $2.99 Breakfast Homestyle Chicken Biscuit with a chicken filet on a warm buttermilk biscuit.

4) “Beanie Jack” Antenna Ball — People have been cruising around with the head of Jack in the Box spokesman “Jack Box” attached to their car antennas for over 10 years. Now they’re introducing a new version to help raise funds and awareness for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, an organization that helps kids keep their lives on track, with volunteers at over 400 agencies across America. The new Beanie Jack Antenna Balls should be available today at most Jack in the Box locations, and will sell for $1 each, with 70 percent of sales going to the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.

If you’re like me, you were probably excited and intrigued when you heard about Jack’s new menu item. The thought of deep fried macaroni and cheese is pretty darn cool. But unfortunately, not all ‘cool’ ideas result in great products. Such is the case with the Cheesy Macaroni Bites. My initial excitement has turned to overall disappointment.

Size-wise, they’re a little bit larger than a chicken nugget, but thinner. They look good enough. In fact, the coating is a thing of beauty, with just the right color and texture you would expect from a tasty deep fried snack. It’s crispy, golden brown, and breaks away with a satisfying crunch, revealing the soft noodles and cheese packed inside. The shell is nice, no doubt. The problem — crust to filling (flavor) ratio is way off.

You cannot taste enough Mac N Cheese! More specifically, cheese. The coating is simply overpowering. The end result is a snack that’s not very cheesy, doesn’t remind me of the traditional dish, and tastes pretty bland. I wanted to like these. I really did. Heck, I was ready to LOVE these. But I’m sorry, they’re not worthy of the love.

I’ve tried them 3 times, at 3 different locations. There were slight differences in how well-done each order was cooked, with some being darker brown and more crunchy than others, but the bottom line was always the same — crust steals the show.

The photo above was taken after slicing one in half with a knife, after my attempts to photograph a bitten piece proved too sloppy. As you can see, the noodles are plentiful and everything appears in order, but looks can be deceiving. What you can’t detect from the picture is the lack of richness or strong flavor in the cheese sauce. And between the thick coating and the pasta, the cheese is muted and doesn’t stand a chance of making much of an impact on your taste buds.

I still believe in the basic idea. I’m sure there’s a way to make this work, but this is not the right balance. They need a thinner shell, and to increase the cheese content.

The Cheesy Macaroni Bites from Jack in the Box failed to deliver the beloved taste of the classic favorite I was hoping for. The flavor of macaroni and cheese is not strong enough, or satisfying enough for me to desire eating them again. They don’t taste bad, they’re OK, but the ‘average’ label is totally appropriate here. Nothing special.

Price: $2.99 (6 piece) / Website: JackInTheBox.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C

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Nutrition Facts - Jack in the Box, Cheesy Macaroni Bites (6 piece).

Calories - 440
Calories from Fat - 230
Total Fat - 25 grams
Carbs - 41 grams
Saturated Fat - 10 grams
Trans Fat - 4 grams
Cholesterol - 30 milligrams
Sodium - 1220 milligrams
Protein - 13 grams

Jack in the Box has contacted FFC to announce the introduction of an interesting new item, Cheesy Macaroni Bites. They’re calling it a tasty twist on the traditional dish. Featuring wedges of macaroni noodles and real Kraft cheese enveloped in a crunchy tempura-style coating. Easy to eat on the go, and a perfect snack or side order.

“Mac ‘N’ Cheese is an American classic that’s universally loved,” said Teka O’Rourke, director of menu marketing and promotions for Jack in the Box Inc. “Our new Cheesy Macaroni Bites offer the same great flavor of the original dish, but in a unique, finger-food style that’s very convenient and portable.” Jack’s new Cheesy Macaroni Bites are priced at $1.69 for three pieces and $2.99 for six pieces. Available today!

You have to wait until next week to pick up your free tacos at Jack In The Box, but you can visit the Fast Food Maven today, and hear an exclusive interview with the man himself, Mr. Jack Box. That’s right, the Maven recently had a live phone conversation with the legendary fast food icon, and we’re all invited to listen in. Check it out.

This just in from the Jack In The Box Newsroom — SAN DIEGO. If filling up your fuel tank is draining your wallet, Jack in the Box is here to help ease your gas-pump pain. On Thursday, June 26, Jack in the Box restaurants will give two free (yes, free!) regular tacos to any guest who presents a gas receipt. “The rising price of fuel is really putting the pinch on consumers” said Terri Graham, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Jack in the Box Inc. “Giving away free tacos is our way of letting guests know that Jack’s got their back in these tough economic times.”

What: Jack in the Box restaurants will give away two free tacos to guests who present a valid gas receipt. Limit of one order of tacos per guest. No purchase necessary. Duplicates or copies will not be accepted.

When: Thursday, June 26, from midnight to 11:59 p.m.

Where: All participating Jack in the Box restaurants.

Editor’s Note — There’s no catch. Just show up with an original receipt from a recent gasoline purchase (any gas station) and get 2 Free Tacos. Simple as that.

SAN DIEGO — When Jack in the Box introduced its 100% Sirloin Burger last year, it caused a few ripples in the quick-serve industry. Not only did they introduce the first all-sirloin burger offered by a major fast-food chain, they also unleashed a clever advertising campaign that caught the attention of consumers and the competition. This week, the New York American Marketing Association awarded Jack’s “Sirloin vs. Angus” ad campaign with the Gold Effie Award in the Fast-Food category. The advertising campaign, which included television, radio and print ads, highlighted the high-quality of the chain’s 100% Sirloin Burger by using humor and a play on words to differentiate it from several competitors who offer Angus burgers.

“Our ads promoting the 100% Sirloin Burger really resonated with our guests and were very effective in driving traffic to our restaurants,” said Terri Graham, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Jack in the Box Inc. “It was a very successful campaign and it’s extremely gratifying for it to be recognized with a gold Effie award.” The 2008 Effie Awards recognize creative achievement in meeting and exceeding an advertising campaign’s business and sales objectives. – Source: JITB / Effie.

Editor’s Note: I recently reviewed Jack’s BBQ Bacon Sirloin Burger. Good stuff.

The nice people at Jack In The Box have contacted me with details and press releases about two new products available this week.

First is the Iced Coffee — Made from a blend of French roast coffee, 2 percent milk and ice, Jack’s new Iced Coffee comes in three rich and delicious flavors - Original, Vanilla and Caramel. “Our new Iced Coffee is a great way to chill out on hot summer days” said Teka O’Rourke, director of menu marketing and promotions at Jack in the Box Inc. “And thanks to our convenient drive-thru, you won’t have to leave the comfort of your air-conditioned car to get one.”

Jack’s new Iced Coffee is available now, in both 16 and 24 ounce servings for the suggested prices, excluding tax, of $1.69 and $1.89, respectively, at all participating Jack in the Box restaurants.

Next is the new Kona Coffee Shake — A rich and creamy confection of real vanilla ice cream blended with the flavor of Kona coffee topped with a dollop of whipped topping and a maraschino cherry. “Jack in the Box is known as an innovator when it comes to shakes, and our new Kona Coffee version lives up to that tradition” said Teka O’Rourke, director of menu marketing and promotions at Jack in the Box Inc. “It has a sophisticated flavor that will appeal to shake and coffee fans alike.”

Jack’s new Kona Coffee Shake is available now, in both 16 and 24 ounce servings for the suggested prices, excluding tax, of $2.49 and $2.99, respectively.

Did you know Jack In The Box is outfitting their restaurants with Free Wi-Fi? They are doing it quietly as part of their remodeling plan, and so far it’s included stores in California and Arizona. Despite the lack of any official announcement from JITB, Jeff at Knowzy.com confirmed it was true back in February, and now he’s created a Complete Guide to Jack In The Box Free Wi-Fi.

He’s done a great job with this guide, covering everything from the basics to the more advanced stuff. Pros and cons, how to sign-on, how to recognize which Jack in the Box locations offer the service, who powers the new system, etc.

Preparing good fish can be a tricky thing even when fresh. When dealing with the frozen and fast food variety, it becomes even more of a challenge. Despite being the underdog in a world full of burgers, chicken and tacos, the fish sandwich continues to survive on many fast food menus. One of the places offering a simple entry into the category is Jack In The Box, with their appropriately named “Fish Sandwich”.

Instead of a single large fish filet, there are two smaller triangle shaped pieces. These fish-twins are topped with a large whole-leaf of lettuce, packed inside a sesame seed bun. That’s it, fish, lettuce and bun. Tartar sauce comes in a packet on the side.

The pieces of fish are battered and very crunchy on the outside. They remained that way from the first bite until the end of the sandwich. That’s one of their main strengths. Their main weakness is size. They are not very big, and not very thick. There’s just not much fish inside. However, it does have a pleasant flavor, it’s flakey with a natural texture and consistency. There’s not much of it — but the fish is good.

The lettuce was fresh and crisp, but it almost drowned the fish with it’s size. I like fresh lettuce on almost any type of sandwich, so I can’t complain too much for getting such a large piece. I just wish the fish was of the same proportions. The crunchy batter and crispy lettuce combined for satisfying loud bites from beginning to end.

It’s a really simple sandwich, but it’s got a solid foundation. The one thing that keeps popping into my head — I wish it had more fish. Then again, it only costs $2.39 and my wishes would likely push the sandwich into the $3 to $4 range. Jack In The Box is trying to satisfy a basic need with this offering. Perhaps a larger or ‘deluxe’ version might become available if the demand is there in the future. I certainly hope so.

The Fish Sandwich from Jack In The Box is crispy, tasty and inexpensive, but it won’t satisfy a big appetite. The price is cheap enough to justify purchasing 2 of them for some hungry eaters. On the other hand, it still costs too much for multiple buys from the dollar-menu crowd. I do like this sandwich, but it would be easier to recommend as a bargain if the price was under $2, or a bigger-better sandwich with more fish.

Price: $2.39 / Website: JackInTheBox.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B-

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Nutrition Facts - Jack In The Box has not published the nutrition information for this product. Fast Food Critic makes a point of posting nutrition data with every food review, and will update once they make the information available.

I don’t eat many breakfast items these days, because I’m usually not awake early enough to visit during the limited hours they are being served. This is not a problem at Jack In The Box because their breakfast menu is available around the clock.

After so many big meals recently, I have decided to eat something ‘light’. I’ve seen the french toast sticks advertised and they appeared to be the item I was looking for. They offer a blueberry version, so I picked those. I got four sticks for $1.69, which is a good deal. They come with a small container of Log Cabin Maple Syrup on the side.

They had a golden crunchy outer layer that caved-in from the pressure of my first bite, revealing a soft and chewy warm center. The taste was similar to real french toast, and the texture reminded me of a cake-donut that had just been cooked. There’s a light coating of powdered sugar on the outside, and small specs of blueberries are barely visible. The problem is there aren’t many blueberries outside, and none on the inside. A couple of my sticks contained hardly any at all. That was very disappointing.

After eating the first one plain, I dipped the next one in maple syrup. That made a big difference, and I found myself flooded with memories of french toast breakfasts from days gone past. These little things are pretty good. They have a genuine french toast flavor, and would make a great snack for any time of day, not just breakfast. Each stick is about the size of a granola bar, but much lighter of course. Plan on eating all 4.

About those Blueberries — Not only were they hard to see, they were hard to taste. There was the occasional lucky bite, but otherwise I would never have known I was eating the blueberry variety. That’s unfortunate, but maybe I got a weak batch of sticks. I will go back again later, and post an update for this review if anything changes.

The Blueberry French Toast Sticks from Jack In The Box are light, tasty and cheap. They have a wonderful crunch followed by a soft chewy middle. They are especially good when using the included maple syrup. Jack has basically turned french toast into a portable snack. My only real complaint is the lack of blueberries, and seeing how these are the blueberry version, that’s a significant complaint.

Price: $1.69 (4 sticks) / Website: JackInTheBox.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C+

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Jack In The Box, Blueberry French Toast Sticks (4).

Calories - 450
Calories from Fat - 180
Total Fat - 20 grams
Carbs - 59 grams
Saturated Fat - 4.5 grams
Trans Fat - 4.5 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 550 milligrams