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.
Fast Food Critic Score:
4 out of 5 stars.
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.
Fast Food Critic Score:
3.5 out of 5 stars.
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
Wow, that’s a big burger. And it looks great. Those were my first thoughts after seeing my BBQ Bacon Sirloin Burger from Jack In The Box. And since I just got a new camera, this was a good opportunity for a close-up. Aside from the poor lighting, the shots came out nicely. There’s no denying this burger is a thing of beauty, at least by fast-food standards. But we all know looks can sometimes be deceiving, so let’s start eating and see if this burger has the brawn to back up the beauty.
My first bite was impressive, with a smokey flavor that reminded me of something cooked at home on the grill. The meat was tender, and still had some juices left inside. The sirloin heritage of the patty is obvious, and it has a better taste and texture than average run-of-the-mill fast food burgers. Believe it or not, it’s also attractive, with a natural beef look, as opposed to the Quarter Pounder’s clone-like appearance.
On top of the big sirloin patty are onion rings, bacon strips, American cheese and barbecue sauce. It all sits inside a bun that looks like a bakery roll, and has another slice of American cheese on the bottom half. Each component was tasty, cooked properly, and made it’s own contribution to a great package. The toasted roll had a buttered outer-layer and soft doughy center. The onion rings were crunchy and slightly sweet. The bacon was sliced thin and cooked crisp. The cheese was melted around the patty and bun. And the tangy barbecue sauce was the perfect finishing touch.
MMMMMMmmmmm — I said out-loud while eating and taking the photos. I cannot comment on quality, source or nutritional value of the ingredients used in this product, but from the standpoint of a pure fast-food eating experience — This burger rocks!
It’s a wonderfully delicious combination of flavors and textures. The kind of thing that inspires people to re-create the same recipe at home. It also inspires angry words and sometimes even lawsuits. Carl’s Jr says this new burger from Jack In The Box is a “Blatant Rip-Off” of their Western Bacon Cheeseburger, an item they have been serving for over 25 years with the same basic ingredients. So there’s more spice to this story, than just in the burger I’m currently eating and writing about.
I would do a head-to-head comparison of the burgers, but Carl’s Jr has not migrated to my city yet. In fact I believe there’s only 3 locations in the entire state, but I will find the closest store and see if anything is possible. Maybe a road trip? Who knows.
The new BBQ Bacon Sirloin Burger from Jack In The Box is delicious. The first bite made my taste-buds come alive with excitement, and when it was over I felt happy and satisfied. For those skeptics in the house, I admit there’s no mistaking the sirloin patty for a prime cut at the butcher, or the whole package for a hand-made creation at some chic-cool burger joint, but this is a pretty darn good burger for the fast food world.
Fast Food Critic Score:
4.5 out of 5 stars.
Nutrition Facts - Jack In The Box, BBQ Bacon Sirloin Burger.
Calories - 1010
Calories from Fat - 440
Total Fat - 49 grams
Carbs - 91 grams
Saturated Fat - 19 grams
Trans Fat - 5 grams
Cholesterol - 150 milligrams
Sodium - 2190 milligramsEDITOR’S NOTE: Anybody who eats hamburgers should be aware they are not typically considered health food, no matter where they are served, or by whom. Burgers of this size, with these type of ingredients, are going to rack up the calories and fat. That’s just a simple fact of life, and food. You should try to eat a ‘balanced’ diet, make educated choices and practice moderation.
This just in from the Jack In The Box press room.
“SAN DIEGO - As the variety and popularity of premium beverages continues to grow in the U.S., Jack in the Box restaurants today debut a new beverage platform – Real Fruit Smoothies – in several of its markets, primarily in the West. The quick-serve chain plans to roll out its line of smoothies systemwide by the end of July. Jack’s Real Fruit Smoothies are made from a blend of Minute Maid fruit juice and nonfat frozen yogurt and come in three flavors – Strawberry Banana, Mango and Orange Sunrise.”
“With consumers’ busy schedules, smoothies have become very popular as snacks and even breakfast items,” said Teka O’Rourke, director of menu marketing and promotions at Jack in the Box Inc. “Our new smoothies offer the flavor and quality consumers have come to expect, with the added convenience of drive-thru service.”
“Jack’s Smoothies are available in 16 and 24 ounce servings for suggested prices, excluding tax, of $2.99 and $3.99, respectively, at all participating Jack in the Box restaurants in Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Hawaii, as well as several markets in California, including Bakersfield, Chico, El Centro, Eureka, Fresno, Monterey, Palm Springs, Redding, Sacramento, Salinas, San Diego and Santa Barbara.”
In my younger days, my hungry friends and I would often visit the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant following a long night of partying. A regular stop was Jack In The Box. The main attraction was not the burgers, it was the “cheap” tacos. They had a good menu in general, but they featured a promotion of 3 tacos for a dollar, that was clearly the star of the late-night show. You could spend $5 and drive away with a bag full of 15 tacos. Even as broke kids, we could usually scrape up 5 bucks between us.
Today, many years later, the same beef taco is still on the Jack In The Box menu, and it remains virtually unchanged from the good old days. About the only thing different is the price, which is now 2 tacos for a dollar. Still a good value. Though as you might have expected, they are small and very thin. You can think of them as mini-tacos.
Much of the flavor comes from the mixture of beef and spices packed inside. It’s a taste that’s unique to Jack In The Box, and so is the unusual texture. I suppose it’s because the twice-cooked, 2-part preparation method (read more below). The end result is a nice contrast for your mouth and taste buds, with the outer parts of the taco shell being crisp and crunchy, and the thicker center soft and moist.
The beef filling has a paste-like consistency, it’s smooth with just the slightest bit of graininess. The meat is ground so fine, it literally melts in your mouth. For that matter, it feels like it’s half melted already. I’m sure a beef expert could tell me why the meat has this particular trait, but for the moment here at FFC, and for this review, we’re just going to call it “soft meat”. As for toppings, there’s a small amount of shredded lettuce, and instead of using grated cheese they toss in a tiny slice that looks to be cut from the singles used on their burgers. It’s not a lot of cheese, and it quickly melts.
Compared to most fast-food tacos, the JITB taco might seem a turnoff at first, and the fact that it comes from a burger joint might have kept you from adding it to your rotation with Taco Bell, Taco Time and the other Mexican spots, but I think most people will be pleasantly surprised. It’s surely not for everyone, but generations of fast food eaters have grown up enjoying these tacos, and their popularity is still going strong.
You may not know it, but the “core” of this taco is prepared off-site, away from the restaurant, at the Jack In The Box food manufacturing plant. They grind their own beef, then cook it with a trade-secret blend of spices. Then a machine places clumps of this meat mixture on-top freshly cooked tortillas, at a rate of 60 per minute. Next the machine folds the tortillas in half, and sends them down the assembly line where employees inspect and pack them into trays. Those trays get flash-frozen and shipped to your hometown Jack In The Box restaurant. When you order a taco there, an employee just drops the pre-made “core” in the deep fryer for a minute, then tops it with a slice of cheese and a pinch of shredded lettuce.
The Beef Taco from Jack In The Box is a classic fast food icon, dating all the way back to the 1950’s. It’s a solid and consistent product. It’s tasty and it’s cheap. This is not the best taco on the market, but it scores good marks for taste and value.
Fast Food Critic Score:3.5 out of 5 stars.
Nutrition Facts - Jack In The Box, Beef Taco (1).
Calories - 160
Calories from Fat - 70
Total Fat - 8 grams
Carbs - 15 grams
Saturated Fat - 3 grams
Trans Fat - 1 gram
Cholesterol - 15 milligrams
Sodium - 270 milligrams
