Why Fast Food Chains are Gaining Popularity
Although many people consider fast food as unhealthy and greasy, the popularity of fast food chains continues to grow. As a matter of fact, even during these hard economic times, the fast food industry is still thriving and almost unaffected by the recession. If you are wondering why this is, here are some of the reasons.
A History of Fast Food Chains in the US
The term “fast food” was first coined back in the mid-20th century as a part of a magazine title. Eventually, more and more people started to invest in the concept of serving fast food, that is, food which are easily cooked and are easily served. Because more food can be served in any given time, entrepreneurs figured that it would dramatically increase their sales. continue reading…
And… FastFoodCritic gets a fresh start.
First up, the angry McNugget Lady — Sometimes you just need some Chicken McNuggets, and the hell with anybody or anything that gets in your way. That was the case with the young woman you see pictured at left. She stopped at a McDonald’s in Toledo, Ohio, requesting Chicken McNuggets, and when the staff informed her they were only serving ‘breakfast’ during those morning hours, she went nuts. She reached into the drive-thru window and punched one employee in the mouth, and then began swinging at the manager who approached. Eventually she also punched thru the glass window.
Twenty-four-year-old Melodi Dushane was treated at a local hospital for injuries, and then sent directly to jail. She is being charged with felony vandalism. There is no word yet on possible assault charges for her acts of violence against the employees, but the woman has been ordered to stay away from that McDonald’s location.
And on that crazy note, this will be my final post as FFC Editor. Due to health problems and personal issues, I was regrettably forced to leave the site without updates over the past 11 months. The good news is that I’m doing better, and this project will move forward because I’m passing the fast-food torch to my friend Stevie. I will be going in a different direction with my life now, and will not be involved with the site anymore. I want to thank everyone who visited FFC in 2008 and 2009, and apologize for my absence. I hope you will support Stevie as he moves forward with the next chapter of FastFoodCritic. — Timothy
Please Note: It’s going to take a few days to make the changes here, including email addresses, so it’s best you wait until Stevie posts an update to contact him. Please be patient as he gets comfortable in his new surroundings. There may be some changes on the site, possibly ‘errors’, but all will be smoothed out soon.
A fast-food classic that’s still going strong after 40 years.
1968 was the year Time magazine says “Changed The World”. From the Vietnam War to the Civil Rights Movement and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. From Richard Nixon being elected President, to NASA’s first manned Apollo space mission and Elvis Presley’s comeback concert. Major news events, both good and bad.
There’s something else that happened in 1968, and it didn’t make a lot of headlines. It was the introduction of a new hamburger from McDonald’s that featured double meat patties, a 3-piece bun with center section, and a special sauce. One of the earliest franchise owners named Jim Delligatti created the sandwich for McDonald’s stores that he operated in Pennsylvania. The response from his customers was so positive, McDonald’s added his creation to it’s nationwide menu. And so, the Big Mac was born. Today, 40 years later, it’s arguably the most famous hamburger in the world.
However, if you’re like me, the Big Mac probably wasn’t a burger you purchased a lot during 2008. There’s just too many other options to pick from, and most everyone knows what a Big Mac tastes like. Right? Well, after recently discovering someone close to me had never eaten one before… I had to get over the shock first, and then take them to McDonald’s as soon as possible to try it. I was hoping we might find one of the newer remodeled McDonald’s but it was a typical highway rest-stop version. It had been awhile since I had eaten a Big Mac myself, so I bought one too.
I’m happy to report the burger and overall experience was great. The special sauce was creamy, distributed evenly, and as intended was the perfect complimentary flavor without overpowering the other ingredients. I had forgotten how satisfying the Big Mac really is. Growing up, it was my staple burger. Once in a blue moon, I would attempt eating two of them (keep in mind I was just a kid and eating 2 would be quite an accomplishment), but I’d only be able to handle one. The Big Mac is still the same as when I was a kid, and most of you probably remember the ingredients by singing that famous old song that’s still floating around in your head… “Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.”
The beef patties are much thinner and smaller than a burger like Five Guys, but two of them combined with the rest of the toppings make a decent size sandwich. The meat in the Big Mac is not the most flavorful in the fast-food world, but it’s still pretty tasty, seasoned with only salt and pepper when cooked. It’s “100% pure beef” supplied by Lopez Foods based in Oklahoma. Lopez Foods handles the processing of the raw fresh beef, shapes the patties, freezes and packs them, then ships them off to McDonald’s restaurants. On average a beef patty is cooked and served within 1 week after that initial processing/freezing, according to company sources.
The bun of the Big Mac has 3 pieces, and the center bread splits the burger into two sections, each with it’s own beef patty and toppings. The top of the bun is coated with sesame seeds, and all the pieces are lightly toasted. It’s a good bun, and even though it has 3 parts you never feel overwhelmed by having too much bread.
The exact recipe for McDonald’s “Special Sauce”, or “Big Mac Sauce” as it’s called today, remains a secret, but it’s basically a version of Thousand Island dressing. The creamy sauce gives the Big Mac it’s unique trademark flavor, and it’s surprisingly a great match with beef, just as with the included shredded lettuce. I mentioned earlier the sauce is distributed evenly, and that’s because of a special kitchen tool which controls the amount released by employees when they assemble the burgers.
As for other toppings, the shredded lettuce was fresh, and the pickles and onions tasted fine. With only 1 slice of cheese (American), you might think they skimped on this burger, but that’s not the case. It’s all part of the plan, and everything is in balance. Each ingredient makes a solid contribution, blending together to create a winning combination of flavors. There’s nothing to add or cut. Just order a Big Mac, and eat it the way it was intended. You won’t need extra cheese or anything else.
It’s true McDonald’s still pre-cooks many of their menu items, and they often stand in warming trays until being served, but the reality is those items don’t usually sit for more than a couple minutes, and getting old/cold/stale food is rare. Of course, as with any fast-food chain your experience will vary from location to location.
In the end, the Big Mac is a great burger. That’s right, I said it. After finishing our meal, the ’someone close to me’ concluded it was a great burger too. They even claimed to enjoy it more than the Whopper from BK, which I take issue with… however I admit I’ll be revisiting the Big Mac more often. Maybe next time I can finally eat two of them. If you haven’t had one in a while, I suggest you try it again. There’s a reason this burger has been successful for so long, and assuming your local McDonald’s doesn’t suffer from poor management, I think you might agree. The ‘whole’ Big Mac is greater than the sum of it’s parts, thanks to a well balanced combination of ingredients.
Price: $3.69 / Website: McDonalds.com
Click here for rating system details.
Nutrition Facts - McDonald’s Big Mac.
Calories - 540
Calories from Fat - 260
Total Fat - 29 grams
Carbs - 45 grams
Saturated Fat - 10 grams
Trans Fat - 1.5 grams
Cholesterol - 75 milligrams
Sodium - 1040 milligrams
Protein - 25 grams
Who’s cheap cheeseburger is better? McDonald’s, Burger King or Wendy’s?
This marks the 100th review on FastFoodCritic.com and we decided to do something different. Instead of one person nitpicking a single item, all three editors worked to find which of these 5 commonly available value-priced cheeseburgers is better.
The Goal: Find the best budget cheeseburger among the industry’s 3 largest chains. Burgers judged on a combination of taste and value. 1 winner, 1 runner-up.
The competition:
McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger
McDonald’s McDouble
Burger King Whopper Jr. w/Cheese
Wendy’s Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
Wendy’s Double Stack
We wanted to stay as close to $1 as possible. Due to the crazy economy, the prices on some of these items are literally changing before our eyes. In one case, last week’s 99-cent burger is up to $1.29 (even $1.39) this week in many locations. We’ve done our best to quote and explain current prices (and ranges) for each contender.
Let’s look at them individually, starting with McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger.
Double Cheeseburger from McDonald’s, $1.19 / $1.29 — Sadly, the legendary 99-cent burger is no longer 99-cents. Everything else remains the same except the price. Two small beef patties, two slices of American cheese, pickles, onions, mustard and ketchup. At the old price, it was undeniably an excellent bargain, and it had to be considered a front runner for this competition. But the new price increase might complicate things, especially in a menu segment where cost is top priority.
McWhat? The new 99-cent “McDouble” is a McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger with only 1 slice of cheese, instead of 2. With rising ingredient costs and the sinking economy, McDonald’s could no longer afford to sell the Double Cheeseburger for 99-cents, so the McDouble was born to take it’s place, and the Double Cheeseburger increased in price. That extra slice of cheese will now cost you 20- to 30-cents extra. This probably comes as surprising and disappointing news to many people. If the price change hasn’t gone into effect at your local McDonald’s, it will soon.
Whopper Jr. w/Cheese from Burger King, $1.20 / $1.25 — Single small beef patty, one slice American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, ketchup, mayonnaise. The price on the small version of BK’s whopper is stable, at least for now. You can also order it without the cheese, usually 21 to 26 cents cheaper than above.
Junior Bacon Cheeseburger from Wendy’s, $.99 / $1.39 — One small beef patty, one slice American cheese, one slice bacon (cut in half), lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise. The two burgers from Wendy’s are $1.39 each in some locations, so there’s no guarantee they’re only 99-cents in your city/town. The extra 40-cents can make a big difference in your eating plans when choosing from items in this low price range.
Double Stack from Wendy’s, $.99 / $1.39 — Two small beef patties, one slice of American cheese, pickles, onions, mustard and ketchup. Same basic ingredients as the McDouble, except the onions are ring sliced instead of minced. Again, the rather large price range on Wendy’s burgers teases our taste buds and wallets.
The beef patties on all the burgers are very small and thin, with Burger King’s being slightly thicker and heavier than McDonald’s and Wendy’s individual patties. On the other hand, both of those have 2 patties on their burgers versus the single patty on the Whopper Jr., so ultimately they have more beef than BK. Still, the Whopper Jr. has the largest serving size overall, at 170 grams, because it’s bun is bigger and it has more cheese, lettuce and toppings than the others. At first glance, it’s not unusual to think they forgot to put the meat on some of these little burgers because the buns and cheese cover up and hide the small beef patties. By appearance alone, you could easily confuse which patty came from which company, if not for the shape.
The buns from McDonald’s and Wendy’s are plain, very similar in size and texture, while Burger King’s bun is a bit larger and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
NOTE: We each ate the five cheeseburgers and wrote down our thoughts separately, without any conversation or messages with each other. Nobody knew what the others had said until the information and votes were gathered to publish this review.
AND THE WINNER IS… continue reading…
This softer, more stylish McDonald’s aims for new standard.
A few weeks ago, the owners of a McDonald’s franchise in Maryland had a complete makeover done on their restaurant located in the city of Pikesville. Leading the way on the fast-food facelift was an interior design firm called Whitehead and Appel. The new “sophisticated” look includes a warmer, more contemporary style that focuses on natural textures and materials. Custom furniture, stone floors, limestone counters, limited edition art, extra-high ceilings, custom lighting, wi-fi and multiple flat screen televisions are among the many new features in this freshly decorated MickeyD’s. Franchise owners Bob and Barbara Houck have stated their store may be considered as a “model” for other McDonald’s restaurants nationwide in the future.
That got my attention, so I visited the store myself. I took several photos of the new design and details for FFC readers. You won’t be overloaded with flashy colors and cheap looking plastic decorations in this store. The sleek modern look is a welcome change from most McDonald’s. Overall it’s a stylish, modern and inviting environment that I’m sure people will respond to in a positive way. Even the bathrooms were nicely upgraded, and super clean. Now we’ll just have to wait and see if this new look really does create a chain reaction for this fast food icon. I hope you enjoy the photos.
While our feathered friend the chicken has been exalted to fast food stardom in recent reviews, our ocean dwelling pals have taken a back seat and been nearly forgotten. Let’s change that by reviewing a fish sandwich. Not just any fish sandwich, but a classic that’s been around for over 40 years… the Filet-O-Fish from McDonald’s.
A man by the name of Lou Groen created the Filet-O-Fish back in 1962. His Cincinnati area McDonald’s franchise needed to capitalize on the heavily Roman Catholic clientele. A practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays was commonplace in those days, and especially during the 40-day period of Lent. He was able to take advantage of the situation and help his hungry customers by offering the Filet-O-Fish sandwich as an alternative. To this day, you’ll notice it’s advertised more often during the Lent season and sometimes there are special sale prices on those Fridays.
The Filet-O-Fish works well in it’s simplicity. A battered fish patty with half a slice of processed American cheese and tarter sauce on a steamed bun. There’s nothing particularly impressive about it, but it’s tasty and satisfying when you need to mix it up from the normal burger, taco or chicken routine. The rectangular shaped fish patty is made of whitefish (Hoki / Pollock) and is basically the same type you’ll find in many supermarket frozen fish sticks and filets. It has a nice even batter with a very subtle crispness. It’s a pretty bland tasting fish patty, though definitely improved by the healthy dose of tartar sauce which is made tangier by the addition of pickle relish.
The half slice of American cheese keeps things interesting, but sometimes I wonder if it’s only a 1/3 slice, because it’s barely noticeable. For that matter — why only half a slice? At one time, McDonald’s offered a “Deluxe” version of this fish sandwich with lettuce and a whole slice of cheese. That version never took off and got removed from the menu, but why can’t those things be standard? Does the inclusion of a little lettuce and the other half of that cheese slice really hurt McDonald’s bottom line? This is a small sandwich for $3.09 and those 2 little extras would make a big difference.
The Filet-O-Fish sandwich isn’t great, but it’s decent enough to continue occupying a space on the McDonald’s menu for added variety. I’m satisfied with the sandwich overall but it’s not something I would order very often. Not everyone eats beef or chicken, and it’s good to see a fish sandwich option on many fast food menus these days. McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish is a fast food classic that has stood the test of time, and will continue to be just as good (or just as average) as you remember it.
Price: $3.09 / Website: McDonalds.com
Click here for rating system details.
Nutrition Facts - McDonald’s, Filet-O-Fish Sandwich.
Calories - 380
Calories from Fat - 170
Total Fat - 18 grams
Carbs - 38 grams
Saturated Fat - 3.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 40 milligrams
Sodium - 640 milligrams
Protein - 15 grams
If McDonald’s ever made one of their breakfast sandwiches available all day long, I’d hope it would be the McGriddle. Breakfast isn’t something I’m able to purchase too often because of my crazy schedule at the radio station. Those rare times I make McDonald’s breakfast hours, I usually go for the Sausage, Egg, and Cheese version, and sometimes when I’m extra hungry I’ll have them toss some bacon on there for a small added charge. The bacon/sausage combo McGriddles is unbelievable.
However, for today’s review I’m sticking with the basic Sausage, Egg, and Cheese sandwich. Inside you’ve got a decent sized sausage patty, fried and folded egg, and a slice of melted American cheese. But the outside is what brings it all together and makes it special… instead of a bun or standard breakfast bread, the sandwich is held together by 2 delicious Griddle Cakes, with Maple Syrup and Brown Sugar baked right in. It’s pancakes without the mess. When the sandwich is done right, which in my experience has been most of the time, the pancakes are nice and moist and the syrup flavor is strong. I don’t consider the strong sweetness of the syrup a bad thing though, because it goes great with the sausage, which has a nice flavor of it’s own and just the right amount of spices. The folded egg and American cheese taste fine, about how you’d expect, but definitely take a backseat to the pancakes and sausage.
I’ve eaten a lot of these sandwiches, and there hasn’t been too many bad ones. The only exceptions I recall… when it just wasn’t hot enough. If the griddle cakes are not cooked thoroughly, the syrup isn’t able to spread out inside, preventing them from getting (and staying) nice and moist. The syrup flavor is still there, but it’s not seeping out of the pancake like it does when it’s toasty warm. That’s the only thing that’s ever been wrong, and it doesn’t happen often enough to warrant a drop in score.
The Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles sandwich is awesome. I can’t say it beats the Enormous Omelette Sandwich from Burger King, but it’s now tied with it, as my 2 favorite fast-food breakfast sandwiches. At only $3.95 for the combo meal, including hash browns and coffee, this delicious item gets a review score of “A-” from me. Speaking of coffee, I finally tried McDonald’s “Premium” stuff and it wasn’t bad. Maybe if we add a “coffee” category here at FFC in the future, I’ll do a review.
Price: $3.95 (combo meal) / Website: McDonalds.com
Click here for rating system details.
Nutrition Facts - McDonald’s Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles.
Calories - 560
Calories from Fat - 290
Total Fat - 32 grams
Carbs - 48 grams
Saturated Fat - 12 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 265 milligrams
Sodium - 1360 milligrams
Protein - 20 grams
Beginning today, “STAR WARS: The Clone Wars” bobble-head toys will be included in McDonald’s Happy Meals. Based on the new CG-animated movie from Lucasfilm Animation, this collection of 18 toys includes classic characters from the Star Wars universe, and all-new characters from “The Clone Wars”. The Happy Meal boxes and food packaging will also feature exclusive artwork and designs from the film.
I’ve created a photomontage of all 18 toys for your viewing pleasure.
Each bobble-head character is sitting atop one of the vehicles from Star Wars, and they all have a unique playable feature. Wind them up, then sit back as they roll, walk, talk or glow. In the past, such items have become collectibles, and these are surely going to continue that trend. So grab your kids a Happy Meal from McDonald’s, or if you’re childless and a big geek like me — just say the kids are waiting at home.
The folks at McDonald’s have contacted FFC to inform readers of a brand new campaign which gives everyone a chance to try the Southern Style Chicken Sandwich or Biscuit for Free, with the purchase of any medium or large beverage. Beginning this Friday, August 15th, a downloadable e-coupon for the freebie will be available on their new interactive website FaceTheGlory.com, while supplies last.
FaceTheGlory.com embraces the spirit of the Olympic Games online by giving customers nationwide the opportunity to — Put Their Face In The Race — when they upload their photos to star in their own Olympic sports video montage. The videos can be shared with friends and family via a unique website link or embedded in a blog. — McDonald’s USA.
Note: You need a color printer to access the downloadable coupon on the website. Thanks to FFC reader drpep for bringing this important item to our attention.