The fast food industry is battling for your dollars with new menu items, from lattes to an intimidating nine-patty cheeseburger.
In its report on 2013 trends in the fast food industry, franchise industry site FranchiseHelp.com says the nation’s 200,000 fast food restaurants brought in $160 billion in revenue last year. As for future trends…
Busy citizens still need quick meal options, and fast food restaurants are fighting these challenges with gusto. Now offering healthy choices to battle the stigma of unhealthy food, some quick service restaurants now focus on fresh or organic products.
Here’s a run-down of new menu items from some of the nation’s most popular chains. You’ll note that while some may satisfy the quest for healthier options, others are moving in the opposite direction.
McDonald’s
The Golden Arches have two new items.
If you’re avoiding meat during Lent, you might like to try Fish McBites: chunks of Pollock in bite-size pieces, available in three sizes as well as in Happy Meals. They’ll be available through March.
The fast-food giant also added a new burger to its Dollar Menu: the Grilled Onion Cheddar burger.
Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s
These related chains added a charbroiled fish sandwich this month while taking aim at the competition’s fried fish choices. From Brad Haley, chief marketing officer for Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s via BusinessWire:
“For almost half-a-century, whenever fast food customers wanted to get a fish sandwich during Lent, they had one choice; fried. With our new Charbroiled Atlantic Cod Fish Sandwich, we’ve changed all that. For the first time in the industry, our guests can get a premium-quality fish sandwich that tastes great and is lower in calories because we charbroil it just like we do our burgers…
White Castle
If you’re fine with fried, however, White Castle is offering deep fried Mac & Cheese Nibblers as well as Shrimp Nibblers during Lent.
Burger King
The Home of the Whopper has teamed with Seattle’s Best Coffee to offer new lattes and coffee drinks. Burger King spent almost a year developing its new coffee line with Seattle’s Best, Eric Hirschhorn, Burger King’s vice president of innovation, told USA Today.
Taco Bell
The chain that brought us a taco-loving Chihuahua is introducing Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos in its restaurants March 7. The Cool Ranch Doritos form the taco shell, which is then filled with beef, lettuce, and cheddar cheese. The Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos are the followup to their Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos.
Jake’s Wayback Burgers
What started out as the main event in a burger-eating contest last year is now going to be a permanent addition to the menu.