News: El Pollo Loco Invites Customers to "Taste the Fire" -- Free Chicken and Tortillas on Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Probably in response to KFC's "UNfry Day" grilled chicken giveaway on Monday, April 27, 2009, flame-grilled chicken chain El Pollo Loco is offering two free pieces of chicken (leg and thigh), tortillas and salsa to customers on the following day, Tuesday, April, 28, 2009.

Details:

• The Taste the Fire® Offer (“offer”) consists of one flame-grilled leg and one flame-grilled thigh, two tortillas (choice of flour or corn) and fresh salsa.
• Offer is available upon request only.
• Valid only at participating locations.
• No coupon necessary.
• Limit one offer on April 28, 2009 until 8:00 p.m. per customer.
• Must be present to receive. Sides, drinks and breast substitutions are extra.
• Available for walk-in orders only (dine-in or carry-out). Not available for delivery or drive-thru. While supplies last.

El Pollo Loco Store Locator

News Release: KFC Declares Monday, April 27, 2009 “UNFry Day” and Offers Free Taste Nationwide

"KFC is so confident consumers will love the new Kentucky Grilled Chicken, it’s inviting America to sample the newest mouth-watering menu item on “UNFry Day,” Monday, April 27, 2009. Consumers are encouraged to stop by KFC throughout the day on “UNFry Day” and receive a free piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

A full page advertisement will run in USA Today on April 24 to remind Americans to stop by and grab their free piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken. See http://www.unthinkfc.com/ for more details. (At participating locations, limit one piece per person, piece selection is manager's choice and may vary per location.)"

Review: KFC - Kentucky Grilled Chicken

In a bid to offer healthier fare, the folks at KFC have come up with a line of grilled chicken (Kentucky Grilled Chicken) with a blend of spices reminiscent of the Colonel's Original Recipe. KFC touts the grilled chicken as having fewer calories, less fat, and less salt than its Original Recipe Fried Chicken.

The chicken itself is slow-roasted in an oven on grill racks to receive the desired grill marks.

It tastes pretty good, you can definitely taste the blend of spices and herbs, though I still prefer the texture and novelty of fried chicken a bit more. Grilled chicken just isn't as special to me. It is definitely not as salty as the Original Recipe which I sometimes find to be too salty. It is also very juicy and not dry at all. Kentucky Grilled Chicken is definitely worth a try if you feel like KFC flavor without the fried or just want a heathier (though not exactly healthy) alternative.


KFC Store Locator

Review: Taco Bell - Beefy 5-Layer Nachos

The latest change to Taco Bell's "Why Pay More!" merry-go-round value menu is to feature three nachos over the previous ten items at the 79, 89, and 99 cent price points. Taking over the 89 cent slot is the new Beefy 5-Layer Nachos which relegates the previously 89 cent Triple Layer Nachos to the 79 cent slot for an even better value. Of the three new value nachos, the Beefy 5-Layer Nachos is my favorite and is a great value especially in light of this recession.

The Beefy 5-Layer Nachos features tortilla chips piled with seasoned ground beef, nacho cheese, refried beans, a red sauce, and a blend of 3 shredded cheeses. Obviously, it's a whole lot of "not good for you" but it's tasty and cheap! There are plenty of toppings--so much that I ran out of chips. As with all nachos, you should eat them shortly after ordering otherwise the chips will steam and get soggy.