Review: McDonald's - Peppermint Hot Chocolate

McDonald's Peppermint Hot Chocolate is a new, limited-time seasonal drink that the House of Ronald is selling this holiday season. It mixes (whole or nonfat) steamed milk with chocolate peppermint syrup topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

I picked up a 16-ounce medium for $2.79.

News: Wendy's - New Cheesy Cheddarburger

An unheralded new value menu item I recently noticed at my local Wendy's, the new Cheesy Cheddarburger is simple and to the point: it features a plain junior hamburger bun and patty plus a slice of American cheese and a scoop of Cheddar cheese sauce (the stuff Wendy's uses for their Baked Potatoes and what not).

You can pick one up for 99 cents.

It seems a bit plain but that might not be a bad thing.

Review: Taco Bell - Triple Steak Stack

Taco Bell's limited-time Triple Steak Stack is simple enough: marinated steak and cheese folded in a large piece of flatbread.

With 4.5 ounces of steak (compared to the normal 1.5 ounce), one of these will run you about $4.99.

Review: Jack in the Box - Outlaw Burger

What's typically called a "Western" or "BBQ Bacon" burger at other chains is named the Outlaw Burger at Jack in the Box.

The Outlaw Burger features a jumbo hamburger patty, lettuce, tomato, hickory-smoked bacon, American cheese, onion rings, and a bourbon barbecue sauce on a sesame seed bun for $3.49.

Starbucks Debuts New Holiday Petites

This holiday season, Starbucks expands their line of petites for a limited-time with two new mini desserts: the Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop and Chocolate Creme Whoopie Pie.

Each petite boasts an under-200 calorie count.

News: Domino's - New Parmesan Bread Bites

Overshadowed amid the hubbub over Domino's new Stuffed Cheesy Bread was the quiet launch of Domino's new Parmesan Bread Bites.

Parmesan Bread Bites feature oven-baked, bite-size breadsticks lightly sprinkled with a blend of Parmesan and Asiago cheese, seasoned with garlic and more Parmesan.

They're available in 16-piece for $2.99 or 32-piece orders for $5.00. If you want something to dip them in, Domino's has dipping cups (marinara, blue cheese, garlic sauce, ranch, and jalapeno cheese) for an additional charge.

Update 2/7/12: Looks like Domino's is finally getting around to promoting these; for a limited-time, they're offering 16 bites for $1 with the purchase of 2-medium, 2-topping pizzas for $5.99 (a total of $12.98 for the pizzas plus Parmesan Bread Bites). You can check out my review of the bites here.

News: Carl's Jr. - New Hand-Scooped Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich

Not content with merely serving up a Hand-Scooped Oreo Ice Cream Shake, Carl's Jr. now serves up a Hand-Scooped Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich.

Featuring a scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two large Oreo cookie wafers, the Hand-Scooped Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich is priced at a suggested price of $1.49.

So if those Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches in your supermarket frozen foods just aren't fresh enough for you, you can now stop by Carl's Jr. and get yours hand-scooped. I also imagine the Oreos are crisper at Carl's Jr.

News: Hardee's - New Buffalo Chicken Options

Having rolled out their improved Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders and Chicken Fillet Sandwiches, Hardee's is dipping them in Frank's RedHot sauce this winter and terming it the "Buffalo" option.

They've actually had Spicy Buffalo Sandwich back in 2007 but the new ones feature Hand-Breaded Chicken.

The Hand-Breaded Buffalo Chicken Sandwich features a hand-breaded chicken breast fillet, dipped in a buttermilk and egg batter, dusted with seasoned flour, fried golden, dipped in Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce and topped with tomato, red onion and buttermilk ranch dressing on a seeded bun. It is available for the suggested price of $4.19 for just the sandwich or $6.19 in a combo with fries and a drink.

Hand-Breaded Buffalo Chicken Tenders are all-white-meat chicken breast tenderloins dipped, battered and fried in the same fashion as the fillet version. They're are sold in 3-piece and 5-piece orders for the suggest price of $3.49 and $5.19, respectively.

News: Domino's - New Stuffed Cheesy Bread

Continuing their revamp of many menu items, Domino's ups the ante on cheese bread with their new Stuffed Cheesy Bread.

Stuffed Cheesy Bread replaces Domino's previous cheese bread and is supposed to offer the same amount of cheese as is on a medium pizza. There's cheese on the outer layer of Stuffed Cheesy Bread as well; seasoned with a sprinkling of garlic, parsley and Romano cheese. Additional toppings (if any) can be found in the inner layer.

Each order is cut into 8 pieces.

Stuffed Cheesy Bread comes in three varieties: Spinach & Feta, Cheese only, and Bacon & Jalapeno.

Domino's is promoting the new item by offering two (or more) Stuffed Cheese Breads (or medium, 2-topping pizzas) for $5.99 each.

News: Wendy's - New the "W" Cheeseburger

Follow up on the overhaul of their quarter pound Classic Cheeseburgers, Wendy's unveils the "W" cheeseburger.

Similar to the new Dave's Hot 'N Juicy Cheeseburgers, the "W" features sweet red onions, hand-leafed lettuce, crinkle-cut pickles, and a buttered, toasted bun.

However, instead of a quarter pound patty, the "W" comes with two 2.25-ounce beef patties and two slices of American cheese as well as Wendy's zesty signature sauce (another blend of Thousand Island anyone?).

The "W" carries a recommended price of $2.99; the midpoint between Wendy's budget and premium burger offerings.

News: McDonald's - Limited-edition Coke Glasses are Back.

Limited-edition Coke Glasses are back at McDonald's this holiday season.

The glasses come in four options: purple, green, blue, and clear and are available for free with the purchase of a "large" Extra Value Meal.

They're at McDonald's restaurants until about mid-December and are in limited supply (i.e. they could run out before then).

News: McDonald's - Holiday Pies are Back!

McDonald's Holiday Pies are back at participating locations for a limited time.

The pies sport a custard filling and a sugar-cookie like crust with multi-colored candy spheres baked in.

Holiday Pies are priced the same as McDonald's regular pies; two for $1 in my area.

You're going to want to call ahead to check for availability as these are in limited supply and only some franchisees chose to serve them.

If you're interested in the review I wrote regarding McDonald's Holiday Pie, you can check it out here.

News: Pizza Hut - New Big Dinner Box

With Thanksgiving just around the corner (and the day before being one of the biggest days for pizza sales), Pizza Hut hits us with a new, limited-time deal, the Big Dinner Box.

Advertised as having a $26 value, this $19.99 box features two medium, rectangular, 1-topping pizzas, 8 wings of your choice and 5 breadsticks with marinara dipping sauce.

Personally, I'd rather just get two of their $10 for any pizza promo for the same price but that's just me.

News: Starbucks - Buy One Holiday Drink, Get One Free

Starbucks is offering a buy one holiday drink, get one free promotion starting today, Thursday, November 17th and running through Sunday, November 20th from the hours of 2 to 5 PM.

Starbuck's holiday drinks include Peppermint Mocha, new Skinny Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Gingerbread Latte and Eggnog Latte.

Again the details are:

Why: Buy one holiday drink, get one of equal or lesser value for free.
Where: Participating Starbucks Stores
When: November 17-20 from 2-5 PM

News: Starbucks - 2011 Seasonal Holiday Drinks

Christmas cheer is in full effect at Starbucks as November sets in and with it comes their lineup of 2011 seasonal holiday drinks.

This year's seasonal menu is much like last year's with the Peppermint Mocha, the Caramel Brulée Latte, the Gingerbread Latte, and the Eggnog Latte.

There is something new though. Well, kinda new, a low cal version of the Peppermint Mocha: the new Skinny Peppermint Mocha. It's made with espresso, nonfat milk, sugar-free Peppermint Syrup and Skinny Mocha sauce. And delivers 100 calories per 12-ounce Tall (130 calories for a Grande).

Please do keep in mind that while it uses sugar-free Syrup, the Skinny Peppermint Mocha is not a sugar-free drink since milk naturally contains sugar.

News: Baskin-Robbins has Ice Cream Cake Turkey!

For all you non-turkey eating people who still want to celebrate with a turkey-like yet non-tofurkey centerpiece (or just want a turkey for dessert), Baskin-Robbins has you covered with the return of their seasonal Turkey Cake.

The cake offers your choice of ice cream flavor glazed in chocolate or caramel. And the legs? They're actually sugar cones. Each cake serves 12 to 16 people and is offered at a suggested retail price of $31.99.

If you're looking to order one, be sure to place your order at least 24-hours in advance.

News: Nabisco - Sweet Cinnamon Wheat Thins Back for the Holidays

Apparently thanks to consumer demand, Nabisco has brought back Sweet Cinnamon Wheat Thins for a limited time this holiday season.

It comes in a swell holiday box too.

They come 9.5 ounces to a box (like other Wheat Thin varieties) and promise 10g of whole grains per serving.

News: Carl's Jr. - New Hardee's Made from Scratch Biscuits in SoCal

Carl's Jr. is now serving up sister chain, Hardee's, Made from Scratch Biscuits in the southern California market.

Fitting in with the made-in-house theme of their Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders and Fillets, the new biscuits are made fresh throughout every morning and offered in a number of various breakfast menu items.

Biscuit items include: the Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, the Ham, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, the Monster Biscuit (with egg, sausage, bacon, ham and two pieces of cheese), Biscuit ’N’ Gravy, and the Strawberry Biscuit.

To get you to try their new biscuits, Carl's Jr. is giving away one Free Sausage Biscuit per dine-in customer tomorrow morning (Wednesday, 11/5/11) from 6 AM to 10:30 PM. No purchase is necessary although apparently you will have to get out of your car (How un-Californian I know!).

News: Arby's New Super Reuben

Arby's new Super Reuben is another of their limited-time, limited participation menu items that you may or may not find at Arby's locations in your area.

It features two slices of toasted marble rye bread, a layer of thin-sliced corn beef, melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, and another layer of protein in thin-sliced turkey.

Basically what makes it "super" is the addition of turkey to Arby's normal Reuben sandwich. Then again, it comes with an extra 100g of sandwich... and 2710mg of sodium.

News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Smokehouse Sausage Breakfast Sandwich

Dunkin' Donuts teams up with Hillshire Farm for their new, limited-time Smokehouse Sausage Breakfast Sandwich.

The Smokehouse Sausage Breakfast Sandwich features a split Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage link, an egg and a slice of American cheese on an English muffin.

Obviously the selling point here is the smoked sausage rather than the typical choice of bacon or breakfast sausage. I'd like to try it... but the nearest Dunkin' is in the next state over and four hours away...

News: Sonic - New Toaster Melt Sandwiches

New for a limited-time at Sonic, Toaster Melt Sandwiches bring a mix of burger and sandwich. That is, they're basically burgers but with Texas toast instead of buns.

Toaster Melts are offered in two varieties: Bacon Cheddar and Mushroom Swiss.

The Bacon Cheddar Toaster Melt features a beef patty with grilled onions, bacon, cheddar cheese, pickles, and a hickory barbecue sauce while the Mushroom Swiss comes with a beef patty, grilled onions, sautéed portobello mushrooms, mayo, and Swiss cheese.

The sandwiches are available in full-sized (quarter pound) or junior versions and start at $1.99.

They're available through December.

News: Taco Bell - New Triple Steak Stack

Having already once offered a Triple and Quad Steak Burrito, Taco Bell moves on to flatbread with their latest new, limited-time item, the Triple Steak Stack.

While the name is perhaps more evocative of a burger, the Triple Steak Stack is actually a sizable, soft, flatbread sandwich filled with a triple portion (4.5 ounces compared to the normal 1.5 ounce) of USDA Select marinated, grilled steak and a melted blend of three-cheeses.

You can expect to pick one up around the $4.99 mark.

News: Arby's - New Jr. Pepper Jack

A limited-time, limited-participation item at Arby's, the Jr. Pepper Jack is basically their Jr. Roast Beef Sandwich but with the addition of a slice of Pepper Jack cheese.

Not super special but it should be pretty cheap. Arby's description includes the line: "This sandwich is spicy, not pricy." I think "pricey" is more common usage but I guess "pricy" looks like it rhymes more.

In case you missed it, Jr. Roast Beef Sandwich + Pepper Jack cheese = Jr. Pepper Jack.

News: Burger King - New BK Family Bundle

Moving towards a more family-friendly dining option, Burger King is out with the new BK Family Bundle.

The BK Family Bundle is a limited-time promotion offering one Whopper, one Whopper Jr., two small fries, two small drinks and a Kids Meal for $9.99.

As to who gets what, I guess that really depends on family dynamics and how many people are in the family. Personally, I might go for the Kids Meal.

The promotion runs through December 4, 2011 at participating locations.

Review: Taco Bell - Nachos Supreme

Taco Bell's Nacho Supreme features tortilla chips covered with seasoned beef, refried beans, warm nacho cheese sauce, diced tomatoes, and reduced-fat sour cream for $1.89

Review: Jamba Juice - Berry Cherry Pecan Steel Cut Oatmeal

Jamba Juice's Berry Cherry Pecan Steel Cut Oatmeal features slow-cooked organic oatmeal with soymilk topped with dried cranberries, cherries, and blueberries plus glazed pecans and crumbled brown sugar.

A good-sized cup/bowl comes in at $2.95.

News: Burger King - New Chef's Choice Burger

In a move towards "fancy" or at least "fancier," Burger King is out with the new Chef's Choice Burger.

The Chef's Choice Burger features a 5.5-ounce flame-grilled seasoned ground chuck patty topped with thick-cut bacon, American cheese, red onions, sliced tomatoes, romaine leaf lettuce and savory griller sauce (same stuff as on the Mushroom & Swiss BK Topper) on an artisan-style bun.

Suggested pricing for one is $4.99 at participating Burger King restaurants.

News: Popeyes' - Seasonal Crawfish Festival Returns!

Popeyes returns their annual Crawfish Festival for its third year with various crawfish menu items through November 27th, 2011.

The main offering is the Crawfish Tackle Box where $4.99 nets (Haha! Get it?!) you battered and fried crawfish accompanied by a creamy horseradish sauce, Cajun fries, and a biscuit.

Other items include:

The Crawfish Po'Boy with a warm baguette filled with crawfish, lettuce, pickles and creamy horseradish sauce;

The Crawfish Traveler which just comes with the crawfish and sauce;

And the Crawfish Etouffee featuring seasoned rice smothered with a sauce of crawfish, veggies, and spices. It's available as in a 16-ounce Big Easy Bowl or as a regular side.

News: Dairy Queen - November Blizzard of the Month - Caramel Nut Roll

What's a Caramel Nut Roll? I would guess some sort of baked good but it's also Dairy Queen's November Blizzard of the Month.

The Caramel Nut Roll Blizzard features vanilla soft serve with caramel, peanuts, and marshmallow blended in. It's only available for the month of November.

Dairy Queen is also serving up a more savory promotion this month: the "Cheeseburger Lovers" promotion where you can buy two Original Cheeseburgers for $2.49 or two Original Double Cheeseburgers for $3.49.

Caramel Nut Roll is also Dairy Queen's featured Blizzard Cake for the month.

News: Baskin-Robbins - Winter Chocolate Marshmallow - November 2011 Flavor of the Month

Baskin-Robbins is going seasonal with their November Flavor of the Month: Winter Chocolate Marshmallow ice cream.

Winter Chocolate Marshmallow ice cream features hot chocolate flavored ice cream (wouldn't that be less chocolaty than regular chocolate ice cream?) with a whipped cream ribbon and marshmallow dough.

It's basically hot chocolate but made into ice cream. Couldn't they have just called it "holiday hot chocolate?"

It's available through the end of November and as always you can try a sample spoon to help you decide.

News: Subway - November 2011 Featured $5 Footlong

Subway's Featured $5 Footlong sandwich for this month is the Chicken Marinara Melt.

The Chicken Marinara Melt features a base of chicken breast covered in marinara sauce with your choice of cheese, bread, vegetables, and condiments.

It is available all November long for $5.

Review: Sonic - Kickin' Coney

The Kickin' Coney was a limited-time menu offering at Sonic featuring their Chili Cheese Coney but with some added crunch and heat with crispy onions and chipotle BBQ sauce for $1.99.