News: Red Robin - Holiday 2012 Specials

This December, Red Robin brings back some old faces to warm the heart (and maybe burn the tongue and light a fire in the belly as well).

Here are Red Robin's specials:

News: Baskin-Robbins - December Flavor of the Month

Baskin-Robbins' December Flavor of the Month isn't terribly exciting this month as it's the regular-menu mainstay, Mint Chocolate Chip. It's a classic flavor and a good one, but how about something new?

On the more festive side (and new!) of things, Baskin Robbins offers a new lineup of dome-shaped ice cream cakes for your holiday celebrations.

News: Sbarro - New White Pizza and Holiday Cookies

This season Italian mall eatery Sbarro is offering a limited-time white pizza and Italian holiday cookies on their menu.

The white pizza features a blend of three cheeses (mozzarella and ricotta sauce with white pepper, sprinkled with Pecorino Romano). It's topped with roasted red peppers and fresh broccoli and comes on their new Neapolitan-style (think thin crust) finished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

News: Jack in the Box Brings Back the Bonus Jack

Jack in the Box returns the Bonus Jack for a limited time. The burger is Jack in the Box's take on the rival McDonald's Big Mac and was first introduced in 1970. Like the Big Mac, it features a club-style third bun slice and a "secret" sauce.

In between the bun, you'll also find two beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, and pickles.

Review: Wendy's - Updated Sausage Biscuit

Wendy's Sausage Biscuit is on the Everyday Breakfast Value Menu of their ongoing breakfast test and is priced at 99 cents. I tried their Sausage Biscuit back in 2009 and it seems they upgraded it a bit.

It's pretty simple with a grilled all-natural sausage patty sandwiched inside two halves of a fresh-baked Southern-style buttermilk biscuit brushed with butter.

News: Burger King - 55 Cent Whoppers December 6 through 9

Burger King is celebrating the 55th anniversary of the Whopper sandwich by offering a deal on the iconic burger where you can get an original Whopper for 55 cents when you purchase any Whopper sandwich (including the current limited-time Wisconsin White Whopper and Angry Whopper, but excluding the Whopper Jr.).

The deal is good from December 6 through December 9.

News: McDonald's - McRib Returns December 17

Save the date McRib fans! The long-awaited date will soon arrive. On Monday, December 17, 2012, the McRib returns to the McDonald's menu nationally for a limited time.

The McRib features a somewhat rib-looking ground pork patty covered in barbecue sauce, topped with slivers of fresh onions and a couple of pickle slices, served on a corn-meal-dusted 6-inch roll.

News: Starbucks - $5 Gift Card with Purchase of 3 Starbucks Products

Starbucks is offering a pretty good deal on their grocery store products where you can get a free $5 Starbucks Card when you buy any 3 "qualifying" Starbucks coffee or Tazo tea products.

The offer is good through 12/31/12.

The products that qualify include:

Review: Wendy's - Mornin' Melt Panini

Wendy's Mornin' Melt Panini is part of their ongoing breakfast test and comes with natural Asiago and Cheddar cheeses, fresh-cracked eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, your choice of grilled all-natural sausage or applewood-smoked bacon and a tomato slice pressed between two slices of buttered sourdough bread brushed.

I picked up the Mornin' Melt Panini with Bacon and it was the priciest sandwich on the breakfast menu at $2.99.

News: Pei Wei - Buy One, Get One Entree Free Coupon

Pei Wei is offering a printable "Buy One Entree, Get One Free" coupon on their website if you watch a video about their "Fresh, Specialty Ingredients."

The offer will only be up through December 14, 2012 and the coupon expires on December 16, 2012.

To get the coupon:

News: 2012 Holiday Gift Card Bonuses

Around Christmas time, a lot of your favorite restaurants start offering limited-time bonus offers for holiday gift card purchases to spur some of that good old holiday spending.

Below is a handy list of who's offering what for you to stretch that holiday dollar. Do keep in mind that while the gift cards don't tend to expire (especially in California where, under law, they never expire), the bonus cards count as coupons, and as such, have an expiration date. I'll try to make note of them where I can.

Without further ado:

News: Domino's - Half-Off Pizzas All This Week

Domino's celebrates their 2nd Annual Global Domino's Day by offering 50 percent off the regular menu price of any online pizza purchase between now and December 9, 2012. To get the discount, use the code "50OFF."

The celebration also kicks off for those of you not in the U.S. with a similar discount around the world, but doesn't start until December 6. You can check the Domino's Facebook page for the discount in your particular locale by selecting your country in the pull-down menu.

News: Quiznos - Free Cookie with Any Purchase on December 4

Tuesday, December 4th is National Cookie Day and to celebrate, Quiznos is giving away a free toasted cookie with any purchase to every customer on that day.

Available cookie choices include Chocolate Chunk, Cinnamon Sugar, and Oatmeal Raisin cookies.

Review: Nestle - Nescafe Memento Mocha

Nestle's Nescafe Memento Mocha is a chocolate-flavored instant coffee packet that develops a layer of froth on top when you add hot water.

A box of 8 packets/servings retails for about $6.99, but they're giving away free samples on the Nescafe website here and I tried this along with the Caramel Latte.

News: Bob Evans - New Breakfast Bakes

Bob Evans has an interesting take on breakfast convenience with new Breakfast Bakes in the frozen food aisle.

Retailing for $3.99 for a box of four individually-wrapped bakes, the product is basically a hand-held baked hash brown with various fillings.

Local Review: Humble Potato - Curry Burger

Humble Potato's Curry Burger, or "Curry Baga" as they call it, features a 5-ounce fresh Angus beef patty, thick cut tomato, diced onions, diced pickled radish, and generous dollop of Japanese curry.

It's $7.95 a burger.

Around the World: Taco Bell Guatemala Intros Baby Ruth Chocodilla

Out in Guatemala, Taco Bell recently introduced the new Baby Ruth Chocodilla which looks like a flour tortilla pressed with pieces of Baby Ruth inside.

It costs 9 Guatemalan Quetzals or about $1.14 US.

There's also a regular Chocodilla on the Taco Bell menu in Guatemala. Chocodillas are basically quesadillas, but with chocolate inside instead of cheese. They're also available in India at Taco Bell.

News: Dairy Queen - December 2012 Blizzard of the Month

Dairy Queen's December 2012 Blizzard of the Month is, once again, the holiday-themed Candy Cane Chill Blizzard.

The Candy Cane Chill Blizzard is made by blending candy cane pieces and choco chunks with vanilla soft serve for a minty, chocolaty frozen dessert.

This year, Dairy Queen ups the variety by offering Candy Cane Chill Royal Shakes and Waffle Bowl Sundaes. Of course, you can also get it as an ice cream cake.

Around the World: McDonald's Germany Serves Up Twilight Teas

In a slightly weird offering, McDonald's Germany promotes the Twilight saga's final movie, Breaking Dawn, Part 2, with Edward-, Jacob-, and Bella-flavored bubble teas.

So for those of you who didn't get enough of the Twilight trio despite four movies, you can drink them up as bubble tea in Germany. If you're curious, here's what's in the flavors:

News: Subway - $2 Subs for December 2012

Subway is once again offering two varieties of 6-inch subs for $2 throughout the month of December.

Calling it "Customer Appreciation Month," Subway is offers the Cold Cut Combo and Meatball Marinara in 6-inch form for only $2 each all month long. The deal is especially nice since the Meatball Marinara is no longer a $5 Footlong (sad I know).