Neat! Totino's Turns Elevator into Microwave

In a marketing stunt to highlight the quick microwave cook time of their popular Pizza Rolls, Totino's revamped the inside of an elevator to look like the outside of a microwave oven with a microwave touch pad in lieu of elevator buttons.

Once the occupants arrived at the designated floor 60 seconds later, the doors opened to reveal a room mocked up to look like the interior of the microwave occupied by waiting Totino's employees with trays of Pizza Rolls.

News: Corner Bakery Cafe - New Hibiscus Lemonade

Corner Bakery Cafe is offering a new Hibiscus Lemonade in addition to the regular garden-variety version. The new drink is made with a blend of pomegranate, berries, and lemons plus a hint of hibiscus.

Review: Chick-fil-A - Mocha Cookies & Cream Milkshake

Chick-fil-A's new, limited-time Mocha Cookies & Cream Milkshake features the a blend of the chain's Icedream soft serve, Oreo cookie crumbles, coffee, and Hershey's chocolate syrup topped with light whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

A 14-ounce small cost me $3.15.

News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Pretzel Roll Sandwiches

Dunkin' Donut joins the pretzel bun trend this month with the introduction of new Pretzel Roll Sandwiches. The roll-out is anchored by a new, limited-time Pretzel Roll Roast Beef Sandwich, but the limited-time option of a pretzel bun is available for any of the chain's Bakery Sandwiches.

The Pretzel Roll Roasted Beef Sandwich features roast beef on a soft, warm, pretzel roll with white cheddar and Dijon mustard. The sandwich and option follows on the heels of a new pretzel bun cheeseburger from Wendy's, and a pretzel bun hot dog from Sonic.

News: Baskin-Robbins - August 2013 Flavor of the Month

Baskin-Robbins is offering Oreo Nutty Salted Caramel ice cream as their flavor for August. The flavor features vanilla ice cream with a salty caramel ribbon, Oreo cookie crumbles, and honey-glazed peanut pieces. The flavor is also being showcased in a layered sundae.

Review: Brownie-Filled Chewy Chips Ahoy

Nabisco's Brownie-Filled Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies each feature a disc of fudge brownie baked inside of a chewy chocolate chip cookie.

A 9.5-oz bag was $2.99 on sale.

News: 7-Eleven - New Summer Snacks

7-Eleven is introducing more new hot items this summer for your anytime-snacking enjoyment. The three new items are Corn Dog Bites, Mozzarella Sticks, and Chicken Chipotle Go-Go Taquitos.

The Corn Dog Bites are mini hot dogs wrapped in corn meal batter and cooked until crisp.  The suggested retail price for three is $1.00.

Trend Watch: Burrissimo - Italian-Style Chipotle?

Burrissimo is a fast casual chain here in Southern California that opened for business last year. The food comes from a Chipotle-style quick assembly line but with a twist.  Instead of Mexican food, you get to assemble your own Italian entree.

Like Chipotle, you can choose from burritos, bowls, or salads (but not tacos) with your choice of protein, sauces, and toppings.  Their star entree is the Burrissimo Italian Burrito, which is interesting because instead of rice inside, you get angel hair pasta.  Yup, pasta inside of a burrito.

News: Dairy Queen - August 2013 Featured Blizzard of the Month

Dairy Queen is offering the new, limited-time Tripleberry Brownie Blizzard as their featured Blizzard of the Month this August.  The sweet treat blends vanilla soft serve with chocolate chunks, chewy brownie pieces, and a Tripleberry fruit mix of strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry puree.

As usual, Tripleberry Brownie will be available throughout the month in four different-sized cups and as a Blizzard Cake.

Review: Flame Grilled Steak Flavored Ruffles Max Potato Chips

Flame Grilled Steak Flavored Ruffles Max Potato Chips are a relatively new, limited edition flavor from Frito Lay. According to the bag, these ridged potato chips "bring you that char-grilled meat taste that makes the caveman in you smile and want to club something."

I picked up an 8.5-oz bag for $2.99.

News: Chick-fil-A - New Mocha Cookies & Cream Shake

Chick-fil-A is set to introduce the new, limited-time Mocha Cookies & Cream Milkshake this Monday, August 5, marking the chains first new shake flavor since 2011.

The Mocha Cookies & Cream Milkshake features Chick-fil-A's Icedream soft serve, Oreo cookie crumbles, coffee, and Hershey's chocolate syrup blended together and topped with light whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

News: Subway - August 2013 $6 Footlong Special

It looks like Subway is forgoing the Featured $5 Footlong this month as they tinker around with their value promotions. Instead, they're offering the Buffalo Chicken, which used to be a Featured $5 Footlong, as a "$6 Footlong Special." Whether this is the new norm for Subway remains to be seen.

Frozen Friday: Boston Market - Turkey Breast Medallions

Boston Market's Turkey Breast Medallions frozen entree is a fairly standard turkey dinner. It features turkey breast medallions, "home-style" mashed potatoes and gravy, plus carrots and green beans.

It weighs in at 14-ounces for $3.49 (bought for $2 on sale).

News: Yogurtland's New Flavor Features Spinach and Marvin the Martian

Photo: Yogurtland

Yogurtland is currently featuring a slew of Looney Toons-inspired flavors through September 15, and the latest flavor offers both spinach and Marvin the Martian.

The recently introduced Kosmic Fruit Kaboom sorbet was inspired by Marvin the Martian and is thus a suitably green sorbet made with pineapple, lime, banana, and spinach. It also makes the flavor the first commercially available soft serve sorbet to feature a vegetable.

News: Arby's New Salted Caramel Shake

Arby's is offering a new, limted-time Salted Caramel Shake. It comes with a caramel swirl and is topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pink Hawaiian sea salt.

The Hawaiian bit seems to be a nod to the King's Hawaiian Roast Beef and Swiss offered earlier this summer.

The suggested retail price on the shake is $2.89 for a 20 fl oz cup.

The new shake is offered at participating locations nationwide and will be available through September 30, 2013.

Review: Subway - Applewood Pulled Pork Sub

Subway's new, limited-time Applewood Pulled Pork sub sandwich features slow-cooked pulled pork covered in a sweet and smoky barbecue sauce, along with your choice of bread and condiments. I went with lettuce, pickles, and red onions on Italian bread.

A footlong sandwich was $6.95 (cheaper than the previous pulled pork, which was $7.50!)

News: Taco Bell Teases New Doritos Locos Taco Flavor

Taco Bell is coming out with a third variety of their Doritos Locos Tacos (following Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch) on Thursday, August 22 and are being rather coy on what the flavor will be (or at least be named) by teasing the release date with tweets including a link to this short Vine video.

The safe bet is that the new taco will be the Doritos Flamas-flavored taco tested earlier. However, a Taco Bell rep stated that "this #__DLT, contrary to speculation, may not what be what you’re expecting" and to "expect the unexpected." But, it's possible they may just be calling it by a different name.

News: Subway - New Applewood Pulled Pork Sub

Subway joins the barbecue crowd this summer by offering the new, limited-time Applewood Pulled Pork sub. The sandwich features slow-cooked pulled pork covered in a sweet and smoky barbecue sauce, along with your choice of bread, cheese, veggies, and sauce(s).

Giveaway Drawing: Sara Lee Snack Cakes Gift Pack

I have a gift pack, provided courtesy of Sara Lee, to give away to one lucky reader. The gift pack includes the following:

• An assortment of Sara Lee Snack Cakes (three by my count)
• An official Sara Lee logoed lunch box (just an FYI, it's more of a lunch purse)
• An official Sara Lee logoed water bottle
• Two randomly selected boxes of Sara Lee Snack Cakes

News: Papa John's - Sausage Sensation Pizza Returns

Papa John's has put the Sausage Sensation Pizza back on rotation for a limited time. The pizza was first introduced in 2011, and features spicy Italian sausage, sweet sausage, smoked sausage, green and red peppers, and onions with Italian herb seasoning.