Fast Food at Fast Food Source: Your independent guide to fast food restaurants, menus, nutrition, locations, and fast food news!

A lot of people ask me how I decide what restaurants to feature on this site. I can start by telling you the definition has some gray area, but generally here's the criteria that I consider:

1. Quick Serve: The chain should specialize in quick turnaround from order to food delivery. Table service (wait staff) restaurants aren't excluded but are unlikely to be listed, even if they promote express lunch programs to lure more mid-day traffic.
2. Drive-Thrus: If most of a chain's locations do not have drive-thrus then I have to look more closely at the next few questions. But having a drive-thru does not automatically grant a listing (e.g. Starbucks.)
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I was thinking, do we really need restaurants to roll out any new burgers? Don't misunderstand me, I LOVE hamburgers. I could eat them daily. Of course, I don't. But I could. My point is, have we reached a point where the market for burgers is saturated?

The thing that got me thinking about this was how I visit some restaurant chains more often and some only once in a while. Whether it's out of convenience to work or home, price, or just my taste, there are some places I don't go to every week. And I am sure it's the same with other people.

You can expand this initial question to include other base menu items. Are you dying for a new fast food sandwich? What about the much ballyhooed fast food salads? Is there something missing - a craving as yet unsatisfied by the chains?

So, just for kicks, let's say the Mexican food market still has some growing room. Are you going to run to McDonald's for a McTaco? Burger King and Jack in The Box have had tacos for years. They don't make them the center of ad campaigns.

So what is it that'll get you excited about fast food? What's the Next Big Thing? Is it the fast casual menus of, say, Baja Fresh or Chipotle? Is it low fat or "healthier" fare like salads? Maybe it'll be a new low fat hot dog. Mmmm. Hot dogs.

What goes around, comes around.  Back in the late '80's and early '90's,
the fast food chains made a big push into the salad business, complete with
salad bars and all the fixin's.  Then, mysteriously, salads took a back
seat in the late '90's to yet another burger war.

 

Now, salads are making a comeback.  McDonald's, in particular,
is leading the charge with an extensive array of deluxe salad choices.  But
why?  According to McDonald's own press literature, the salads "offer
customers wholesome, high-quality entrée salads with warm breast of
chicken."  Well, if you believe in the dictionary definition of
wholesome as being "conducive to sound health or well-being" you might
think that the chains have finally hit upon the holy grail: fast food that's
good for you.

 

Don't get me wrong.  As you know, I am a big fan of all things fast
food.  But the well-informed fast food patron is one who looks beyond the
hype.  For example, did you know that a Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
with Newman's Own® Ranch Dressing is higher in calories, fat and sodium than a
Big Mac or Quarter Pounder with Cheese?  Yes, the dressing is definitely
the culprit in the fat and calorie department.  But the salad alone (sans
dressing) still has 1040 grams of sodium.  A Big Mac has 1070.

OK, I know I have complained about this before, but when did someone decide the best way to give back change was to pour the coin change on top of the paper bills and then hand the entire mess over to the customer?!?! This pains me more than any other subject, so I thought I'd revisit the issue (click here for original article).

Last week, I was in the drive-thru at El Pollo Loco, and sure enough, the cashier tried to hand back a collection of coins perilously stacked on top of my paper change. Did he count it out to me? NOOO!!! So, a dime drops between my window and get this: he gives me a quarter and asks for 15 cents back! After about a minute of me searching my ashtray for a nickel the guy gives up and tells me to drive on.

Needless to say, none of this would've happened if he had handed me the coins first and then the paper. I told him as much but all I got in return was a stupid grin and a shrug. I don't think he even understood what I was saying. Man, this makes me mad!!!

-RB