YumSugar

Is McDonald's Launching a Dollar Breakfast Menu?

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:56 -0800

In this economy, even the savviest of fast food diners have a hard time stretching their dollar. But if the rumors are true, value-seekers may soon find it a lot easier to fill up for a buck early in the day. According to the Chicago Tribune and the Wall Street Journal, McDonald's plans to reveal a nationwide breakfast dollar menu.

Based on internal documents obtained by the two publications, the McDonald's breakfast dollar menu will begin a national advertising run in January 2010. Although McDonald's has declined to comment, the burger giant tested a breakfast menu with $1 items in August in its Chicago stores, offering items such as a sausage McMuffin, breakfast burritos, and hash browns.

The chain, which is also rolling out the Mac Snack Wrap nationwide in January, will face some stiff competition.

Burger King recently added the quarter-pound Double Cheeseburger to its menu through March, and Dunkin' Donuts just rolled out a temporary $0.99 menu in Chicago. If two leading newspapers are publishing stories on it, the alleged menu can't be too far from the truth. What would you hope to see on a $1 breakfast bonanza?

Dunkin' Drinks Join Beef, Cookie Dough Ranks in Food Recall

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:52 -0700

Yesterday, Dunkin' Donuts temporarily pulled its Dunkaccino and hot chocolate drinks off store menus after discovering that one of its suppliers' facilities may have been contaminated with salmonella. The doughnut chain's supplier, Plainview Milk Products Cooperative, voluntarily recalled several of its products, although no illnesses have been traced back to the contamination. Dunkin' Donuts is confident the drinks will be back in stores soon, but yesterday's recall is simply one more to add to a rapidly growing list of food contamination concerns. At the end of last month, Nestlé pulled 30,000 cases of Toll House refrigerated cookie dough after dozens of illnesses were traced to the product, which contained harmful traces of E. coli bacteria. Then over 380,000 pounds of beef were recalled across the country because the meat was also tainted with toxic E. coli. More than 12 people have been hospitalized as a result.

Food contamination appears to be a concern for Americans now more than ever. In March, following recalls of spinach, jalapeños, milk, and peanut butter, President Obama addressed food-safety issues and reassured Americans that he would aid the FDA in strengthening the country's food-safety system. Yet the situation only seems to be getting worse. Are you as frustrated with the FDA's lack of diligence as I am?

Yummy Links: From Tanya Steel to Olympic Diets

partysugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:45:02 -0700

With her new book, Tanya Steel shows adults how to feed kids without being deceptive. - The Epi-Log
What is your most-stained cookbook? - Serious Eats
A delicious combination: tomatoes and vodka. - GlamDish
Before you pack that Spanish ham leg in your suitcase, learn what food and drink can legally be brought into the United States. - The Kitchn
Go behind the scenes of the 19th Annual Pennsylvania Dutch Festival. - Slashfood
A day in the life of a top mixologist.- 7 x 7
Dunkin Donuts debuts a healthier menu. - FitSugar
Everything you need to know about ramekins. - Baking Bites
How to clean a soft-shell crab. - Chow
Eat like an Olympian. - Food and Wine

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Culinary Inventions

partysugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:19:45 -0700

Isn't it hard to think of a world without sandwiches and ice cream cones? I mean I can hardly imagine a world without my cell phone or macbook let alone everyday food staples and lazy summer Sunday favorites. Wondering why I'm wondering about this? Well on today's date in 1792, John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich, yes the guy who invented the sandwich, died (that's him pictured at right, what a looker!). It is believed that he wanted a quick meal that he could eat in one hand (he needed the other to hold his cards) during his gambling sessions. Also on April 30, the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair opened and everyone knows that is where ice cream cones were created. Oh and I know how much you love donuts, the first Dunkin Donuts opened today on my birth year in 1981.

Free Food Alert: National Doughnut Day Giveaways

YumSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:00:53 -0700

Fridays just keep getting better: in addition to taking advantage of some free Mars chocolate, tomorrow is National Doughnut Day - which mean you can enjoy free doughnuts courtesy of both Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts. There's no purchase required at Krispy Kreme, where all you have to do is saunter over to your participating local store to score a free pastry. From there, you can cross town to hit up Dunkin' Donuts, where you get a gratis doughnut of your choice with the purchase of any beverage.

To further honor this American classic and breakfast of champions, see if you can dunk my doughnut identification quiz. Will you partake in tomorrow's breakfast pastry bargain?

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Rachael Ray is Dunkin' Donuts New Spokesperson

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:58:19 -0700

Is it just me, or is Rachael Ray everywhere these days? She's at the wax museum, she's on the box of Ritz crackers, she's on the red carpet, she has her own talkshow, you name it she's there. What's that, you're naming Dunkin' Donuts? Why yes, she's there too! I mean why wouldn't the new Dunkin' Donuts spokesperson be there?

Yes you read that correctly. Rachael has just penned herself a deal to be Dunkin' Donuts new spokesperson.

[Rachael] will serve as the donut and coffee shop's "brand representative" and will "appear in a multi-platform marketing campaign for Dunkin' Donuts." Dunkin' Donuts also says that Rachael will "lend her perspective to the Dunkin' Donuts culinary team in the development of new, 'better for you' food and beverage options."

The campaign starts soon and will go until 2010. That means, that for the next 3 years she'll be on tv, in magazines, on the radio, in stores, etc... hrmm, I guess nothing's really changing, now is it?

Source: Everything Rachael Ray
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So, what do you guys think of this endorsement?

Dunkin' Donuts Claims to Beat Starbucks in Coffee Taste Test

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:30:32 -0700

As colossal coffee chain Starbucks struggles to keep up with past profit margins, its competitors continue to move in for the kill. Earlier this month, breakfast chain Dunkin' Donuts introduced its version of a recession deal. Now, in its latest ad campaign, the chain is claiming it beat Starbucks in a blind taste test.In the campaign, Dunkin' Donuts, which is currently in the middle of a national expansion effort, airs a new TV spot and launched a website, Dunkin' Beat Starbucks, that will highlight the results of the taste test.

The blind taste test, conducted by A&G Research, polled 476 adults in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. According to a press release from the chain, 54.2 percent of participants surveyed preferred Dunkin' Donuts coffee to the 39.3 percent who preferred Starbucks coffee. Another 6.3 percent had no preference between the two.

I'm slightly surprised by the results: I recently had Dunkin' Donuts coffee, and found that I still prefer the coffee from Starbucks. What about you? Are you impressed by the study's results, or are you skeptical of the findings?

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Dunkin' Donuts Offers Some Tax-Day Relief

YumSugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:03:51 -0700

Doing some last-minute work on your taxes this weekend? Well maybe they'll be a bit easier to do if you know there's a reward at the end of the tax-form tunnel. Next Tuesday, April 15, Dunkin' Donuts is offering a bit of tax-day relief in the form of a free donut. However, I should warn you, much like your taxes, you need to read all the fine print. The donut is only free when you buy any sized hot coffee. If you're interested, find a Dunkin' Donuts store near you.

Dunkin' Donuts One-Ups Starbucks With New Special

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:12:23 -0700

Responding to the economic hardship, breakfast chain Dunkin' Donuts has come out with its version of a recession deal.

Beginning today, small hot and iced lattes will cost only 99 cents from 2 to 5 p.m. The new special, dubbed "America's Latte Break," is the doughnut chain's response to the Starbucks $2 afternoon coffee deal that ended last month. The restaurants will also offer a 99 cent Egg and Cheese Sandwich - all day long - with the purchase of a medium or larger hot coffee. Both specials will run through Nov. 11.

What do you think of "America's Latte Break"? Will it edge out the competition? Will you visit Dunkin' Donuts for afternoon coffee over Starbucks?

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Rachael Ray a Terrorist?

partysugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:13:03 -0700

Dunkin Donuts has pulled an advertisement featuring Rachael Ray because some people believe she is wearing what could be construed as a terrorist symbol. Apparently, the black and white scarf she wears in the ad resembles a traditional headdress, known as a keffiyeh, worn by Arab men.

The criticism of the scarf was spearheaded by Michelle Malkin, a conservative Fox News commentator. On her blog, she complains about the trendiness of such a powerful symbol:

Popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos, the apparel has been mainstreamed by both ignorant and not-so-ignorant fashion designers, celebrities, and left-wing icons.

At first Dunkin Donuts dismissed the complaints but later pulled the ad and released the following statement:

In a recent online ad, Rachael Ray is wearing a black-and-white silk scarf with a paisley design. It was selected by her stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended. However, given the possibility of misperception, we are no longer using the commercial.

I think the whole thing was blown out of proportion. How about you? Do you think anyone could mistake Rachael Ray for a terrorist?

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