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Dunkin' Donuts Is Banking on All-Day Sandwiches

Susannah Chen — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:15:17 PST

Looks like Starbucks and McDonald's aren't the only two chains who want a piece of breakfast between bread: starting this week, Dunkin' Donuts introduces two new sandwich offerings, to be offered at DD locations throughout the day - including breakfast, of course.

The new sandwiches will "be familiar, but with a twist," said Stan Frankenthaler, Dunkin' Brands' executive chef and head of product innovation. The Ham & Cheese Bakery Sandwich contains Black Forest ham, white cheddar, and a creamy dijon mustard sauce; Turkey, Cheddar, & Bacon is made with turkey, white cheddar, bacon, and ancho chipotle sauce. Both are made to order on a croissant, bagel, or the new baked-fresh-daily French roll.

The announcement of these all-day sandwiches arrives just as Taco Bell rolls out its First Meal menu of breakfast items. Still, Dunkin' is quick to explain what differentiates the brand's ham and bacon sandwiches from similar breakfast sandwich offerings already on the market. "We think our bakery leadership is a real differentiator in our brand," Frankenthaler told us. "Our guests already know us and love us for our fresh bagels (we're the number one retailer of bagels in the United States) and croissants."

Providing all-day options is "extremely important for Dunkin’ Donuts," he added. "Breakfast sandwiches are popular with our guests, and they like the flexibility to enjoy them throughout the day."

With first Taco Bell and now Dunkin' Donuts taking the mornings to another level, it's clear that the fast-food AM wars won't be letting up anytime soon. Will you try a new sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts?

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Link Time: What's New in Fast Food

Susannah Chen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:36:46 PST

McDonald's rolls out its first new product of the year, Chicken McBites . . . - FoodBeast
. . . and also ditches "pink slime" in favor of beef - Daily Mail
Burger King and Friendly's are experimenting with joint restaurants - HuffPost Food
Take a look at Taco Bell's new breakfast foods - Eater
The first-ever East Coast Starbucks shuts down - DCist
But that's OK, because Starbucks just had its most successful holiday season, ever - Bloomberg
Domino's, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut are all winging it for the Super Bowl - The Stir

Burger King Hopes to Reclaim Its Throne With New Fries

Susannah Chen — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:39:34 PST

Like condiments, french fries are ripe for a makeover.

Just ask the top fast food chains: in the past year, Jack in the Box has overhauled its fries to mimic those at McDonald's, and Wendy's has announced that its new fries are actually better than those from the Golden Arches. The latest chain to jump on the french fry reformulation bandwagon? None other than Burger King.

The number two fast-feeder - who's recently been rumored to be at risk of losing its top spot to Wendy's - is hoping the Dec. 5 debut of its newfangled pommes frites will reclaim a piece of the fried potato market.

According to BK, the new fries will be fluffier and have a better potato flavor on the inside and a "crispy, golden-brown deliciousness" on the outside. Burger King hopes to prove its french fry cred to customers come Dec. 16, when it'll be offering free small fries to everyone, no purchase necessary.

I'll be checking out the new fries, as I'm curious to see whether Burger King's given priority to the quality of its ingredients. In your opinion, do any of these french fry reformulations actually make a difference?

Krispy Kreme's Got a Massive Plan of Attack

Susannah Chen — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:13:36 PDT

Krispy Kreme's late to joining the fast food breakfast wars, but that doesn't mean they aren't going to try. After years of floundering sales, the doughnut chain's launched a new business plan, and things are finally looking up.

Hot off the heels that its fiscal performance is up, Krispy Kreme's announced it's getting into the java business, with three new signature coffees: a house blend, a dark roast, and house decaf. It's also debuted a trendy line of doughnuts for London Fashion Week, a so-called "capsule collection . . . of glossy, stylish, and fruity-flavored doughnuts for fashion lovers everywhere." It's expanding rapidly in Mexico and Japan, and will launch a new marketing campaign this Friday with the tagline "worthy of our doughnuts."

It'll be interesting to see how Krispy Kreme fares in such a competitive breakfast environment, especially since it has a track record of being late to the game with new products. Does Krispy Kreme have what it takes to make a comeback?

Chipotle's "Back to the Start" Spotlights New Sustainable Food Foundation

Susannah Chen — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:19:04 PDT

Chipotle's furthering its quest to create a more sustainable fast food system. Today the quickservice chain unveiled its new nonprofit organization, the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, to help support sustainable food practices. It's also debuted a short animated film, which will air prior to feature films in theaters nationwide.

The spot, titled "Back to the Start," is about a fictional farmer's venture into industrial farming practices and his eventual return to a more sustainable way of life. For the short, Chipotle commissioned Willie Nelson to sing Coldplay's "The Scientist." The cover song is available for download on iTunes, with proceeds going to the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation.

The new foundation plans to support organizations for family farms, food education for younger generations, and ranchers and farmers who are working on more sustainable practices. Chipotle will host a free music, art, and food day in Chicago called "Cultivate Chicago," with chefs Michael Chiarello, Richard Blais, Jonathan Waxman, and Amanda Freitag cooking and speaking. Similar events in other US cities will follow.

It's encouraging to see such a large food company setting an example for double bottom line investments; hopefully other fast food chains will take note and follow suit with similar social responsibility initiatives. I'd love to hear more about how the organization will support sustainability, though. What do you think of Chipotle's high-priority initiative? Would you attend a Cultivate event in your city?

5 Fast-Casual Chains to Look Out For

Susannah Chen — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:09:29 PDT

Last week, the quick-service industry was buzzing with speculation about In-N-Out Burger: based on the comments of at least one insider, In-N-Out may finally be expanding to the Southwestern part of the country.

Regardless of what the California burger chain has in store, it's undeniable that there's plenty of growth in fast-casual chains right now. While traditional fast-food companies like Burger King are struggling, a number of smaller, newer chains are blowing up across the country. Here are a five eateries to watch out for.

Burger King's Now On Board the Oatmeal Train

Susannah Chen — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:41:08 PDT

We were just pondering the next big health food trend - and perhaps one to consider is oatmeal, bearing in mind the pivotal role it's taken on as the star of morning menus at Starbucks, Jamba Juice, McDonald's, and other fast food chains.

Oatmeal's looking like the big cash cow in fast food's breakfast wars. The latest big chain on the oatmeal breakfast train? Burger King, which debuted its whole grain breakfast offering Monday. BK's customers can choose from either the chain's original or fruit-topped maple oatmeal for $1.99 - the exact same price as the pictured oats from McDonald's.

It remains to be seen whether wholesome offerings like oatmeal will help Burger King improve its flagging sales. What do you think?

Could In-N-Out Be Expanding to a State Near You?

Susannah Chen — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:18:30 PDT

Soon we may have an answer to the question all burger enthusiasts outside of the West have been wondering: will In-N-Out Burger finally expand to the rest of the country? Now that In-N-Out's opened up a distribution center and several locations in Texas, it's possible that nearby states could soon follow suit. According to the chain's Fort Worth economic development manager, the company is considering expanding to neighboring states.

To maintain freshness and quality, In-N-Out has long held a policy of opening new locations that are within 500 miles of its distribution center in Southern California's Baldwin Park. Now that there's a second distribution hub in Dallas, its track record of opening past locations could support expansion to more than a dozen states, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. How would you feel about a new In-N-Out near you?

Source: Flickr User Aaron Friedman

Finally! Burger King's Dethroned Its Weird Monarch Mascot

Susannah Chen — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:57:36 PDT

The king is dead! At least in the world of Burger King commercials. Today, the number-two fast food restaurant announced that it's canning that creepy, crowned character that's been in commercials since 2003.

The reason? "Our new marketing approach is more food-centric," BK spokesperson Miguel Piedra explained. In place of the king's odd but humorous appearances, new Burger King commercials, which air this weekend in conjunction with the limited-time rollout of the California Whopper, will feature no words - just pulsating muzak and action shots of avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, and beef being prepped.

The new focus on fresh reflects the struggling chain's attempt to catch up with the competition at a time when consumers are less focused on value and more on healthy choices, food quality, and food safety. We're glad to hear this: "That king looks like something out of my nightmares," Katie once remarked. I agree; the oversized, smiling plastic head has always really given me the heebie-jeebies. Do you feel the same way?

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Healthy Fast Food: Love It or Hate It?

Susannah Chen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:33:00 PDT

Healthful Southern food may sound like a paradox, but for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, it's now a reality. The Atlanta-based fast food chain has just launched a new, diet-friendly "Louisiana Leaux - Get up & Geaux!" menu, with a focus on foods that contain fewer calories, less fat, and lower sodium.

On the menu: a meal of seasoned chicken tenders, green beans, and toasted baguette roll; a chicken wrap made with a cheese tortilla, chicken tenders, lettuce, and pickles; a chicken tender po' boy baguette with barbecue sauce, lettuce, and pickles; and a new kids meal, with naked chicken tenders, applesauce, toasted baguette roll, and no-calorie drink.

Popeyes follows other fast food companies, such as McDonald's, Burger King, and Jack in the Box, who've recently opted to offer more nutritious items such as fruit sides on their menus. Do you welcome this change, or does it seem like a contradictory move to you?