YumSugar

New McDonald's Commercials Take a Deeper Jab at Starbucks

YumSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:30:50 -0700

In an effort to further promote its new McCafé coffee bars, fast-food chain McDonald's has released a new set of clips that make fun of the coffeehouse scene popularized by Starbucks, billing it as a stuffy store overrun with brooding intellectuals.

This isn't the first of the campaign against Starbucks: Earlier this year, we took notice of the new McDonald's site Unsnobbycoffee.com, which touts McDonald's coffee as simple, easy, and unpretentious when compared to Starbucks. The new commercials take this concept one step further. "Now we don't have to listen to jazz all day long!" one woman proclaims in the segment below. Check out the commercial for yourself and tell me: Do you find it funny, or is McDonald's, with its new segments that mock Starbucks, taking its ad campaign one step too far?

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Sonic Parodies "The Hills" With New Ads

YumSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:00:00 -0700

This week, fast food chain Sonic Drive-In released the first of a new series of ads that mimic MTV's The Hills. "The Stalls," as the advertising miniseries is called, begins by featuring the classic Sonic duo Pete and T.J. in a car at Sonic. After the two rave about banana pudding shakes, Pete announces he's met the girl of his dreams.

Lured in to the drama of the to-be-continued commercial series, I visited Sonic's official "The Stalls" website, where I previewed clips from the rest of the miniseries. Coming soon, I learned, "the drama heats up for T.J. and Pete over a couple of shakes and blasts." This new promotion airs weekly during episodes of The Hills, and actually ties in to other sponsorships between Sonic and MTV.

Check out the clip below. I think the series is hilarious and I can't wait to watch the rest of the mini episodes. Will you be trying to catch them as well?

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California Will Require Chains to Post Nutritional Facts

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:15:23 -0700

Will diners consider their health before ordering a super-sized hamburger value meal? California legislators are betting on it: Last night, the state became the first to require restaurant chains to post nutritional information for their menu items.

By 2011, roughly 17,000 chain restaurants will be required to post the fat, calories, salt, and carbohydrate values where customers can readily see them. Alternatively, they can hand out brochures with the information. Said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:

When people go to the grocery store now . . . they can already read the labels and make informed decisions about what they eat. But now they will also have that pleasure when they go to the restaurant.

While the bill currently only applies to chains with 20 restaurants or more, it sets a precedent for imposing more health regulations on the restaurant industry, and sets the example for other states to follow suit. Do you predict this measure will change the way America eats? Will customers alter their eating habits because of menu labeling - or will people just eat what they want?

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Match the Tagline to the Restaurant Chain!

YumSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:30:15 -0700

With all of the recent happenings in the chain-restaurant world, I decided to put together a quiz for you. How much do you know about national restaurant chains and their advertising slogans? Take my quiz to find out! I'll give you a slogan, and you choose which chain it advertises.

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Take the quiz

What Is Your Favorite Chain Restaurant of 2007?

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 03:09:19 -0800

As part of our ongoing Best of 2007 coverage, we want to know about where you like to eat. What is your favorite chain restaurant?

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Chain Restaurant Food or Band Name?

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:01:51 -0700

I was talking to a friend of mine and she mentioned how the dishes in chain restaurants always have ridiculous names. She thought that a breakfast dish at Baker's Square - called Chorizo Skillet - sounded a bit like a bad band name. Can't you see it now? Hey guys we're going to go see Chorizo Skillet this weekend! I suppose it could be worse; it could be Jimmy Eat World - real band name - or G Love and the Special Sauce - another real band name.

So now tell me, can you identify the real band names from the chain restaurant dishes? If you think you can, then take the quiz!

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Take the quiz

Burger King Gets a Makeover

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:15:47 -0700

While one fast food chain is temporarily closing stores, another has begun remodeling them. Hoping a facelift will invigorate sales, Burger King announced a major effort to redesign its 12,000 worldwide locations.

Burger King is betting that rotating red flame chandeliers, LCD menus, and corrugated metal and brick walls will encourage customers to sit down and enjoy a meal rather than simply passing through.According to Chairman and CEO John Chidsey, who describes the overhaul as "contemporary, edgy, futuristic . . . like an upscale restaurant," the 60 outlets that have already been revamped have generated 12 to 15 percent more sales.

The "20/20" design transformation, as it's called, is a huge risk for Burger King. The overhaul will take several years to complete worldwide, and will cost franchisees a whopping $300,000 to $600,000 per restaurant. Check out new store pictures. Could a redesign coax you into buying more BK?

Is Ruby Tuesday Blowing Its Campaign Out of Proportion?

YumSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:00:32 -0700

Restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday announced its plans to destroy one of its locations next Tuesday in an explosion that will be broadcast live on its website. The explosion signals a new era for the chain, something the company has been trying to do with its slogan, "It's a brand new Tuesday."

The bomb will go off on Aug. 5 at 3 p.m. EDT, at an undisclosed restaurant location which is the last remaining "old-style site." The overhaul includes a new "simple, fresh, American dining" menu and revamped décor. The makeover was the plan of David Oakley, who said:

They have redone everything . . . gotten rid of all the bicycles hanging from the recycles, the surfboards and old movie posters to point where there wasn't an inch of space.

With an oversaturated sit-down restaurant market and an increasingly poor economy, the casual dining industry has been reeling. This campaign comes on the heels of an announcement two days ago that Bennigan's would be closing almost 300 restaurants after more than 30 years. What do you think about the bombing? Will you watch?

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While Casual Chains Drop Prices, Fast Food Trades Up

YumSugar — Fri, 01 May 2009 08:00:37 -0700

Regardless of its location, price point, or popularity, no restaurant has remained untouched by the deteriorating economy. While many high-end restaurants have made adjustments, some of the most drastic changes taking place are happening between fast and casual food chains.

Casual restaurant chains such as Applebee's, Chili's, and TGI Friday's have desperately tried to keep sales steady with bargain deals. Applebee's started the trend by appealing to cash-strapped diners with a limited-time offer for a large appetizer with two entrees for just $20. Chili's joined in soon after with a "ten under $7" value menu. Earlier this week, TGI Friday's slashed the prices of all sandwiches and salads to a mere $5.Ironically enough, fast food chains have focused on premium items. Late last year, Burger King aimed to go higher-end with a new line of ribs, and this August, McDonald's is coming out with a one-third-pound Angus beef burger that's priced at $3.99. The number one fast food chain has also been selling specialty coffee drinks at its McCafé stores.

As both segments expand their food offerings, the casual chain and fast food sectors have become somewhat redundant. Have you frequented more fast food or casual chains lately? Which do you think has a better business model?

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Denny's Strives to Hit the Late-Night Sweet Spot

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:36 -0700

2009 has been a rough year for casual dining, with many restaurant chains struggling to stay afloat. The solution proposed at Denny's? Become friends with the cool kids. Denny's, a 24-hour eating establishment with a reputation as a family road trip pit stop, is attempting to transform itself into an all-night hotspot for young adults.

With the onset of its Allnighter program last year, Denny's began its metamorphosis into a night-owl oasis, blasting rock and country from the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The company also started offering a Rockstar menu at night, hawking dishes like burritos designed by Good Charlotte and a country-fried steak combo created by Rascal Flatts.

The payoff has been meager with late night traffic increasing by only 5 percent. Still, the chain continues to promote its newly-minted image to college campuses, in hopes that schools will consider changing the names of existing locations to "Allnighter" and offer the restaurant's Rockstar menu. I haven't hit up a Denny's since my last road trip, but I'm curious to know if any of you have checked it out. Does the new late-night Denny's lounge seem to have an edge on the competition?

Photo by sun dazed