"fast food" news and stories

As food costs are expected to rise about four percent in the United States and Europe from last year, McDonald's plans to raise its prices slightly and gradually. In March, the company raised all menu items by one percent, reports Nation's Restaurant News, and plans to "keep taking small, additional menu price increases."

McDonald's emphasized that it would not raise prices beyond the food-away-from-home inflation rate because, explains Pete Bensen, McDonald's Corp. chief financial officer, it is bad for traffic.

In a somewhat ironic move given the price increases, McDonald's has recently launched an ad campaign in Nordic countries that recalls the McDonald's of yore. The ads advertise a 1955 original version of the famous burger that used to sell for 15 cents.

Watch the new ad after the jump.

Remember the lawsuit filed against Taco Bell that claimed the fast-food giant's seasoned beef was, well, less than all beef? Turns out, the lawsuit's been dropped, reports the Associated Press.

Taco Bell always contended that the lawsuit was "absolutely wrong," the AP reports. And the company spent a total of $7 million dollars in advertising to drive the point home that their seasoned meat is 88% beef.

Guess it worked. Beasley Allen, the law firm that filed the suit, said the marketing and product disclosure that Taco Bell offered changed their minds, and they withdrew the suit. Apparently all they wanted was for chalupa-loving customers to know that 12% of the meat in their sandwich was beef-free.

Read the whole story at The Huffington Post.

It's Tax Day (well, ok, Tax Weekend, since you have until Monday the 18th to file). Restaurants around the country want you to know they feel your pain as you fill out your 1040. Tax Day and Tax Weekend deals on food, from Cinnabon (free Cinnabon Bites from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday) to RA Sushi (extended "Magic Monday" happy hour), will keep you chewing on more than your fingernails as you cut that check to the IRS. Or give you more ways to spend your refund.

Arby's is declaring today Free FryDay (Curly Fries giveaway after printing a coupon from its Facebook page)

At Hooters, buy 10 wings and get 10 free.

Subway is offering an extended "tax break": buy one Footlong and get one free, through April 29.

Get the whole story at Nation's Restaurant News, where there's a full line-up of the giveaways and deals.

Now that folks at Domino's Pizza are finished revamping their pizza recipe, they've turned their attention to their chicken offerings, introducing new Boneless Chicken (basically nuggets), and a reboot of their Chicken Wings. Here's how they rate:

The Claims: Domino's new Boneless Chicken is "lightly breaded with savory herbs, made with 100% white breast meat." The revamped wings are "now tastier than ever. Sauced with your choice of Hot, New Sweet Mango Habanero or BBQ Sauce." The Boneless Chicken can be "customized" with those same three sauces for dipping, in addition to the standards, Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing.

The Price: Boneless Chicken comes in 8-, 14-, or 40-piece combos, at $6.99 (410 calories), $10.99 (710 calories), or $29.99 (2030 calories), respectively. The new wings also come in eight, fourteen, or forty, for the same prices. (580-680 calories, 1010-1200 calories, 2890-3420 calories, respectively.)

Arby's is known for their roast beef sandwiches, and now, like other chains before them, they are jumping on the Angus beef bandwagon -- that breed of cattle whose name has become associated with leaner, tastier, and higher-quality meat. This is good news for the carnivores out there, especially since the Angus beef is sliced and piled into a sandwich with bacon and three types of cheese. Here's how Arby's new Angus Three Cheese & Bacon sandwich rates:

The Claims: The Angus Three Cheese & Bacon sandwich contains USDA Choice Black Angus beef, slow-roasted with a rub of garlic and onions, sliced fresh in the store, and piled onto an Italian roll. The roast beef is draped with slices of Swiss cheese, and topped with shredded cheddar, a Parmesan peppercorn ranch sauce, and thick-cut, pepper-spiced bacon. (660 calories sans condiments)

The Price: $4.99.