Fast Food Foofaraw

[LordMortis]

We have a Little Caesar's not far from us, and honestly, it's the pizza we get most often, mostly because it's convenient, and also because it's cheap enough while the others around us tend to be a little pricy.

Ding. Plus since they closed down #1, the newest and closest store to me has a drive thru. So it's fast food for $5 and more than I should I eat. And if I order online I can sometimes get something extra for that same $5 (free crazy bread or the super rare for me 2 liter of Pepsi). Also their deep dish is actually not just pizza for $5. It's actually pretty good for $8. They're best in class, essentially. You get the best your gonna get for $5 or $8 and they're fast. I'd rather have an LC pizza for $5 than a McD or BK or whatever.

Papa John's

I mean it wasn't disgusting... but it's not good.

I actually like LC better than PJ by a lot and it's both better cold and reheats better as well as being half the price and PJ don't have a good deep dish. PJ is worst in class. I don't go there by choice. Happy's is around the same price but better in every aspect and more ubiquitous around here.

[stessier]

Tried Papa John's for the first time tonight. I think they've had a presence in southern Ontario for a while, but not close enough to be convenient. I'm not impressed. (Not that I was expecting to be.) I mean it wasn't disgusting... but it's not good. It reminded me the most of Little Caesar's. Little Caesar's is mediocre-to-bad (outside of their best-in-the-business Crazy Bread), but they're cheap as free. I think what reminds me of them the most is the sweetness and texture of the dough. Papa John's is a lot more expensive though.

Got a The Works pizza that was surprisingly generous with the toppings, but the crust was a little soggy as is the risk with toppings-heavy pizzas. Mrs. Nym wanted to try a stuffed crust pizza with additional cheese toppings (it's her thing). It was... I mean, I'd gladly accept it if I were hungry. The bacon cheesesticks were fine but not particularly memorable. The buffalo wings were uninspiring.

So I doubt they'll make it into the rotation. But I was glad to finally try them.

You need to take a more scientific approach.

[Sudy]

Lol... I saw that video a while back. While there are some flaws in their approach, I get and accept that more toppings = less/balanced overall toppings. I just really dig a more hearty two meat + two-three veg pie sometimes, and nothing else caught my eye on PJ's menu. And ordering toppings a la carte is usually more expensive.

It depends on the restaurant, but my pie of choice would usually be something like sausage, bacon, peppers, and tomato. Substitute black olives and mushrooms as desired. Maybe a specialty cheese. Depth of flavour without being chaos. "The Works", similar to Pizza Hut's Super Supreme, is total slop-bucket chaos. But it's more interesting than a plain pepperoni. I don't think more than two meats ever go on a pizza though, with rare exception. Generally, the better quality the pizza the fewer toppings I'll order.

[Daehawk]

Ive always wondered about the extra pepperoni I order on my PH pizzas. Never seems like they add any. Im afraid to order a normal amount as there'd be only 2 pieces.

[stessier]

I thought the part of the video about why Little Ceasar's is able to be so cheap was pretty interesting. I had no idea.

[Daehawk]

We have a lot of little highly rated mom & pop pizza places in town and Ive yet to try any of them. I really should one day.

[stimpy]

Arbys is bringing back the 5 for $5 today only.
Gonna be a zoo.

[LordMortis]

This confirms my bias, so it must be true. (though I didn't know about blue line) and I don't tend to dominoes or pizza hut because to me value was still price and ease of order/pick up. $5 vs $10+ for a bare basics pizza and hot and ready.

If I go beyond that metric all four of the contenders are out.

[Blackhawk]

We're overdue for someone to jump in and tell us about their local $12/slice pizza place and why it's superior to all of our peasant garbage. Oh, and about ketchup on hot dogs.

[Daehawk]

Arbys is bringing back the 5 for $5 today only.
Gonna be a zoo.

I was kinda figuring that was what they would do. Too bad I dont have money until tomorrow. Honestly as lame as their food has gotten this is the price it should always be. And yea it will be a madhouse so probably wouldn't go with money anyways. I sure do miss that price special though.

I would get 3 regular roast beef and 2 beef N cheddar.

Strange I dont see it mentioned online and nothing on their site. Though I did get the email about the big announcement and it not being a April fool joke...who knows.

[Sudy]

Lol, I think that was me last time. I don't have a problem with chain pizza, I just think of it as a separate category of food.

I wish we still had Arby's around here. It's some nice variety.

Unrelated, a roast brisket place opened up minutes from my doorstep about a year ago... it's a treat. I can't afford $16.00 for a sandwich every day, but then, it's not competing with fast food for me.

[stimpy]

Arbys is bringing back the 5 for $5 today only.
Gonna be a zoo.

I was kinda figuring that was what they would do. Too bad I dont have money until tomorrow. Honestly as lame as their food has gotten this is the price it should always be. And yea it will be a madhouse so probably wouldn't go with money anyways. I sure do miss that price special though.

I would get 3 regular roast beef and 2 beef N cheddar.

Strange I dont see it mentioned online and nothing on their site. Though I did get the email about the big announcement and it not being a April fool joke...who knows.

If you got the email about the announcement, you should get the email for the deal.

[Holman]

My 14-year-old surprised me by insisting that, with the sole exception of egg & cheese bagels from Dunkin Donuts, he has never eaten at any major fast-food chain, ever. He seemed a little pissed about it.

Our family doesn't really do fast food. We're not fanatics; it's just not our thing. But I guess I'd always assumed that somewhere along the way he had had chain fast-food with friends.

Further investigation reveals that, yes, he has had a couple of Subway sandwiches over the years, and we have all been to Chipotle together, but he has literally never seen the inside of a McDonald's, BK, Taco Bell, Chik-fil-a, Wendy's, KFC, etc.

Am I a bad dad or a *terrible* dad?

[Blackhawk]

It's not much of a loss, but I'd say it's also an opportunity. Something cheap and quick that'll count as an 'experience.' Maybe let him pick two or three and do one a week over the summer.

[stessier]

My 14-year-old surprised me by insisting that, with the sole exception of egg & cheese bagels from Dunkin Donuts, he has never eaten at any major fast-food chain, ever. He seemed a little pissed about it.

Our family doesn't really do fast food. We're not fanatics; it's just not our thing. But I guess I'd always assumed that somewhere along the way he had had chain fast-food with friends.

Further investigation reveals that, yes, he has had a couple of Subway sandwiches over the years, and we have all been to Chipotle together, but he has literally never seen the inside of a McDonald's, BK, Taco Bell, Chik-fil-a, Wendy's, KFC, etc.

Am I a bad dad or a *terrible* dad?

[Charles Barkley]Turrble - just turrble![/Barkley]

Culturally, he has to at least try McDonald's fries so he can have an opinion on the internet. I would also say trying Chick-Fil-A and KFC are a must.

[Sudy]

We don't live in Chik-fil-a territory, but yeah, I'd say "trying" all those is a must. Much like giving a curious kid a cigarette, maybe you should let him order as much as he wants.

McDonald's - Fries, yeah. I'd argue Big Mac also, though more for the sauce and total package. It's of course a pretty pitiful burger. Nuggets with sweet and sour and BBQ sauce are also a best in class.

Burger King - Whopper. Everything else is garbage (especially the sides), but a hot, fresh, well prepared Whopper is delicious. Personally, I prefer it without cheese as it's a mayo-dominant sandwich.

Wendy's - Single with cheese: example of a good corporate fast food burger. Maybe consider the bacon variant instead, but I think it's overkill.

Taco Bell - Personal opinion, but I live for the beef burrito supreme. It's got the lettuce and tomato, guac, sour cream, refried beans, and red sauce. Most of the rest of the menu is fodder for poor decision-making while inebriated.

KFC - I could see passing on this one unless your local franchise is really, really good. I crave some simple original recipe every now and again, but I haven't had truly great KFC in ages. Oh! The macaroni salad though. The macaroni salad is worth it, if it's the same as the Canadian version. Otherwise, take him to a Popeye's.

[LordMortis]

Culturally, he has to at least try McDonald's fries so he can have an opinion on the internet. I would also say trying Chick-Fil-A and KFC are a must.

They lost their magic somewhere over the years. Maybe from quality control but if distant memories are still indicative of reality McDonald's hashbrowns were just as good as ever.

Never had a Chic-fil-A as they are regional. KFC, nothing lost by not trying.


I don't really think of any of the chains as having much signature anymore, except maybe a chocolate Frosty at Wendy's. Fast Food isn't something I look forward to, so much as it's a treat because it's fast and easy and done. For me a real treat is sitting down for a good filet dinner with an excellent mortis style spinach based anitpasto salad and a couple of beers.

[Blackhawk]

[quote=Sudy post_id=2813768 time=1617288149 user_id=720
Wendy's [/b]- Single with cheese: example of a good corporate fast food burger. Maybe consider the bacon variant instead, but I think it's overkill.
[/quote

If it doesn't come with a frosty, he hasn't had 'iconic' Wendy's.

And for Taco Bell... well, you kind of need to have tacos there. I'd say a two-taco, one burrito combo meal.

[Sudy]

I appreciate Frosties as being a perfection of simple soft-serve-style ice cream and agree in retrospect that they're iconic, but I've never personally thought they were that great. I enjoy the occasional one... the non-overpowering chocolate is a delight. But they're usually left off my orders. I guess they're worth experiencing if you feel the need to try dipping your fries in them. I do kind of want one now.

Never stick them in the freezer though... they re-crystalize and come out with a sand-like texture.

[Blackhawk]

I appreciate Frosties as being a perfection of simple soft-serve-style ice cream and agree in retrospect that they're iconic, but I've never personally thought they were that great. I enjoy the occasional one... the non-overpowering chocolate is a delight. But they're usually left off my orders. I guess they're worth experiencing if you feel the need to try dipping your fries in them. I do kind of want one now.

Never stick them in the freezer though... they re-crystalize and come out with a sand-like texture.

We're not talking about the best these places have to offer. We're talking about their iconic foods! If you want to understand what KFC is about, you don't get a salad. You get chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and gravy. That's iconic KFC.

At McDonald's you get a Quarter Pounder or a Big Mac, and you get fries. Burger King is the Home of the Whopper. Wendy's is a cheeseburger and a frosty.

[Holman]

Totally agree that the Wendy's hamburger is way above McD or BK quality (or at least it was in the 1990s).

I think we'll do McDonald's take-out first, and then do a Wendy's comparison later. I don't want to make a habit of it, though.

One thing I realized is that Son and his friends have never *needed* fast-food chains because their school downtown is in a neighborhood served by an army of food trucks.

[LordMortis]

I guess they're worth experiencing if you feel the need to try dipping your fries in them.

And that is the iconic Wendy's experience.

Also, I thought of another one A&W root beer. It's not the best on the planet and their chili dogs are inferior but it's still A&W Root Beer which is not the same as getting it in a can or a bottle and you want it in restaurant in a frosted glass mug, not to go. It's made in store (or was when last I had one)

[Sudy]

I think KFC's macaroni salad is iconic, but that may only be in my head lol. Unfortunately the Canadian fast food experience isn't always the same. We don't have biscuits here, and don't usually have mashed potatoes (though they've made a couple of limited-time appearances). I was confused when Mrs. Nym (SD native) mentioned getting their mashed potatoes and mac & cheese early in our relationship.

In Canada, our thing was always eating the fries with gravy (and often ketchup). When I was growing up they also had loaves of white bread that were served steamed. We got the crispy recipe in the 90s, but that was gone by the 2000s. (I think it's come back a couple times.) I think we also got rotisserie, but I lived in NC for a few years in the 90s so my memories are often conflated. (Actually, I guess I must have known more about their U.S. menu then--like the buffets we never had here, for example.) I was shocked to find they still had these other chicken types when I returned to the U.S. in the mid-2000s.

[stessier]

I appreciate Frosties as being a perfection of simple soft-serve-style ice cream and agree in retrospect that they're iconic, but I've never personally thought they were that great. I enjoy the occasional one... the non-overpowering chocolate is a delight. But they're usually left off my orders. I guess they're worth experiencing if you feel the need to try dipping your fries in them. I do kind of want one now.

Never stick them in the freezer though... they re-crystalize and come out with a sand-like texture.

We're not talking about the best these places have to offer. We're talking about their iconic foods! If you want to understand what KFC is about, you don't get a salad. You get chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and gravy. That's iconic KFC.

At McDonald's you get a Quarter Pounder or a Big Mac, and you get fries. Burger King is the Home of the Whopper. Wendy's is a cheeseburger and a frosty.

I don't like McDonald's burgers (because I don't like any toppings and getting it that way is virtually impossible) and think the McNuggets are iconic. Similarly for Wendy's, I prefer the Spicy Chicken sandwich. The burgers, though, are definitely the best of McD, BK, Wendy's - and Wendy's is the only place I stand a better than 50% chance of getting a plain burger (hamburger and bun) when I order it that way.

[Sudy]

I agree the Wendy's battered chicken sandwiches are best in class. (Again, we don't have Chick-fil-A here. I mean we do now, but I'm not travelling an hour downtown for it. And yeah, the new Popeye's sandwich is good enough, but I think it's too new to be eligible for comparison.) Spicy, definitely at the top of the list. But the Asiago Ranch Club and the one that preceded it for most of the 2000s is also incredible. But if I could only visit once, I'd still go with one of their burgers. Baconator is also damn good, but it's too much.

I guess you've got to do a McDonald's breakfast? Egg McMuffin is definitely iconic, and the hashbrowns are amazing when fresh. I've always preferred the sausage 'n' egg myself, though.

[stessier]

Oh, and about ketchup on hot dogs.

[Blackhawk]

What's popular also depends on where you live. Hardee's, Carl's Jr., Jack-in-the-Box, Rally's, Sonic, Rax, Wienerschnitzel, White Castle, In-n-Out Burger, etc. They're considered standard iconic destinations in some parts of the country, but on the other nobody's heard of them.

(I'd kill for a Wienerschnitzel or something comparable. I'm surrounded by burger options, but I haven't seen a dedicated hot dog place in 20 years, ever since Sinbad's in Sparks.)

I don't want to make a habit of it, though.

Probably a good idea. What I imagined when you first posted was a sort of visitor's tour of stereotypical America. "These are the most popular places; these are the foods they're known for. We'll go to one a week for the next month and a half. Try them! Then we go back home to our own nation and remember our visit."

[Sudy]

I miss Hardee's from NC in the 90s. Peach cobbler topped with soft serve beat the pants off any other fast food dessert at the time. I can barely remember their burgers, just that they were gross and delicious.

I'd love to try White Castle someday. Closest I've gotten was the freezer aisle in SD.


Speaking of which, the Midwest regional destination is Culver's, it's outstanding.

[stessier]

Never had a Chic-fil-A as they are regional.

True - they are only in 47 states and the District of Columbia.

They have 18 locations in MI including Detroit, Ypislanti, and Novi.

[Isgrimnur]

Probably a good idea. What I imagined when you first posted was a sort of visitor's tour of stereotypical America. "These are the most popular places; these are the foods they're known for. We'll go to one a week for the next month and a half. Try them! Then we go back home to our own nation and remember our visit."

And hopefully you'll get home before being stuck in the lavatory for an hour over the North Atlantic.

[Holman]

I don't want to make a habit of it, though.

Probably a good idea. What I imagined when you first posted was a sort of visitor's tour of stereotypical America. "These are the most popular places; these are the foods they're known for. We'll go to one a week for the next month and a half. Try them! Then we go back home to our own nation and remember our visit."

Thing is, I grew up eating at Burger King or McDonald's at least once a week.

I gave it up in college when I went on a health kick, and I've seldom gone back.

[Rumpy]

We have a Little Caesar's not far from us, and honestly, it's the pizza we get most often, mostly because it's convenient, and also because it's cheap enough while the others around us tend to be a little pricy.

Ding. Plus since they closed down #1, the newest and closest store to me has a drive thru. So it's fast food for $5 and more than I should I eat. And if I order online I can sometimes get something extra for that same $5 (free crazy bread or the super rare for me 2 liter of Pepsi). Also their deep dish is actually not just pizza for $5. It's actually pretty good for $8. They're best in class, essentially. You get the best your gonna get for $5 or $8 and they're fast. I'd rather have an LC pizza for $5 than a McD or BK or whatever.

Exactly. Best bang for the buck, really. We like to get the Canadian, and it's consistently good. We tried pizza from a local place last weekend, and the bacon on it seemed to be undercooked strips of bacon just slapped on the pizza. My Mom who doesn't like bacon so much (I know, shocker right) tolerates it on the Canadian, but proceeded to remove it from this pizza.

[Sudy]

Huh? Your Little Ceasar's has real strips of bacon? Ours just has that horrible "bacon crumble".

[Rumpy]

No, a local place does, not LC's. I prefer the crumble.

We're overdue for someone to jump in and tell us about their local $12/slice pizza place and why it's superior to all of our peasant garbage. Oh, and about ketchup on hot dogs.

Speaking of ketchup on hotdogs, in the 90's, I started skipping the ketchup entirely and going for BBQ sauce.

[gilraen]

Little Caesar's used to be my occasional guilty pleasure when I worked in the office. I would just get their $5 lunch deal with a pepperoni pizza and a Mountain Dew. I kinda miss it, but I'm sure the fact that I haven't had it now in over a year has something to do with the fact that I lost almost 15 lbs since the COVID lockdowns started...

I still get Domino's once every few months. But then I just stick to whatever carryout deal they have (like $7.99 for a 3-topping medium). Other than that, we haven't had any pizza other than the frozen kind from Costco since even before COVID.

[Z-Corn]

Totally agree that the Wendy's hamburger is way above McD or BK quality.

That's because the ground beef is always fresh, never frozen. They jump through a lot of logistics hoops to keep it that way.

[stimpy]

Just scored the 5 for 5.
Tool all of 10 minutes.

Now off to gorge myself on beefy goodness while watching Godzilla and Kong battle it out for the belt!!

[Daehawk]

They lost their magic somewhere over the years. Maybe from quality control but if distant memories are still indicative of reality McDonald's hashbrowns were just as good as ever.

McD's fries haven't been the same since about 2 decades ago when vegans beat them over the head with their tofu umbrellas and forced McD's to remove animal/beef flavoring or something from them. And they also dont cook them in the same oil. Fries deserve lard.

[LordMortis]

Never had a Chic-fil-A as they are regional.

True - they are only in 47 states and the District of Columbia.

They have 18 locations in MI including Detroit, Ypislanti, and Novi.

All must be relatively new. Last time I checked (few years ago) they were in the DTW airport and on Oakland University campus and trying to get one on the UofM campus. I had looked for the one on OU the campus once or twice. Never found it. Looks like they put one on Eastern's Campus and one somewhere in Northville. Those are both within commute distance to see what's up. The next closest is Novi. I'm not likely to make that commute just to try a sandwich but I would if I were in the area. Looks like I gave up looking a few years too early.

[Daehawk]

If you got the email about the announcement, you should get the email for the deal.

Yep got it. Went and got the deal while I was getting the lawn mower part.