The 40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals—via The Daily Beast

Not everyone can be good and cook at home every single day. Most of us American are working 9-5pm just like me. So an easy way out as far as food is usually fast food. I have nothing against fast food and even consumed them from time to time, but knowing what you are up against and what to pick when you go will at least get you to make a better choices.

The Daily Beast posted “The 40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals online. I thought I would share with you.

From The Daily Beast…

Obama’s just-passed health-care law requires chains to post calorie counts next year. From Big Macs to Taco Bell chalupas, The Daily Beast offers a preview, ranking the unhealthiest items.

Lost in the acrimony of the health-care reform, there was one clause that all sides seem to agree on: Beginning next year, all restaurant chains with more than 20 locations will have to post calorie counts and other similar information.

Click Here to See the Unhealthiest Fast-Food Items in America

Drive Thru Etiquette – via Slashfood

I found this article today over at Slashfood.com. It’s an interesting article that spoke to a Taco Bell manager, who postulates that the main thing that slows down drive thru restaurants is… us, the customer.

What do you think? Are you guilty of any of these? Do you agree with the manager?

A Taco Bell Manager’s Guide to Drive-Thru Etiquette
by David Koeppel

Photo: Jeremy Brooks, Flickr.

Fast-food customers frequently complain about bad service and long waits at the drive-thru. The easiest people to blame are the restaurant employees who are often characterized as being slow, rude or just plain incompetent.

A 53-year old Taco Bell manager in Maryland (who asked not to be identified so he could speak freely without fear of reprisal from his bosses or offending customers) has an answer for all the complainers: Look in the rear-view mirror.

He says that it’s often the customer who delays service with a lack of consideration for both hardworking staff and other patrons idling in the lane behind them.

“I’ve often wished we had a steam catapult — like the ones they launch planes off of an aircraft carrier — to get some of these people moving,” he says. But he believes that many problems with slow service could be easily remedied if customers followed a few simple rules.
A Taco Bell Manager’s Guide to Drive-Thru Etiquette

1. Know What You’re Ordering
Frequently, customers change their minds at the pick-up window, once their food has already been prepared. It takes more time to change the order, especially if it’s an item that has to be remade. “This slows everything down,” he says. “Especially on large orders.”

2. Don’t Add Additional Items at the Pick-Up Window
“Often the food has already been made and they have started working on the next order.”

3. Have Your Money Ready, and Please, Nothing Larger than a $20
Many customers think they’re being helpful by searching their pockets for exact change. They’re not. “I have seen people take a couple of minutes to find a few pennies,” he says. “Meanwhile cars are backing up and food is getting cold.”

4. No Eating at the Window
This Taco Bell manager has seen people start dining on their lunches before driving away, opening sauce and other condiments, and passing around orders among several passengers in the vehicle.

5. Come Into the Restaurant for Large or Multiple Orders
This is a big time waster for cars with just one or two passengers. “The larger an order, the longer it will take to make everything,” he says.

Of course, these rules don’t take into account the sheer volume of cars lined up for tacos and burgers or the situations where customers are doing everything right and employees just can’t keep up.

Our Taco Bell manager still finds there’s no excuse for rude customers. “Customers usually could care less about the people behind them,” he says. “Common courtesy frequently takes a back seat in the drive-thru.”

In-N-Out

I’ve heard a lot about “In-N-Out” bugers from my friends who live on this side of the US. And while it’s not usually my style to seek out fast food for a meal, every once in a while you have a need for a quick meal and there’s nothing wrong with going after a good burger. So while in California, I decided to give In-N-Out Burger a try.

In-N-Out is one of those places that doesn’t do a very wide variety of foods, but what they do, they do well. The menu isn’t fancy, they don’t offer a whole lot of options, no value meal, no dollar menu. In fact on the menu there are just just 3 choices of burgers… unless that is, you know their hidden menu Which was created by In-N-Out patrons over the years.

The place has a clean 1950s burger joint look, kind of what you would see in Norman Rockwell painting. Everyone still wears a white uniform and paper hats (see above). In a way, they are a little like Johnny Rocket’s Restaurant.

I ordered the double-double combo (Burger, fries, and a drink) and everything was cooked to perfection, not something I expect from a fast food place. The burger was medium well, the fries hot and crispy, and the shake (strawberry) was really good. All that for a little more than $5. Not bad!!!

To top it off, the manager was going around to make sure everyone was happy with their food. That’s a nice touch for a fast food restaurant in my book. I understand though that I was lucky to run into a decent In-N-Out location as some aren’t but still, this one made a good impression.

Below are some of there “Hidden Menu Items”

“3-by-3″ = three meat patties and three slices of cheese.
“4-by-4″ = four meat patties and four slices of chees
“2-by-4″ = two meat patties and four slices of cheese.
“Double Meat” = like a Double Double without cheese.
“3 by Meat” = three meat patties and no cheese.
“Animal Style” = the meat is cooked and fried with mustard and then pickles, extra spread and grilled onions are added.
“Animal Style Fries” = fries with cheese, spread, grilled onions and pickles (if you ask for them).
“Protein Style” = for all you low-carbohydrate dieters, this is a burger with no bun (wrapped in lettuce).
“Flying Dutchman” = two meat patties, two slices of melted cheese and nothing else – not even a bun!
Fries “Well-Done” = extra crispy fries . . . even better than the regular!
Fries “Light” = opposite of fries well-done, more raw than most people like ‘em
“Grilled Cheese” = no meat, just melted cheese, tomato, lettuce and spread on a bun.
“Veggie Burger” = burger without the patty or cheese. Sometimes we call this the “Wish Burger.”
“Neapolitan” Shake = strawberry, vanilla and chocolate mixed together.

It would seem they pretty much have taken the Burger King Motto—”Have it Your Way”—to the next level because the friendly employees of In-N-Out Burger will happily take your special order without question.

I have yet to review any fast food places but I am going to write about this place because they are well above average. They are getting a 5 from me. If you are visiting the 4 states that they are in, California, Nevada, Utah, or Arizona… try them on for size

http://www.in-n-out.com/

Where should you eat?

(via http://eatingtheroad.wordpress.com/)

I found this Flowchart today and I though I would share it with you. It should help you decide what to eat as far as fast food goes.

DLE Podcast Ep 001: Fast Food

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download It

In our first show, we spend lots of time talking Sonic’s, Pad Thai recipes, Fast Food, an unexpected talk about China Town, etc.