Fast Food Nastiness

[GeneChing]

McDonald’s Japan goes beyond chicken by adding shrimp nuggets to menu
Casey Baseel 5 days ago


Puripuri Ebi Purio combines strange-sounding name and delicious-sounding concept.

At some point, we all just sort of stopped saying the “chicken” part when talking about McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets. Even with other fast food brands, “nuggets” has largely come to be understood to mean that you’re referring to breaded bite-sized chicken morsels.

But if you can make nuggets with chicken, surely you can make them with other things too, right? As proof, McDonald’s Japan has just unveiled the newest planned addition to its menu: shrimp nuggets.

Technically, McDonald’s Japan isn’t trotting out the “McNugget” name for these, as their official name is Puripuri Ebi Purio, which…kind of makes sense. Puripuri is a unique Japanese word that describes a plump and firm-giving-way-to-tender consistency, pretty much the ideal mouthfeel for cooked shrimp, and ebi is “shrimp” in Japanese. “Purio” is the headscratcher here, but it seems to be a play on words from fireo, the Japanese pronunciation of the “Filet-O” part of McDonald’s flagship fish sandwich, the Filet-O-Fish, perhaps with a substitute P to emphasize the shrimp’s puripuri property.

Linguistic vagaries aside, it seems pretty certain that these are going to be delicious. Shrimp cutlet sandwiches have long been a favorite among in-the-know Japanese fast food foodies, and with five shrimp nuggets to an order, the Puripuri Ebi Purio looks poised to steal the show of customers’ McDonald’s meals even as the company itself is pitching them as a side order.

▼ McDonald’s is also promoting the Puripuri Ebi Purio with a commercial featuring actress Sairi Ito, a werewolf, a mummy, and Frankenstein’s monster, because Japanese advertising is never afraid of getting a little weird.

video unavailable


In addition to the five-piece Puripuri Ebi Purio side order (which is priced starting from 260 yen [US$1.80]), as part of its after-5 p.m. Yoru Mac menu McDonald’s will be offering the shrimp nuggets as part of a Tabekurabe (“eating comparison”) Set with five Puripuri Ebi Purio, five Chicken McNuggets, and an order of French fries for 620 yen.

▼ French fries are sort of a separate thing from nuggets, so they don’t really fit with the “comparison” aspect, but hey, it’s always important to eat your vegetables.

unavailable

The Puripuri Ebi Purio go on sale September 20 and will be available for a limited time.

Source: McDonald’s Japan via IT Media
Top image: McDonald’s Japan
Insert images: McDonald’s Japan

I'd try these if I was in Japan.

[GeneChing]

There's a Secret McDonald's Sandwich You Can Only Get at Exactly 10:35am
You need to get *really* specific for this one.

By Jelisa Castrodale Updated on September 25, 2023

Last fall, superstar Dutch DJ Tiësto collaborated with Canadian singer Tate McRae on “10:35,” a dance banger apparently inspired by an ultra-luxe resort in Dubai. In an interview with Hypebeast, Tiësto said that the song is meant to evoke “that changing point in time when it switches from day to night,” adding that “as soon as you hear ‘10:35,’ everything changes from day to night.”

That may be the case if you’re a superstar DJ who drops collabs with the kind of resort that has a Michelin star restaurant and a $100,000-per-night Royal Mansion suite, but when the rest of us hear 10:35, we usually think, “Dang, it’s too late to get breakfast at McDonald’s right now.” But apparently, when you see those four magical digits on your phone display, what you can get is the McBrunch Burger, which is only available for a few short minutes every day.


JAKUB PORZYCKI / NURPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES

According to in-the-know TikTokers, the “McBrunch Burger” is a glorious combination of McDonald’s breakfast menu — which its U.S. restaurants stop serving at 10:30 a.m.— and its rest-of-the-day staples. The McBrunch burger involves two cheeseburger patties, bacon, eggs, and a hash brown on top of a sesame seed bun, and you can only get this meal-straddling menu item in the sweet spot between when McDonald’s is wrapping up its breakfast service, and it’s starting its lunch rotation. And if you want to get ultra-specific, the eggs are preferably scrambled, not the round eggs used on McMuffins and other breakfast sandwiches.

In a wildly popular TikTok about the McBrunch Burger, Tommy Winkler posted himself ordering the burger — which did take a bit of finesse with the McStaffers on duty. (Some other TikTokers have had to order both a breakfast item and a Double Cheeseburger and then built their own McBrunch Burger.)

This isn’t the first time a “secret” 10:35 McDonald’s order has made its way around the internet. In September 2010, a post in Reddit’s r/food described a burger called the “Mc 10:35,” which involved stacking an Egg McMuffin – or at least the egg and meat from the McMuffin — on top of a Double Cheeseburger.

About the same time, the now-defunct Consumerist website also covered the Mc 10:35. At the time, a San Francisco McDonald's worker told the outlet that the sandwich was "getting kind of a cult following" in the Bay Area.

On another Reddit thread about the Mc 10:35 three years later, a McD's team member just grumbled about the idea that McDonald's had a "secret menu" at all. "There's no such thing," they wrote. "We can make any combination of food we have. It's not a secret that we use our condiments and meats in weird ways when you ASK."

We're gonna guess that a lot of people have been asking for a McBrunch burger in the past few weeks. We also seriously hope that one of them is Tiësto.

A secret McD sammy with a cult following? Cults are weird.

[GeneChing]

[GeneChing]

Burger King Taiwan launches bunless burgers for Mid-Autumn Festival
Eatery calls on consumers to 'shed the starch burden and go all-in with meat'
2734
By Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2023/09/28 13:29


Burger King's bunless burgers. (Burger King Taiwan image)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — To coincide with Mid-Autumn Festival feasts, Burger King Taiwan has unveiled four bunless burgers for a limited time.

To cash in on Taiwan's Mid-Autumn Festival barbecue craze, Burger King Taiwan on Sept. 20 said that from Sept. 21 to Oct. 10 it would feature four new bunless burgers. The sandwiches include the Bunless Double Beef, Bunless Quad Beef, Bunless Double Chicken, and Bunless Chicken Crisp.

In its advertisement for the new burgers, it used slogans such as "Mid-Autumn meat beatdown," "Going without bread is the craze," and "No meat, no fun" and called on consumers to "shed the starch burden and go all-in with meat."

The eatery said, "Whether it's a fire-grilled beef patty sandwich or a crispy fried chicken patty sandwich, paired with seasonal vegetables and cheese, it's so satisfying and delicious, and you can eat to your heart's content!"

Traditionally, Taiwanese celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival by eating moon cakes and pomelos. However, in recent decades barbecuing on sidewalks and in parks has become widely popular across the country.

Reports of Taiwanese grilling meat in scenic areas began to surface in the late 1970s, but in 1986 Wan Ja Shan Brewery added fuel to the fire with TV commercials for its barbecue sauce, reported the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan. The campaign is well known for its slogan, "When one family grills meats, 10,000 families enjoy the aroma."

The burgers are availabe at most of the fastfood chain's restaurants from 10:30 a.m. until 30 minutes before closing. However, some branches do not offer the burgers and availability at each store will depend on supply.


Burger King advertisment for its bunless burgers. (Burger King Taiwan image)

Didn't know about the BBQ trend...

Happy-mid-autumn-festival
Fast-Food-Nastiness

[GeneChing]

A woman is suing McDonald's after being burned by hot coffee. It's not the first time

September 28, 20235:00 AM ET
By Joe Hernandez


Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Early on a Tuesday morning in June, Mable Childress ordered a cup of coffee from a McDonald's drive-thru in San Francisco.

The 85-year-old put the coffee in her vehicle's cup holder, drove to her foot doctor's office for an appointment and parked.

"As soon as she picked up the cup of coffee to drink it, since the lid wasn't put on correctly, all of the coffee spilled on her," her attorney, Dylan Hackett, said in an interview.

The coffee burned Childress on her stomach, groin and leg area and left scarring on her groin. When she returned to McDonald's to make a complaint, none of the three employees she spoke with filled out an incident report, Hackett said.

Now, Childress is suing the fast-food giant and one of its San Francisco franchises in California Superior Court, according to Hackett. They say workers were negligent for improperly securing Childress' coffee cup lid and that she continues to suffer from pain and emotional distress as a result of the incident.

McDonald's owner/operator Peter Ou said in a statement that he was reviewing the lawsuit and that his employees have to abide by safety rules.

"My restaurants have strict food safety protocols in place, including training crew to ensure lids on hot beverages are secure," Ou said. "We take every customer complaint seriously — and when Ms. Childress reported her experience to us later that day, our employees and management team spoke to her within a few minutes and offered assistance."

If any of this sounds familiar, it's because McDonald's faced a similar lawsuit in 1994 from an elderly woman who was burned by the company's hot coffee.

That case captured the national interest but was widely misunderstood, becoming the poster child for critics of frivolous lawsuits.

Liebeck v. McDonald's

In 1992, while sitting in a car in Albuquerque, N.M., 79-year-old Stella Liebeck was also burned by hot McDonald's coffee. She had placed the cup between her legs and removed the lid to add cream and sugar when the spill occurred, scalding her and causing third-degree burns.

Hoping to have her medical bills reimbursed, Liebeck reportedly offered to settle the lawsuit she filed against McDonald's for $20,000. But when the company only offered $800, the case went to court.

Attorneys showed graphic images of Liebeck's burns, and experts testified that McDonald's kept its coffee between 180 and 190 degrees — 30 to 40 degrees hotter than other companies — according to the American Museum of Tort Law. Testimony revealed that 700 other McDonald's customers also had been burned.

Ultimately the jury awarded Liebeck $200,000 in compensatory damages, which was reduced to $160,000 because she was found to be partially responsible for the spill. They also suggested that McDonald's pay $2.7 million in punitive damages, a sum that was based on the revenue from two days of coffee sales.

The case immediately drew global attention. "Several days after the verdict, I had news crews from France, Japan, Germany, in my driveway, wanting to interview me. I mean, I was stunned," attorney Ken Wagner told the documentary company Retro Report.

The case was also widely misunderstood and, at worst, had its facts twisted. For example, Liebeck was not driving with a hot cup of coffee between her legs, as some said, but rather the car was parked.

Liebeck also did not walk away from the case with $3 million. The trial judge reduced the punitive damages to $480,000, and Liebeck and McDonald's ultimately reached an undisclosed settlement.

Still, critics cast Liebeck as a greedy opportunist and used the suit to push for so-called tort reform, a national effort to cap damages in personal injury lawsuits. The case also became a cultural punchline, popping up everywhere from an episode of Seinfeld to a song by country star Toby Keith.

Liebeck died in 2004.

What's different about this case?

While there are similarities between the two cases, Hackett, the attorney in the current lawsuit, said here are also some key differences.

Childress did not suffer third-degree burns and didn't require lengthy treatment in the hospital. Hackett has also not yet asked for a specific sum in damages.

Still, Hackett said the Liebeck case and its aftermath could have an impact on Childress's lawsuit. "Anytime an attorney looks at a case, they'll look at precedence that has been set," he said.

But Liebeck's case wasn't the only one against the fast-food giant, and it's not the first time this year that McDonald's has found itself in court over the temperature of its food.

In May, a South Florida jury found McDonald's and a franchise holder at fault after a hot Chicken McNugget fell on a 4-year-old girl's leg and left her with second-degree burns.

Hackett said Childress is hoping to get her medical bills reimbursed and ensure that this doesn't happen to other customers in the future.

Again? WTH?

[GeneChing]

STYLISH

By Kira Gunn Barrett October 23, 2023


Vera Wang Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Fans have long wondered how on earth Vera Wang manages to look so youthful. Well, the secret’s out — and the answer is probably not what you would have guessed.

While attending the DKMS gala on Thursday, October 19, Wang, 74, told Page Six that she doesn’t have many restrictions on her diet. “I do eat McDonald’s, absolutely,” she said, adding, “I order it every day, like two weeks on it, and then I’ll change.”

But Wang doesn’t just limit herself to McDonald’s. She’s also a fan of Dunkin’ Donuts. “I like the cream-filled, sugar-coated donut,” she told the outlet. “It’s like a jelly donut, but it’s cream inside, vanilla cream. I like the pink with sprinkles, too.”

In the same interview with Page Six, Wang said she believes that working hard also helps her to feel young. “Basically, I’ve worked my whole life, so it’s really been about work. I think work keeps you young and stimulated,” she said, continuing, “I work very long hours, I’ve raised two daughters. I think keeping busy is the best antidote [for] good health.”


Courtesy of Vera Wang/Instagram

In 2020, Wang shocked fans when she posted an Instagram photo of herself posing in an orange sports bra and white denim shorts. At the time, she was 70 years old, although readers would be forgiven for mistaking the designer for decades younger.

Fans flocked to the comments to express their awe at her youthful appearance. One commenter wrote, “Impossible, it is biologically impossible not to have a single wrinkle and loose skin after seventy. Don’t make fools of us – or are you a Martian?????😂”


Courtesy of Vera Wang/Instagram

In an interview with Elle published on March 16, the designer said that she isn’t seeking out approval for her appearance. “I’m very flattered that people think I’ve aged well, but it was never my goal,” Wang said. “I drink vodka, I sleep, I avoid the sun. But I like to work. I don’t want to be pigeonholed.”

Later in the interview, Wang said that she feels that the public’s focus on her looks “brings up the issue of ageism.” She added, “ I was never really obsessed with aging. I can’t speak for younger generations, but things that exist now did not exist 50 or 60 years ago. There was no such thing as Botox.”

She has her own line of vodka...
Fast-Food-Nastiness
my-kung-fu-booze

[GeneChing]

Pizza Hut Taiwan unleashes ghastly Halloween chicken feet pizza
Touted as world's first pizza that tells ghost stories

By Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2023/10/26 12:53

Pizza Hut special pizza for Halloween. (Pizza Hut Taiwan photo)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Pizza Hut Taiwan has released a Halloween special that features rice noodle rolls and chicken feet, and is said to be the world's first pizza that tells ghost stories.

Following the launch of "Eyeball Pizza" last year, Pizza Hut Taiwan on Tuesday (Oct. 24) announced the limited-edition "Ghost Rice Noodle Roll and Phoenix Claw Pizza." It transforms Hong Kong-style barbecued pork rice noodle rolls and smoked chicken feet into Halloween elements.

The pizza portrays rice noodle rolls as little Halloween ghosts and pairs them with chicken feet, making them look like ghosts coming out of the ground and reaching with severed hands for candy.

The pizza is based on a thin crispy crust, topped with a Korean-style special spicy sauce and a secret seasoning that creates a multi-layered flavor. It is topped with sprinkles of mozzarella cheese, offering a fusion of international flavors.

In addition to its appearance, the pizza is purported to be the world's first "storytelling pizza." Customers can scan the QR code on the pizza box with their phone and upload a photo of the ghostly noodles on the event page.

This will provide them with access to listen to a podcaster named "Talking Story" sharing ghost stories, enhancing their sensory experience while enjoying the pizza.

From Oct. 24-30, the "Ghost Rice Noodle Roll and Chicken Claw Pizza" will be available to PK APP members for one-week early bird pre-order. The general public will be able to purchase the devilish dish across Taiwan starting Oct. 30.


(Pizza Hut Taiwan photo)


Personal Pan Pizza version. (Pizza Hut Taiwan photo)

Fast Food Nastiness
Happy-Halloween!

[GeneChing]

Pizza Hut in Hong Kong rolls out snake-meat pizza for limited time
Doc Louallen
USA TODAY

Pizza Hut introduced a new and exotic pizza option available only in Hong Kong that's garnering attention around the world. The new pizza is topped with finely shredded snake meat, giving it a distinctive texture and flavor.

Pizza Hut and Ser Wong Fun teamed up to create a 9-inch pizza inspired by traditional snake stew. The pizza features shredded snake meat, black mushrooms, and Chinese dried ham.

The pizza will only be available until November 22nd.

According to CNN, customers who have tried the pizza claim that the texture of the snake is similar to dry chicken.

No strings attached:Krispy Kreme wants to gift you a dozen donuts on World Kindness Day.


Pizza Hut pizza with snake meat.
Inspired by popular regional dish

Snake meat is believed to have medicinal properties and Pizza Hut claims that it can boost blood circulation.

“Combined with pizza, it marks a breakthrough from the conventional concept of what maintaining good health means while challenging one’s taste buds,” Pizza Hut Hong Kong said in a statement to CNN.

A popular Hong Kong and southern China snake stew inspired the dish.

Pizza Hut Hong Kong has announced its plans to introduce unconventional menu items, such as a pizza topped with Chinese preserved sausages. This move is part of a trend among Asian franchises of American brands to celebrate local food culture with gastronomical creations, including pizzas featuring durian, pig blood curds, or Tonkotsu ramen.

Fast-Food-Nastiness
snakes

[GeneChing]

Woman Who Threw Burrito Bowl at Chipotle Worker Sentenced to Work 2 Months in Fast Food Job
Rosemary Hayne was caught on video throwing her burrito bowl at Chipotle employee Emily Russell on Sept. 5

By Julia Moore Updated on December 7, 2023 03:34PM EST

An Ohio woman has been sentenced to a month in jail and must work in fast food for two months after she attacked a Chipotle worker.

Rosemary Hayne was caught on video throwing food in the face of employee Emily Russell on Sept. 5 in a Parma, Ohio Chipotle location, CNN reported.

Hayne, 39, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge, and Parma Municipal Court Judge Timothy Gilligan sentenced her to 180 days in jail at a hearing last week, per the outlet.

Gilligan then gave Hayne the option to instead spend 30 days in jail and work the remainder of her sentencing, 60 days, at a fast food restaurant, local outlet FOX8 News reported. She must work at least 20 hours a week at whichever fast food restaurant she finds a job at.

At the sentencing, the judge asked Hayne if she’d like to “walk in [Russell’s] shoes for two months and learn how people should treat people, or do you want to do your jail time?” CBS reported.

Hayne replied, “I’d like to walk in her shoes,”

CNN reported that she has not yet found a fast food job as of Wednesday, per her attorney.

Gilligan also said during last week’s hearing, per FOX8, “You didn’t get your burrito bowl the way you like it and this is how you respond? This is not Real Housewives of Parma. This behavior is not acceptable.”

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Russell, 26, had been working at Chipotle for over four years at the time of the incident, she told CBS, but quit a month after the assault due to a lack of support from the chain.

She said she was never contacted by Chipotle after Hayne’s attack, and she shared that she had to work the four remaining hours of her shift on Sept. 5 after Hayne threw food in her face.

She told the outlet she was “relieved” at Hayne’s sentencing, and said of the requirement to work in fast food: "I've been saying she's lucky she's working 20 hours [a] week — I was working 65 hours a week.”

Russell added of the incident, “She said she had a bad day, but that's not the way you react when you have a bad day — to throw food in someone's face.”

In a statement to PEOPLE, Laurie Schalow, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for Chipotle, said: “The health and safety of our employees is our greatest priority, and we’re pleased to see justice served for any individual that does not treat our team members with the respect they deserve.”

Karma in action