The Plastic Fork

MEET THE EDITORS Joseph Holmes Photo Editor

Joseph Holmes is a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy High School. He spends his time doing incredible amounts of homework.

When he has free time, he enjoys hanging out with friends, playing sports, and playing video games. His favorite fast food place is Chick-Fil-A. He loves their chicken sandwiches and especially their sauce. He decided to write about rivalries in the fast food industry because it is an interesting topic that doesn’t get very much attention. Since there are many interesting rivalries, he enjoyed writing this article and hopes that you enjoy reading it.

Pranathi Jammula Layout Editor

Pranathi Jammula is a 14 year old freshman at LASA. She is an avid fast food eater. Her favorite places include: In-N-Out, Taco Bell, Chipotle and Chick-Fil-A. She hates beans. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends, sleeping and of course, eating fast food. She likes all cuisines but especially Mexican food.

Pranathi chose her article topic because she is interested in the changing fast food industry and how they are adapting to new dietary restrictions. She, personally, isn’t vegetarian or vegan but she knows many people who are.

Anika Katta Features Editor

Anika Katta is a 14 year old freshman at the The Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, Texas. She enjoys trying and cooking new food.

She spends her weekends going out and eating fast food. Her favorite fast food restaurants to eat at are Chick-fil-a and Taco Bell. In her free time she enjoys eating lots of food, sleeping and hanging out with her friends. Anika chose to write about the pros and cons of fast food because she is always interested in the effects of her constant consumption of fast food and thought it would be important for others to be informed.

Ridley Ott

Copy & Content Editor

Ridley Ott is a 15-year-old foodie from Austin, Texas. He grew up in a household where he learned to appreciate good food, but he knows that sometimes the quicker things will do. His favorite fast food restaurants include In-N-Out, Chick-Fil-A, and the Texas native Whataburger.

In his spare time, he enjoys making music in his bedroom and hanging out with friends. In Ridley’s article, he details the pros and cons of secret menus: How they can be good for business, and why some people may not appreciate their value.

Ridley and his group spent a lot of time crafting this magazine, and he hopes that you enjoy it!

14 The Fast Fued

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8 Fast Food in a Nutshell

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18 The Anatomy of the Giants

12 Fast Food by the Numbers

26 Secret Menus

20 The Future of Fast Food

24 The Healthy Way To-Go

28 Food for Thought

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Fast Food: The Good and The Bad By: Anika Katta

Typical fast food order of soda, burgers, and fries. (Photo Courtesy of Unsplash) onsumers may not think twice when they order fast food wbut on the other hand some may feel guilty after buying it. The thoughts about calories, weight and regret run through their mind.

The list of advantages and disadvantages for consuming fast food is quite long, nonetheless it isn’t always the first thing that a fast food consumer thinks about. Their minds are fixed on when they get to take the first bite of a juicy burger or crunch into a handful of

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8 The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019

fries. If the consumer took time to weigh the pros and cons of fast food, they would feel more confident about their decision.

Along with the satisfaction of mouthwatering burgers, delicious tacos and crispy fries, there are many negative health side effects that come with it. Most fast foods have many unhealthy ingredients that may cause diseases. “Some fast foods contain high sodium and some of the menu items are high in calories and saturated fat.” They are processed and lack healthier choices in terms of eating fresh fruit and vegetables, Neelu Kohli, a certified nutritionist said.

Fast food restaurants tend to use meats that are stuck in refrigerators for days and up to weeks. Consumers do not realize this because of marketing strategies such as loud and eye catching advertisements that can make an unhealthy meal seem appetizing. Fast food is easily the most often

chosen. “It is quick and convenient, especially since some choices of menu items are easy to afford, than buying and preparing foods,” Kohli said.

Cooking may come off as a hassle to people who are always on the go, never having the time to prepare an elaborate meal that they find appetizing. Fast food is easy, quick, and often inviting to the consumer.

Buying the ingredients and putting together takes a lot more time and

“I usually eat fast food 2-3 times a week.”

- Nitisha Pokkula

money which is an unappealing reason why many turn to fast food.

Photo courtesy of Rajesh TP

Many students such as Nitisha Pokkula, a junior at Westwood Highschool, only have a limited time to grab food and get back to class during their lunch time. “I eat fast food about once every week because I am a junior in high school and we get to go out during lunch restaurant like McDonalds or Taco Bell as it is a quick and easy option,” Pokkula said. On the other hand parents do have a big say on the amount of food that their child can eat.

“My parents believe that I should eat healthy and avoid any oily and high in calorie fast foods,” Shreya Ganti, a freshman at Westwood high school said. “I usually eat fast food

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 9

cons to eating fast food, there are pros to it in addition. The prices are inexpensive and the ingredients are already prepared and just needs to be assembled once an order is placed. While on the other hand, sit down restaurants like Olive Garden, The Cheesecake Factory and Applebees are more expensive and have a

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but usually have a smaller consumer number.

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In the long run, people tend to lean toward fast food restaurants because of the convenience, inexpensive costs, and the recent inclusion of vegan and other health restrictions some people may have. Along with this many people do not like fast food because of the negative health effects and the increasing chance of a health disease.

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2-3 times a month because my parents are usually not very supportive of when I do.”

Most parents are now aware of the effects of feeding their children fast food and are cutting back on the amount they eat before it turns into an ongoing habit. Health notices are becoming more and more common and encourage consumers to be aware of health issues.

“When I’m at home, my parents are the ones in charge, so they are usually the influencing force on how much fast food I can eat, and they encourage me to solely consume home cooked meals,” Pokkula said. “In the summer I rarely consume fast food because it is more convenient to stay at home and cook than driving out to go buy food. Plus you save money when you cook at home,” she said.

Although there are many

“There are a large variety of food choices and now, there are many fast food options that are healthy and that don’t rely on fat filled foods,” Pokkula said. When she starts to feel guilty about the calories she consumed she likes to go to places like Citizen Eatery which takes into account many dietary restrictions. These restaurants tend to use fresher ingredients, which consumers are always on the lookout for, and have a wider variety of healthy yet delectable foods.

Neelu Kohli, an Austin dietician.

(Photo Courtesy of Neelu Kohli)

longer wait time because of the more complicated and wider selection of food that is available.

Nowadays, fast food isn’t always unhealthy but rather they have been working on targeting people who are always in a rush and in need of a quick food stop, but are also watching their calorie count or have certain restrictions such as vegan and gluten-free options. These options are often more healthy but usually have a smaller consumer number.

10 The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019

Order of burgers and fries at the fast food restaraunt In-N- Out. (Photo courtesy of Unsplash)

Popular fast food fries from McDonalds. (Photo Courtesy of Pexels)

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 11

Fast Food in Numbers By: Anika Katta

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Preferred Foods 15.4%

16.9%

6.2%

16.9%

32.3% The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 13

“It was fun to see them run out of bread

Fast FeuD

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By: Joseph Holmes wo companies want the prize.

They both want to be the best.

Only one can come out on top. They have gained much, and some have lost. Fast food is one of the most heated grounds for company rivalries.

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McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s. Chick-Fil-A and Popeye’s are the rivals of the fast food industry. They represent the back and forth between the biggest companies in the industry.

These rivalries have heated up since the introduction of social

Not long ago, Wendy’s found another fault in McDonald’s restaurants. They decided to target their frozen meat.

Companies often fight on Social Media, such as Twitter.

(Photo courtesy of logodownloads.com)

In a tweet, Wendy’s said, “Hey @McDonalds, heard the news. Happy #NationalFrozenFoodDay to you for all the frozen beef that’s sticking around in your cheeseburgers.”

To come back McDonald’s said, “Today we’ve announced that by mid-2018, all Quarter Pounder burgers at the majority of our restaurants will be cooked with fresh beef.” The unsurety in this tweet led Wendy’s to roast McDonlad’s again. media, which offers a whole new battleground to attack the other with. These companies come at each other relentlessly to prove themselves the best of their class.

“The Burger Wars” have been going strong since the creation of Burger King in 1954, and McDonald’s in 1955.

The companies have been advertising against each other TV ads, menus, and social media almost since the beginning.

One instance of this rivalry was in Burger King’s “Flame Broiled Burger” Campaign to show superiority to McDonald’s

The “Where’s the Beef” commercial was influential on the Burger Wars. (Photo Courtesy of Buisness Insider)

fried patties. They advertised against their fried taste and overall blandness in several commercials.

Another one of the biggest rivalries in “The Burger Wars” has been between McDonald’s and Wendy’s. The most notable start to this feud was in 1984, when they started their “Where’s the Beef?” campaign.

Wendy’s took a shot at McDonald’s for their not having very much meat inside of their hamburgers.

The commercial showed three elderly women sitting at a table with a huge burger in a restaurant. When they opened the burger, there was a tiny piece of beef in it. One of the women asked, “Where’s the beef?” Then a voice over described the size and juiciness of Wendy’s Burgers compared to McDonald’s.

Wendy’s tweeted, “@McDonalds So you’ll still use frozen beef in MOST of your burgers in ALL of your restaurants? Asking for a friend.” Wendy’s always seems to have something to say to degrade McDonald’s reputation.

Wendy’s is a small company compared to McDonald’s.

McDonald’s runs 13884 restaurants in the U.S., compared to Wendy’s 5810.

Even so, Wendy’s still manages to be a huge competitor with McDonald’s.

Wendy’s is even willing to go after individuals to defend themselves. In a tweet, a twitter user, Thuggy-D, mocked its “Fresh Never Frozen” campaign. He said, “your beef is frozen and we all know it.”

This rivalry has been revamped recently with the introduction of social media, specifically Twitter.

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 15

Wendy’s and McDonalds have gone back and forth for a while. (Image by: Joseph Holmes)

Wendy’s replied, “Sorry to hear you think that! But you’re wrong, we’ve only ever used fresh beef since we were founded in 1969.”

Thuggy-D tweeted back, “so you deliver it raw on a hot truck?” Wendy’s immediately came back with, “Where do you store cold things that

aren’t frozen?”

Although Burger King and Wendy’s have been more popular than McDonald’s, McDonalds is still leading the fast food industry.

Another big rivalry that has been revamped is Chick-Fil-A and Popeye’s. In August, they released their chicken sandwich.

The sandwich was extremely popular, and sold out in two weeks.

Chick-Fil-A manager Justin Council said, “I know the first week or so they started they ran out of supplies because they’re not a big company, so I don’t think they had the

16 The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019

infrastructure for the business that they got for it.”

Popeye’s has only 2600 restaurants around the world, so it is understandable how they ran out of chicken and bread so quickly. They have also fought on Twitter, though not as intensely as the Burger companies.

Popeye’s called out Chick-Fil-A for promoting International Sandwich Day. Chick-Fil-A did not realize that it fell on a Sunday, which they are famously closed on. Popeye’s started a campaign to diss Chick-Fil-A where they advertise that they are open on Sundays.

Chick-Fil-A’s (left) and Popeye’s (right) chicken sandwiches may be the next big rivalry.

(Photo courtesy of Business Insider)

Popeye’s released a commercial in which they mocked ChickFil-A for not being opened on Sundays. In the ad, a man walked up to a highway sign announcing upcoming restaurants. There was a Chick-

“[Popeye’s] ran out of supplies, [they didn’t] have infrastructure” -Justin Council

Fil-A sign that stated that it was not open on Sundays. There was also a sign for Popeye’s.

The man then placed the sticker on the Popeye’s sign that said,

There will always be interesting rivalries to watch, and see what the parties have to say.

“Open Sundays.”

Chick-Fil-A has always been closed on Sundays since the owner believes in having Sunday as a day of rest and to spend time with family. He says he values the importance of his employees having one day off a week.

Popeye’s chicken sandwich was extremely popular partly due to a mistake made by Chick-Fil-A. They tweeted that their chicken sandwich was the original.

Almost immediately after, everyone rushed to Popeye’s to try their new sandwich.

Recently, Popeye’s has announced the return of its chicken sandwich. As of Nov. 3, a Sunday, their extremely popular chicken sandwich will be back in stores.

Fast food may not seem like a big deal, but there is just so many things to fight over that companies create rivalries.

Justin Council, a Chick-Fil A manager, explains his views on rivalries from other restuarants.

(Photo by: Joseph Holmes)

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 17

The Perfect Cheeseburger

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Ketchup- Complements the patty with sweetness and acidity Cheese- Soft texture and melts in your mouth Beef Patty- The main taste of a burger, juicy and tender Pickles- Adds sour contrast and a crunch

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The Perfect Chicken Sandwich

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By Jospeh Holmes

Lettuce- Crunches, and provides a base to the sandwich Chick fil a sauce- Sweet, smokey flavor, with a hint of honey Chicken Patty- The main taste a the sandwich, crispy and savory Pickles- Adds a sour flavor and crunchiness

Sources: vvwww.seriouseats.com www.thealternativedaily.com www.quora.com

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 19

The Future of Fast Food by :

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ietary restrictions are growing faster than ever.

Veganism is at an all-time high. And for most people — fast food isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when looking for inclusive options. The demand is only increasing, and in the current generation, most see it as a must-have on all menus. Consumers will always love fast food and that’s never going to change.

However, nowadays they are becoming more conscious about what they’re putting in their bodies and that is pushing the fast food industry to find healthier alternatives.

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A few years ago, delicious meatfree meat was nothing more than a distant dream for most consumers. Meat substitutes in supermarkets lacked variety and quality.

Plant-based burgers were few and far between in major fast food outlets — and they were the complete opposite of meaty. But realistic alternatives to environmentally damaging meat are now big business — and global fastfood chains are finally starting to take notice. “I think the fast-food chains are starting to acknowledge these lifestyles because I am starting to see more vegan alternatives,” Anoushka Modi, a recent vegan and vegetarian of 14 years, said.

Companies like Impossible Foods, who specialize in plant-based, environmentally friendly meat substitutes, have branched out to

photo courtesy of Impossible Foods Co.

fast food chains. KFC, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Burger King are only a handful of the many restaurants that have joined the trend — veganism is giving a healthy image to fast food chains, as they add plantbased meat alternatives products to their menu. Back in April, Burger King introduced the Impossible Whopper, a plant-based burger, similar to the company’s classic sandwich.

A couple of months later, Dunkin’ Donuts introduced a plant-based sausage breakfast sandwich made

by Beyond Meat. What makes these meat substitutes so desirable is “because they take the meat out of burgers and breakfast sandwiches, while they maintain the meat

“It allows people to have the same experience as the non-vegan counterpart without feeling like you’re sacrificing” - Rylie Jones taste,’’ said Haley Schaffer, a chef at Citizen Eatery, a local vegan cafe. Lexi Holden, public relations manager at Impossible Foods Inc, said. She thinks the time is perfect for fast food chains to ride the vegan and vegetarian trend.

“KFC is the latest on a growing list of fast-food restaurant chains to jump at the opportunity to fill a void in the fast-food American diet with meat-substitute options,” said Holden.

Veganism isn’t only changing the health and dietary aspects of our

culture. It has a significant impact environmentally, too. “The things influencing consumer choices include greater awareness about health-related issues as well as the environmental impact from high intake of meat and dairy products,” Holden said. Impossible Foods is a company with a simple mission: to drastically reduce humanity’s destructive impact on the global environment by completely replacing the use of animals as a food production technology. This goal may sound ambitious but with increased accessibility to substitutes and alternatives, many advocates are starting to see hope.

The rapidly growing industry appears set to make serious waves in the once invincible industry of meat. In doing so, it could kickstart a rapid decline in meat’s contribution to the climate crisis – driven not just by a global minority of vegans and vegetarians, but by millions of meat-eaters too.

“I know that Burger King has the Impossible Burger now and it’s definitely an improvement. I have had it and it’s pretty good. It provides vegans and vegetarians or anyone wanting to cut down red meat consumption with more variety and convenience than they have today. It allows people to have the same experience as the non-vegan counterpart without feeling like you’re sacrificing.

Generally, fast food doesn’t accommodate for that kind of lifestyle. But sooner or later, with the increasing consumer demand, they are going to start having to,” Rylie Jones, a vegan of four years, said. Most people see this new vegan revolution as a win-win on both sides: the fast-food industry and the consumers. “I feel like vegan and vegetarian popularity is a great opportunity for businesses to broaden their appeal. It gives them the ability to reshape their menu, add more options,

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 21

The Release of the Revolutionary Burger the Impossible Whopper, one of the few plant based proteins to be served on a fast food menu, is being advertised above at a Burger King. Photo Courtesy of Impossible Foods Co. and incorporate new formulas that could potentially allow them to be more even more profitable,” said Schaffer.

Burger King is the perfect example of this growth. The company said sales at their restaurants rose at least five percent this year alone. That was the strongest growth since 2015.

Restaurant Brands attributed the

success of the Impossible Whopper for the strong sales.

Healthy eating is being prioritized in today’s society and the expansion of fast food menus is benefiting companies and attracting a large customer base.

The plant based protein world is ripe for further innovation but it can be costly for some restaurants. “It’s sad but meat is generally cheaper than fresh produce and meat alternatives and when ordering in bulk since the meat industry is just way more accessible and well known to people,” said Schaffer. Use of high-quality ingredients that customers can easily recognize comes at a higher cost, “It’s always a balance of price versus quality, but we try to engineer purchasing, supply chain, and our vendor partnerships so that we can keep our food affordable,”said Schaffer.

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Another trend in the plantbased space is offering more menu options that are veganand vegetarian-first, instead of requiring those customers to heavily customize offerings that would otherwise feature meat and dairy products.

Larger fast-food brands are taking action as well. Chipotle began offering Vegan and Vegetarian Bowl recipes as a digital shortcut on its app and website to make ordering plant-based items more convenient.

Lexi Holden, the public relations manager at Impossible Foods, poses above. Photo Courtesy of Impossible Foods Co.

Haley Schaffer, the chief cullinary chef at the Grove Wine Bar & Kithcen in Austin, poses with the Impossible Pizza.

Photo Courtesy of Impossible Foods Co.

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 23

THE HEALTHY WAY TO-GO A guide to eating fast food with dietary restrictions by: Pranathi Jammula

vegan V

mediterranean veggie sandwich Make sure to skip the feta and switch the bread for a nice sourdough or ciabatta! This sandwich was a very tasty veggies but it is a perfect blend of textures and flavors.

seven layer burrito This iconic burrito is a fast food staple. Make sure to ask for it much the easiest thing ever. You can also add potatoes and red sauce for a spicy kick. Extra guacamole never hurts.

sofritas taco The sofritas taco makes sure meat, even with no tofu in it.

Their tofu is grilled to perfection, topped with fresh greens and tomatoes, and all put into a hard shell taco.

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gluten-free

fuji apple salad w/chicken This salad is completely gluten-free and has one of the apples were crisp and everything tasted very fresh and delicious. I would definitely order this meal again!

power menu bowl w/steak

low carb

power breakfast bowl This breakfast bowl is very hearty, filling and tasty! It comes loaded with two all-natural eggs, some seared top sirloin, and topped with freshly sliced avocado & tomato.

fiesta taco salad w/chicken

This power menu bowl is the ultimate bowl. It is loaded with everything you can imagine and completely customizable. You can even substitute the meat out and get the veggie menu.

This fried tortilla shell is filled with juicy vegetables and chicken, filling your entire mouth with supreme flavor. The sour cream on top contrasts the rich flavors of the dish, a very tasty meal.

chicken burrito bowl

double carnitas salad

This chicken burrito bowl removes the tortilla completely, and is chock-full of fiber and proteins. Grilled chicken, avocados, beans, potatoes and cheese make for a perfect meal.

The double carnitas salad makes no mistake of presenting itself as a low-carb menu item.

This bowl of lettuce, pork carnitas and guacamole makes sure that its delicious, but without all of the worrysome carbs.

Histor y Of Fast Fo od 1892 invention of Coca Cola

19th Century

invention of the hamburger

curb service with rollerskates started and restaurants had flashier architectures

1951

1949

the term fast food introduced into the dictionary

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the hamburger was believed to be unsafe

first franchised the restaurant concept

1956

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1919 A&W root beer is the first fast food chain with drive-ins

1965

Subway is established

launched

Carl Karcher, the founder

2004

PETA animal cruelty video was released and fast food suppliers faced backlash

1991 Seven mile long line of cars waiting on day in Canada

1970 Americans spent $16 billion on fast food

TODAY

Americans spend $200 billion on fast food annually

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 25

Secret Menus More Harm than Good?

t doesn’t take a regular fast food connoisseur to know about secret menu items. And anyone that knows about these viral sensations, whether they be a worker in fast food or a general consumer, is aware of the disaster that can arise. Insane lines, seemingly inconsiderate customers, and people taking time out of everyone’s day to share photos of their food on social media may leave a bad taste in the mouths of guests and overworked staff.

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The hype around viral food items such as these comes with a hefty price tag, both in cost and in labor. Some might argue that secret menu items don’t do enough good for the greater company to outweigh the inconvenience

by Ridley Ott

and frustration they might cause the customer and employee both to have. However, from a corporate standpoint, having a food item widely known by the internet is largely beneficial, for monetary gain and respect in the public eye.

Most of the time, these foods aren’t created by the company themselves, rather by the consumers of the company that want something a bit more creative than what they have on the actual menu. For example, avid fans of Starbucks can go on a website called starbuckssecretmenu.net, a property that is not owned by Starbucks, and browse through drinks made by other consumers, even submit their own drink recipes to the website.

But what are the dangers of falling for the rouse that this website is a Starbucks owned domain? Miles Lacina, a Starbucks barista in Austin, Texas, has had many encounters with this type of problem. “The secret menu is just a compilation of drinks that other people come up with, and unfortunately, some people think that it is a real Starbucks thing,” Miles said.

“Technically, we have all the ingredients that we have to make our various drinks, and a customer can ask for whatever they want in their drink, done in any way that is feasibly possible for us.”

Miles sitting in front of the Starbucks where he was interviewed.

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Even though this may lead to some frustrated reactions among customers who came into the store for a specific drink that is not on the Starbucks menu, Miles said that as far as Starbucks corporate is concerned, secret menu items benefit them, even with the added frustration. “The secret menu is helpful on a greater level to corporate because it’s promotion without them having to pay for promotion,” Miles said. “And a lot of these secret menu items will cost upward of $10 in the largest size, and I guarantee you it’s not costing

St 20 arb 17 uc . (P ks’ ho fam to e co d “ ur Un te ic sy or of n F St ra ar pp bu u ck cci s C no or ”, a po d ra rin tio k n) ava i Starbucks anything to add in a couple scoops of this or that, so that’s profit on their part.”

Now, with all this being said, why does the average consumer love the idea of secret menu items so much?

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First of all, their shareable nature makes their presence known instantly among the internet. And,

“Get a Big Mac like everyone else and get lost.”

-Joe Avella if one of these secret menu food items become viral sensations, the company can choose to implement the food idea into their own menu. Since the idea for the food is not an intellectual property owned by anyone, this practice is completely legal. For example, Starbucks has done this in light of the success of the unofficial Unicorn Frappuccino back in April 2017 and has been making money off the drink ever since.

Secondly, secret menus can be used in a much more functional capacity. This means that instead of adding a new item to the main menu, brands can still introduce it without the pressure or commitment.

With less investment in marketing spend to promote new items, consumer response can be gauged to establish whether or not it’s worth introducing the long-term. Often, items will find their way onto the main menu eventually. Take Starbucks again,

Joe Avella, a famous food reviewer and reporter for Business Insider. (Photo Courtesy of Business Insider) The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 27

Photo courtesy of Vanessa Serpas

for instance, whose ‘pink drink,’ now known as the Strawberry Acai Refresher, first made the rounds on Instagram last year.

Finally, one of the biggest reasons brands use secret menus is that it instills a sense of importance in customers. People feel like they are getting their hands on something rare, or as if they are part of an exclusive club. As a result, they are more likely to forge a memorable or more meaningful connection with the brand, meaning they are also more likely to return again in the future.

Irene Jiang, reporter for Business Insider.

Photo courtesy of Business Insider 28 The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019

However, there are a few individuals that take the pessimist’s approach to their opinions on the secret menu. Joe Avella, a food blogger and writer for Business Insider is one of these people. “Eat what they have on the menu like a normal person,” Avella said. “That restaurant’s customer experience has been painstakingly crafted with so much effort: market research, menu creation, developing and designing a

state of the art kitchen with trained staff to output maximum food of the highest quality to thousands, perhaps millions, of customers, and then someone comes along and wants a McGangbang or whatever and it’s like oh god get over yourself. Get a Big Mac like everyone else and get lost.”

On the other hand, Irene Jiang, a writer for Business Insider, presents a different idea. “Fast food in general — I’ve learned that everything is subjective to a degree,” Jiang said. “Sure, I might think that Chick-fil-A has bland, soggy fries that taste like cardboard, but maybe that’s because the Chick-fil-A I go to has bad fries. And maybe I just don’t like the way they taste. Other people seem to love them.”

The ideas and opinions of and around secret menus is really a mixed bag. Whether you love them or hate them, sometimes it’s best to experiment with what your personal preferences are, and try things for yourself. Miles said, “For anybody whoever wants to follow this, there are some neat ones out there on the internet, but in the end, just figure out something on your own.”

Photo courtesy of Miguel Andrade

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT A review and ranking of the secret menu items that I tried

by Ridley Ott

#6

Double Decker Taco This secret menu item was--quite literally--very crummy. Too much bread and too little flavor left me very unsatisfied with this taco. The chicken and beans were oversalted, the rice and lack of veggies contributed to the blandness. I expected much better than this.

Butterbeer Frappuccino The infamous Butterbeer Frappuccino is internet famous for giving the consumer a little taste of Hogwarts. However, the only taste that I got was an overpowering sweetness, and nothing else. I could also tell that the barista did not have much fun making this drink, and I didnĘźt have much fun drinking it

#4

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#5

Animal Style Fries Animal fries are probably In-N-Outs most hyped up food item, less of a secret menu food than most foods on this list.

However, I wasnĘźt too impressed. The boat that it came in was filled to the brim with their animal sauce, caramelized onions, and a synthetic cheese sauce that tasted almost plasticky. My biggest complaint would be about the sheer quantity of food, other than that it was edible.

#3

Quesarito ChipotleĘźs quesarita is their only official secret menu item. A burrito wrapped in a crispy cheese quesadilla is a delicious combo, but also has proved to be the bane of all Chipotle employees. My only complaint is that the meat inside was very tough, and the fact that I could tell the employee did not want to be making this for me didnĘźt help. However, everything else about the quesarito was almost perfect. A crispy outside and a flavorful burrito inside made for a very tasty meal.

#1

Samoa Frappuccino The Samosa Frappuccino is one of the lesser known items on the Starbucks secret menu, despite being one of the more delicious ones. A great blend of coconut, dark chocolate, and caramel made for an amazing drink. I would have added a bit of shredded coconut on the top, or a caramel and chocolate drizzle on the top to make it even better.

#2

Animal Style Burger

The Animal Style burger is a perfect ten for me. Soft bun, melty cheddar cheese, meaty patty, fresh vegetables, and a thick smear of animal sauce and caramelized onions is the recipe for greatness. Eating this burger was like dying, travelling to heaven, getting a hug from God, and then being catapaulted back down to Earth to live a new life with the knowledge that there is indeed an afterlife. I cannot reccomend this burger enough. If you havenĘźt had the chance to try one yet, you are seriously missing out.

The Plastic Fork | Fall 2019 31