Travis Scott Burger

FOOD REVIEW Celebrity meals sweep the nation: Travis Scott, Charli D’Amelio and more

by Rajan Joshi

Cactus Jack sent me.” I say these four words that have been used thousands of times by customers at McDonald’s, and without having to say anything else, the lady in the drive thru added one Travis Scott meal to my order. The meal, a Quarter Pounder with cheese, lettuce and bacon, with medium fries and barbecue sauce, did not disappoint either. I’m not the biggest fan of McDonald’s burgers—I usually opt for a chicken sandwich—but I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. While a lot of the hype for this meal was in its name and promotions, the burger itself was still solid. The promotion of the Travis Scott meal was undoubtedly successful, as the meal was purchased so many times that some of the restaurants throughout the country temporarily sold out and had to scramble to resupply. Though the meal was originally planned to be available in-store for the entire month of September, the overwhelming demand forced the restaurant chain to limit the ordering of the meal to only from their app. Continuing the trend, McDonald’s released the J. Balvin meal: a big mac, medium fries, and a McFlurry. The company clearly put less thought into this deal as it is far less personalized than Travis Scott’s. After seeing the potential of celebrity collaborations, they must have rushed to launch their second combo. Even though this meal clearly lacks the amount of detail that the Travis Scott meal had, it will still likely boost earnings. When I tried this one, there were definitely no surprises, as it was just a normal Big Mac. The McFlurry and fries tasted great as usual, and the Big Mac was no different than usual.

Another celebrity item, “The Charli,” was released by Dunkin Donuts Sept. 2. The drink, a cold brew with whole milk and three pumps of caramel, is named after TikTok star Charli D’Amelio, a frequent Dunkin Donuts customer. Like the J. Balvin meal, this is not a brand-new item – it is modeled on how D’Amelio orders her cold brew. The three pumps of caramel made the beverage a little too sugary for my liking, and I found it hard to finish. Eventually, the consequences of such a sweet drink caught up to me, and I felt myself going through what felt like a sugar high. Ultimately, these meals have all been successful endeavors thanks to the promotions done on social media. McDonald’s catchy line “cactus jack sent me” is now something I commonly see when looking at social media, which shows just how popular the meal became. While J. Balvin’s meal hasn’t necessarily been as popular, it is still relatively well known. For Dunkin Donuts, there is no social media influencer who would have been better for their promotion than Charli D’Amelio. The sixteen-year-old has a following of over 90 million followers, and the number continues to climb every day. Every time she posts about “The Charli,” millions of people view it, which makes for a great promotion. After seeing the success of these celebrity meals, I would not be surprised to see more fast food chains employ a similar tactic in the near future.

NEW TECH Next gen: Xbox Series X vs. PS5

After seven long years, Microsoft and Sony finally release the official successors of the Xbox One and Playstation 4. Previews Trevor Crosnoe

Xbox Series X & Xbox Series S

Releasing: Nov. 10

Price: $499/299

Microsoft will release the newest generation of Xbox, the Xbox Series X, on Nov. 10 for $499. The console comes three years after the release of the previous model, the Xbox One X, which launched in 2017. The Series X’s CPU is an eight-core processor that runs at 3.8 GHz. Its GPU will have 12 teraflops of computing power, putting the Series X on the level of a high-end gaming PC. The new console will come with one terabyte of storage, matching that of the Xbox One X. However, the Series X will have a custom hard drive that will provide much shorter loading times than its predecessor. These factors will allow the Series X to support 4K resolution at 120 frames per second, and 8K at 60 fps. The Series X will feature backwards compatibility with all past Xbox games, meaning the console will support games from previous generations. Microsoft is introducing Quick Resume with the Series X, which will allow users to switch between multiple games and pick up exactly where they left off. In addition, the Xbox Series X will also have Smart Delivery, meaning any games purchased on the Xbox One will be free after upgrading to the Series X. The Series X will also support all Xbox One controllers. Among the Series X’s most anticipated launch titles are Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Destiny 2: Beyond Light. The Series X won’t be the only console out on Nov. 10 though. Microsoft will also release the Xbox Series S, a smaller version of the Series X, for $299. The Series S is all digital, meaning there is no physical disc drive and games can only be purchased through the console’s Microsoft Store. The Series S will offer 1440p resolution at 120 fps, significantly less than that of the Series X but also at a much lower price.

The long-awaited PS5 will be released on Nov. 12 for $499. The console’s last generation, the PS4 Pro, was released in 2016. The PS5 will have an eight-core processor running at 3.5 GHz. The computing power of its GPU amounts to 10.28 teraflops. Most of the PS5’s games will run with 4K resolution at a speed of 60 frames per second, but in certain situations it could reach 8K and 120 fps. The PS5 is a vastly different machine from its predecessor. Almost all aspects of the PS4 have been reworked, including the controller. The PS4’s controller, known as the DualShock 4, has been replaced with the DualSense. The difference between these two controllers cannot be understated. The DualSense, with a price of $69.99, doesn’t look like a normal Playstation controller. It’s the first to have a two-tone color scheme, and its bigger than the DualShock series. The share button has been renamed the “Create” button, and other buttons have new symbols as well. The DualSense will feature much more advanced haptic feedback than that of the Dualshock. The controller’s vibrations will be able to provide a variety of tactile sensations to the user. Lastly, the DualSense comes with a built-in microphone, so users are able to communicate online without a headset. The PS5’s main launch title is Spider-Man: Miles Morales. There is a surprising lack of launch titles for the PS5, with many PlayStation exclusives, like God of War: Ragnarok, coming in 2021. The PS5 also has a digital version, the PS5 Digital Edition, at a price of $399. The Digital Edition is almost exactly the same as the standard PS5, except it doesn’t feature a Blu-ray disc drive. Both consoles will support backwards compatibility with games bought in the PlayStation store, meaning all PS4 games will be available digitally on the PS5.

PS5 & PS5 Digital Edition

Releasing: Nov. 12

Price: $499/399

Verdict

Which console has the edge?

The Xbox Series X and the PS5 are quite similar, but the Xbox does have an advantage in terms of computing power. Xbox’s more advanced CPU and GPU will allow the Series X to achieve 4K resolution at 120 fps more frequently than the PS5. While these stats may seem irrelevant, no console has ever achieved above 60 fps before, only PCs, so the fact that both of these consoles are capable is a testament to the advancement of technology at Microsoft and Sony. One thing that disappointed me about both consoles is the lack of significant launch titles. Don’t get me wrong, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, and SpiderMan: Miles Morales are all highly anticipated games, but both Xbox and PlayStation dropped the ball in terms of fan favorites. Additionally, COVID-19 has caused delays in the making of games like Halo: Infinite and Cyberpunk 2077, two titles that fans were hoping would launch at the same time as the Series X and PS 5. If you’re new to video games or uncomfortable investing $500 in a gaming platform, I would strongly recommend either the Xbox Series S or the PS5 Digital Edition. Both of these consoles are virtually the same as their non-digital counterparts, and both will provide an unbelievably smooth and seamless gaming experience. However, if you’re someone who is passionate about video games or who owns a large number of physical copies, the Series X and PS5 are the better options. Remember that the Xbox Series S and PS5 Digital Edition have no disc slot, so all the physical games you own will be rendered obsolete if you purchase these consoles.

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October 29, 2020 Buzz The ReMarker