The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Spoon University.
Many popular restaurant chains have been releasing new food and promotional items these past few months. From Kai Cenat’s Chicken Big Mac to Burger King’s Addams Family meal to the new Panera Ciabatta Dippers, the past few months of quick eats have been adventurous, to say the least.
Panera Ciabatta Dippers
The new menu items at Panera are the French Dipper and the Spicy Chicken Dipper. In my honest opinion, both lack the flavor profiles I thought they would offer. The first sandwich contains marinated steak, melted cheese, and a garlic aioli drizzle. It is paired alongside the returned Bistro French Onion Soup, which adds depth to the sandwich. The second sandwich was severely misleading. Nothing about the flavor profile is spicy. Panera previously had the Spicy Take Chicken Sandwich, which packed a better punch than the one currently on the menu. The best part of the dipper is the cheaper value. You get a half sandwich with soup, making it cheaper than the “You Pick Two” options.
McDonald’s Chicken Big Mac
Although the chicken patty was seemingly a giant Chicken McNugget, I surprisingly enjoyed this meal. Granted, I ate it at 11 pm after not eating for 8 hours, so my taste buds might have been a bit biased. It had been years since I last enjoyed a normal Big Mac sandwich, but the familiar taste of the iconic sauce went well with the chicken. However, would I order the sandwich again? Most likely not, as each bite felt heavier than the last, but I may start paying a bit extra to ask for Mac sauce on my McChickens.
Cava Garlic Ranch Pita Chips
Cava already has my heart as one of my favorite places to grab a bite. It’s almost impossible for me to enjoy my customized salad bowl with the added crunch of the fresh, classic pita chips. Their latest garlic ranch flavor is heavily seasoned on each chip, coating the entire pita without missing a spot. The seasoning is heavy-handed, but I don’t mind it as I dip it into the creamy yogurt dill dressing. If you are looking for another dimension of flavor to your packed bowls, be sure to add this to your meal before it leaves the menu.
Burger King’s Addams Family Meal
After missing out on the signature red bun for the Spider-Verse Whopper, I made sure to try the purple bun from the release of the Addams Family menu. Wednesday’s Whopper (not to be confused with Burger King’s Wednesday Whopper deal) featured the regular Whopper, but with a purple bun made from purple potatoes. It tasted exactly the same, but marketing schemes always seem to trap me. As an onion ring fan, I had to get a side of Thing’s Rings. I assumed it would be something special and unique, but the only difference was the packaging of the cup that the onion rings usually came in.
Wendy’s Krabby Patty Meal
As a long-time Bikini Bottom fan, I desperately wanted to taste a real Krabby Patty, like thousands of other SpongeBob viewers. Wendy’s fell short in every possible aspect, coming up with just a regular burger (the same one they already sell under the name “Dave’s”). The only difference was the sauce, which tasted fine, but was nothing special. The original Krabby Patty always comes with a sesame seed bun. Wendy’s used a normal bun. My major issue was the lack of creativity with the packaging. Wendy’s opted to keep their normal packaging for the meal instead of a creative and colorful design decorated with the characters we know and love. I regret not trying the Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty, but I heard nice things about that part of the meal.
Before 2024 comes to a close, I have to get my hands on all the other new releases the culinary world offers. On the horizon is Taco Bell’s Decades Menu, Little Caesars’ Crazy Puffs, KFC’s Comeback Sauce, and one of Burger King’s Specialty Fan-Made Whoppers.