Whether you love fast food or loathe it,
its cultural impact is undeniable. It offers something quick and affordable for everybody,
be it a road trip dinner, a guilty pleasure, or a midnight snack.
However, not all fast food items are created equal—and some just aren't worth the money.
Here's a fact that might shock all you cheese lovers: Burger King's Whoppers don't come with
a slice of cheese. The fast food classic contains a patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup,
mayo—and nothing else. You can order cheese added to your Whopper—but it's extremely overpriced.
In 2018, adding a slice of cheese to your Whopper would cost you 50 cents. "Inc." found that anyone
can buy 480 slices of Kraft American Cheese in bulk for around 15 cents per slice. This means
that if Burger King gets their cheese at this price point, then they're making huge dividends.
In fact, they'd be making about a 233 percent profit on every slice of cheese. At the end of the
day, adding cheese to your burger may not be worth the bellyache that comes with getting ripped off.
When it comes to the french fry game, White Castle plays it very differently compared
to some of its competitors. Unlike McDonald's, Burger King, or Wendy's,
this chain's potatoes are crinkle-cut, giving them a different texture.
But being a non-conformist doesn't necessarily make you superior.
White Castle's crinkle-cuts are often slammed as the worst fast food fry of all.
Bland and squishy, they leave most diners sorely disappointed.
So if you love White Castle's sliders too much to skip the chain altogether,
maybe save your extra dollars for some better fries elsewhere.
Over the course of fast food history, restaurants have created quite a few vegan options.
Ice cream lovers can do no better than Baskin-Robbins' non-dairy Chocolate Chip
Cookie Dough, which the company says is completely free of animal products.
If savory is more your speed, Dunkin's hashbrowns are an entirely vegan snack.
Pizza lovers probably thought they'd found cause for celebration when Pizza Hut UK
announced its Pepperphoni Pizza. The pie features dairy-free cheese, meat-substitute pepperoni,
and a tomato sauce base. Unfortunately, the internet agreed that the dish was not a winner.
In a review of best and worst vegan fast food options, "Euronews" said that the pizza was
both the worst and most expensive item on the list. Meanwhile, blogger "Becca" shared,
"I was hoping to really love this pizza but I just can't seem to get on board
with it. The taste just wasn't great and I definitely wouldn't have it again."
This item isn't available for US diners just yet—and if we're lucky, it never will be.
In the meantime, let's hope that Pizza Hut creates some better vegan options soon.
In 2019, Tim Hortons launched a new product: chicken strips served with a choice of honey
mustard, barbecue, or sweet 'n sour sauce on the side. As delicious as the strips sounded,
members of the general public soon made it clear that they were not impressed. "MTL Blog"
reported that many users had complained that the chicken strips were too small and too expensive,
making for a pretty disappointing fast food experience. One user wrote,
"So Tim Hortons decided to get chicken strips. I think it’s best they stick to donuts and coffee…"
Others noted that six bucks would only get you three puny pieces of chicken!
For the time being, these chicken strips are only available in Canada. Nevertheless,
if you ever find yourself in one of these establishments,
maybe skip the strips in favor of a more tried-and-true classic, like Timbits.
Known originally for its coffee, Starbucks has expanded its menu to include tons of
unique items. Whether you're looking for a fruity yogurt parfait, a cheesy panini,
or even a classic croissant, the franchise has you covered. But how many of these products
are actually worth buying? Probably none of them. As "Eater" explains, Starbucks
locations don't have the right kitchens to make a lot of food items from scratch. As a result,
many of their meals are delivered to each shop frozen and later quickly heated up before serving.
There are plenty of quick-service joints out there that prepare their food fresh.
So why go to Starbucks for anything other than coffee? Chances are, you'll find a better meal
nearby—and likely for a better price than Starbucks charges for a reheated sandwich.
There's no denying it—the world can't get enough guacamole. As one Twitter user put it,
"i love guacamole so much bruh like why is it so good".
Another user put it even more simply:
"Guacamole slaps tho"
Some people love guac so much that they'll pay whatever it takes to add it to their meal—and
restaurants are more than happy to take their money. As "Plate IQ" reported,
adding supplementary guac to your burrito typically costs the restaurant serving you
an additional 52 cents—but typically costs you, the consumer, a whopping two bucks!
So buyer beware. The next time someone asks if you want some extra guac on that burrito bowl,
know that you're probably about to get ripped off.
“Holy guacamole!”
Guacamole isn't the only wildly expensive burrito add-on. "Plate IQ" claims that sour
cream is also absurdly overpriced. According to their calculations,
adding sour cream to an order could cost a restaurant only 19 cents. However,
many fast food places typically charge a dollar for this addition.
This means that they're hiking up the price of their sour cream by a staggering 426 percent.
It's hard to deny that sour cream is an amazing culinary addition. Maybe you
love the way it improves your meal's texture, or maybe you rely on it to mellow out a spicy dish.
Even so, do you really want to purchase a dollop of sour cream that's marked up
at over 400 percent? Next time you're craving Chipotle, try making your own burritos at home,
using store-bought sour cream. Nothing tastes as good as a lower price.
No matter the cuisine, most fast food franchises sell coffee. McDonald's,
Burger King, and even Taco Bell can help you get your caffeine fix. But one of these things is
not like the other. According to some consumers, you're better off skipping brew from Burger King.
What is it that makes Burger King's coffee so hard to swallow? Reviewers have called it weak,
burned, and just plain bad. In a 2021 review of fast food coffee, "Insider" agreed:
"This brew had very little flavor and seemed to be both watery and burnt,
which did not make for a good combination."
That's a pretty harsh, but fair, assessment. When Burger King announced that they were
running a $5-a-month coffee subscription, one Twitter user put things a little more bluntly:
"Their coffee is so bad you couldnt pay me $5 a month to drink it"
If it's early in the morning and there's no other coffee in sight,
Burger King coffee may be better than no coffee at all. But don't say we
didn't warn you—this drink isn't worth even the spare dollar in your pocket.
"Eugh"
“Buddy, you don’t have to drink that.”
“Thank you.”
A staple of the classic burger-fries-soft drink combo,
soda is a pillar of the fast food industry. But as much as you love buying a Coke with your burger,
the chain you're buying from loves it more. "Daily Finance" reports that in 2010,
a single soda cost a restaurant between five and 20 cents. This means that the
Coke you buy for $2.50 could be making a staggering profit for the business.
Does this make you a fool for enjoying a soda with your meal? Of course not! But next time,
consider ordering your burger before picking up your drink from the convenience store next door.
Soda isn't the only overpriced beverage fast food joints offer.
In 2013, "Business Insider Australia" reported that consumers typically spend
300 times the cost of tap water to buy a bottle of water. To add insult to injury,
64 percent of bottled water actually is municipal tap water, according to "Food & Water Watch."
But that's not the only cause for concern. According to "Bloomberg," only about 10
percent of the world's polyethylene terepthalate plastic is recycled.
This means that your water bottle will more likely than not wind up as litter.
So if you want to stay hydrated while you're out and about,
try investing in a reusable water bottle! Your planet, and your wallet, will thank you.
Ordering in as you snuggle up on the couch can be a wonderful experience. You don't have to change
out of your sweatpants, turn off your Netflix, or stand in a line just to get some food—a
few taps on your phone and your feast comes to you. What could possibly be wrong with that?
According to "The New York Times," your delivery habit may have one unexpected
drawback— meals are typically much pricier when purchased through an app.
The figures that "The New York Times" found were astounding. Two turkey sandwiches purchased in
person at Subway cost a reporter $12.58. However, buying the exact same items from Grubhub cost them
$16.46—a 25 percent markup. Other popular apps only get pricier. DoorDash marked up
this purchase by 46 percent; Postmates by 63 percent, and Uber Eats by a whopping 91 percent.
Of course, we all have nights when leaving home feels like an impossible task,
and delivery feels like the world's greatest invention. When these nights happen,
take a few minutes to shop around for the best deal—or even better, try calling restaurants
directly to place an order. You could even use the money you saved on an extra side of nachos.
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