Results tagged “fastfood”

For many of us on the West Coast, we take our In-N-Out seriously. We know we love it, we know how to order off the (not-so-secret?) secret menu, we know our own favorite order. You don't have to have a reservation, or be a celeb to get the best of the best from them (although not too long ago actor Tom Hanks told the newly (re)arrived Conan O'Brien he thinks their catering truck beats the Batmobile). But--besides their sauce--what's their actual secret?

How close are you to obesity? If you're a teenager, the answer is in the geography:

Teens who attend classes within one-tenth of a mile of a fast-food outlet are more likely to be obese than peers whose campuses are located farther from the lure of quarter-pound burgers, fries and shakes.

You might think it's just fast food, but for national chain Jack in the Box, image is everything. The company is announcing today via iconic "mouthpiece" CEO Jack Box they are embarking on "a major brand overhaul that includes a new modern logo, the debut of sliders and a makeover at more than 2,000 restaurants," according to the OC Register's Fast Food Maven. Rumors swirled about logo changes last year when they tested new signage at locations in San Diego, where the restaurant began in 1951 and remains headquartered today. CEO Jack hasn't been "seen" since the SuperBowl, when he was hit by a bus, stirring fears among fans and loyalists that the sphere-headed spokesman would be gone forever. Something tells us, though, most people won't care what the logo looks like as long as they can still get two tacos for 99 cents!

It's obvious that Jack got hit by a bus on Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles, as seen last night during a Superbowl Commercial. If you keep up on downtown news, you might find it similar to a crash last month.

Remember those ads that ran between 1997-2000 featuring a sassy chihuahua who was crazy about Taco Bell? Turns out the Irvine-based company turned down a pitch made in the 1990s by Michigan ad men Joseph Shields and Tom Rinks for a "psycho chihuahua" but "later hired another ad agency that wound up using the talking animal in the now famous 'Yo quiero Taco Bell' ads," reports the OC Register.

Five Guys Burgers & Fries, the much raved about East Coast based burger chain, now has two locations in Southern California, albeit not in the direct Los Angeles area. The first one opened in Carson six months ago with the second opening last week in Cerritos. Another was set to open in La Habra, but that ran into problems.

Even fast-food leader McDonald's Corp. is considering making some changes to its popular dollar menu -- either by changing the items on the menu or bumping up prices -- saying the cost of selling meat at such low prices might be too high.

Continue reading "Restaurants, Food Suppliers To Raise Prices"

In-N-Out would like to catch you before you turn that ten dollar bill into a roll of quarters and roll yourself over to one of their SoCal locations on their upcoming anniversary. Rumors that the popular fast food chain are offering up their classic burgers for 25 cents as part of a 60th anniversary special are false. The word from In-N-Out: "The rumor is not true." Although a burger for a quarter sounds like a great idea, considering the economy that sort of promotion might just evoke too much of "bread line" sentiment. Just look at the scene a few days ago at Phillipe's when they offered their signature sandwich for pennies on the dollar!

"Chain restaurants in California will have to display calorie counts with each menu item -- the first state law of its kind in the nation -- under legislation that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to sign today," reports the LA Times today about a bill by Valley Assemblyman Alex Padilla who says "the way Californians order food is about to change. All Californians will soon be empowered with reliable, accessible nutrition information... that will help them make more informed, healthier choices." The law begins July 1, 2009 for restaurants with 20 or more locations within the state.

Now that fast food is banned in South LA in order to make way for healthier options to exist in the region, what's next? In New York, it was reported today that "food stamp sales have grown to $90,000 in 2007 from $3,000 in 2002." Part of the increase comes from technological advancement with wireless or scrip debit food stamp machines at the markets. 118 markets in California use these machines with over 25 of them located in the Los Angeles area. Unfortunately, only a couple of the South LA farmers market use EBT and food stamps. Or is it that there are only a few South LA markets in the first place?

Locally based burger chain Fatburger will be opening its first Chicago-area outpost next January, all thanks to Kanye West, who just put out a new puppet lovin' music video this week. West owns KW Foods LLC, which has the rights to develop 10 Fatburgers around Chicagoland. Earlier this year, Fatburger Founder Lovie Yancey died. [Via Chicagoist]

In an attempt to give the public more information about the nutritional value of the fast food they're consuming, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky is presenting a proposal next week that would require fast food restaurants to post calorie counts on menus:

If the measure is successful, Los Angeles County would be following in the footsteps of New York and a handful of other municipalities nationwide that already have implemented calorie counts on the menus at major restaurant chains, or are taking steps to do so.

Continue reading "The New Numbers Game: Fast Food Calorie Counts"

Is this a redeeming quality of McDonald's? While they may be banned from opening new stores in South LA, there is also a right-wing group boycotting the fast food franchise. The same group is working on getting troops to vote to ban gay marriage on the November ballot as well. McDonald's donated $20,000 to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and the The American Family Association (AFA) has chosen to make a big deal about it. The donation gained the company membership with the NGLCC and a seat on the groups board of directors.

Councilwoman Jan Perry made do with a one-year moratorium on the addition of new fast food restaurants in South Los Angeles that went into effect last year, but now she's gearing up to fight the battle of the bulge in a more permanent way by asking for a complete ban on new fast food joints in the area.

Nancy Luna, otherwise known as the Fast Food Maven at the OC Register, has developed a true appreciation for tomatoes in the midst of the latest food recall. A recent trip to El Pollo Loco inspired this realization:

Nancy Luna of the OC Register's fantastic food blog, Fast Food Maven (it's more than just fast food), took a field trip out of Orange County to the East Coast last year and while there, visited Five Guys Burgers to taste test the talked-about nosh that many compare to In-N-Out. However, her findings led her to say that they are actually more comparable to The Counter.

We all have our guilty pleasures when it comes to food--you know, the things we know we shouldn't eat, from the restaurants (using that term loosely in this case) we know we shouldn't frequent. For LAist Featured Photos pool contributer ~db~ it's all about the Popeye's. To confess: "I tell myself it's okay, since I refuse to eat at McDonalds or Taco Bell. I'm sure my doctor would cringe knowing how I like their mashed potatoes." Incidentally, those verboten potatoes are what lurk beneath the biscuit in their little lidded tub.

LAist Featured Photos pool contributer 护士黑鹰 calls this shot "The Drill." As in, you know it.

You may have heard that February is Breakfast month here at LAist, in which we celebrate the glory that is the morning meal. But our celebration is twinged with sadness for those who may have been fans of the a.m. food fare served up at Starbucks. The company has announced they are ditching their breakfast sandwiches and declaring that their Mission: Lure Customers Back from Fast Food Joints that Sell Breakfast Eats that Include Some Form of Protein was ultimately unsuccessful.

Lovie Yancey, who launched what eventually became the popular Fatburger chain of burger-and-fries joints, died January 26th of pneumonia here in Los Angeles.

After the Humane Soceity of the United States released a video (seen below) of abused cows at a Chino slaughterhouse, the U.S. Department of Agriculture began an investigation on Wednesday. With a quick response, The California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division urged all public schools to check where their cafeteria meat was coming from and two fast food chains cut their ties with the Chino based Westland/Hallmark Meat Company.

The president of In-N-Out Burger, Mark Taylor, said Thursday his company decided to stop buying beef from the company after learning of the video.

Continue reading "In-n-Out Burger Says 'No' to Abused Cattle Meat"

Orange County's fast-food favored son, Carl Karcher, died yesterday at the age of 90.

Would you like a nonfat latte with that Big Mac?

School cafeteria food doesn't have the draw it used to, it seems. The Daily News is reporting today that the LAUSD is having to lose out on millions of dollars in federal funds "because just half of its eligible students are taking advantage of a lunch program in which kids eat for free or at reduced prices."

Cardinal Roger Mahoney revealed that he had been assaulted in July outside of Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral; the attacker was "enraged by the Catholic Church's sexual-abuse scandal within days of a record settlement with hundreds of victims." Karl Dorrell will not be coaching UCLA in its upcoming Las Vegas Bowl game. Defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker will coach in the interim. If the world weren't already all shook up by Jakob Lodwick's departure...

If you're anything like us and still incorporate large quantities of instant ramen noodles into your diet (is that shameful for a food writer to admit?), this morning's news might cause more than a little worry. We woke to our local news broadcasters discussing yet another American health worry: salt. Apparently Americans consume 50% too much salt in their diet, much of it locked up in processed and canned foods, and the FDA is...

Now that Thanksgiving is over, many of us are feeling guilty about overeating and we're starting to sweat the next month. My philosophy is to go ahead and enjoy the food when it is a special event, like Christmas Eve. What you really have to watch are the little unhealthy habits that the season brings - mindless cookie munching in the breakroom, triple-macchiattos to keep your energy up, and fast food meals eaten on-the-run as you rush from store to store. Luckily, there are a few chains that will keep the guilt factor down while still getting you out the door quickly.

I'm a lucky bitch.

1. In N' Out

Zuma Dogg was nice enough to post this video on Mayor Sam today which lays out a proposal that Jan Perry wants to inflict on the residents of South Central. Even though the councilwoman is ignorant in regards to the neighborhoods in her district, she does know that the people she represents are fat. They're so fat (and in her mind, ignorant) that she seems to want to protect them from themselves. It's her...