An industry that rolls over $100 billion every single year has more secrets than you can imagine, and we are here to reveal some of the most secure ones. So before you order your next takeaway, scroll down this and get answers to all those questions you never dared to ask.
The Largest Toy Distributor in the World
You would have thought that Toys R Us or FAO Schwarz are the biggest toy distributors in the world, but in fact, you’ll be surprised to know that one of the biggest and most famous fast food chains is way up front in this race.
McDonald’s happy meal has been distributing more toys than any other toy store. In recent years, the big M has been offering books as part of their happy meal, making them house more books than the Library of Congress.
Arby’s Best Mistake
Arby’s is one of America’s favorite fast sandwich chains. It was founded in 1964 as an “anti-hunger” act, offering customers something other than just a piece of meat in a bun. The demand for roast beef and cheddar sandwiches grew, and by 1996 the chain had more than 3000 points of sale. One of their most famous dishes was accidentally born.
Arby’s “Meat Mountain” was not created just like any other item on the menu. In 2014 an ad was designed, showcasing all of the meat varieties the chain had on offer. Customers began asking for the sandwich they saw in the ad (which never existed), and the rest is history.
The Colonel’s Fried Chicken
Colonel Sanders invested his wealth and wisdom into creating one of the most successful fast-food chains in the world. He came up with the perfect fried chicken recipe while working at a gas station in the 1930s. Years later, the recipe was bought from him, and a fried chicken chain was established, using his original recipe.
Kentucky’s Colonel didn’t believe his newer recipe met the original’s standards, however, this didn’t keep him away from competition. He established a new fried chicken chain to compete with the original one, leaving the original recipe in the dust.
Size Does Matter
We all love a good Subway sandwich, and one of the reasons we love Subway so much is because of its size. Subway had to think before publishing a foot-long Sub when it was only 11 inches long.
In 2013 Subway was sued for not keeping their promises and providing a much shorter Sub than initially advertised. Since then, Subway has been using rules to assure every foot-long sub is, in fact, a foot-long.
Black Squid Ink
You can never go wrong with a simple burger and fries. A juicy burger accompanied by crispy fried potatoes will satisfy anyone at any time. Except when you are in Japan. This was for a limited time only, but in 2014 the Japanese Burger King introduced something a little different.
Black squid ink was infused into the bun and the cheese. We’ve never had it, but apparently, it tastes better than it looks. No wonder it was for a limited time only.
Cinnabon Secrest
Just like there is no shopping mall without a parking lot, there is no shopping mall without Cinnabon. The smell of freshly baked goods cannot be ignored as it travels through the stores. And we have a little secret as to where the smell comes from.
As it turns out, Cinnabon bakes empty trays of nothing. Yep, they bake trays with nothing on them except for some cinnamon and sugar mix sprinkled on. Geniuses!
Taco Bell and Their Version of Meat
In 1962, Glen Bell founded two fast food chains. Taco Tia and Bell’s Hamburgers. Years later, the two names joined into one, and Taco Bell was born. By 1967 there were 100 Bells and today, there are more than 7000 Bells distributed worldwide. In 2011, Taco Bell was in for a bit of trouble.
It was claimed that the chain’s beef filing could not be called beef as it contained a higher percentage of oats, seasoning, and many other things that were not considered…beef. They were sued, however, came to an agreement, and Taco Bell was obliged to change the wording of their ads.
Top Secret
How does KFC manage to keep their recipe a secret for so many years, we ask ourselves? The chain changes its employees and management every other day, and we applaud KFC for holding on to its mystery tightly locked away.
As it turns out, the 11 herbs seasoning secret is manufactured in two separate plants, each plant producing only half of the mixture. The two halves are then combined and mixed by a robot ensuring that no one holds the entire recipe. No one is going to crack this.
Down to Texture
Ben and Jerry’s are known for their mouthwatering and overwhelming chunks that hide inside almost all of their ice cream flavors. From dark chocolate chips to crunchy sugar-coated nuts, you can never get enough. The chunks are there for a reason and not only for their flavor.
One of the founders of the chain, Ben Cohen, suffers from anosmia, meaning his sense of smell does not perform very well, and there are many ingredients that just pass through his nose as if they don’t exist. The prominent texture of the tasteful chunks in the ice cream compensates for that and delivers a full and indulging experience.
Flexibility in a Sub
A food blogger named Food Babe made history and got Subway to change a recipe it had been following forever. Food Babe discovered that the sandwich chain used to use azodicarbonamide in their bread. Azodicarbonamide is a chemical that is used to produce…yoga mats.
When this horrific fact was revealed, Food Babe was not putting up with it and demanded Subway make a change to their bread ingredients. Almost 80,000 people signed a petition which eventually led the chain to buy their bread less flexibly.
Reputable Ronald
He is more famous than Mickey Mouse; he is more recognized than Super Man, and he is the most prominent animated figure in the world. More than 95% of the children in the world spot him from a distance — he is Ronald McDonald.
The fast food chain’s animated figure is the most notable cartoon in the world and is not always associated with burgers or fries. Next in line is Santa Clause.
We’re Counting on Dunkin’
We love slagging people and companies off, however, when there is a good word to throw in, we throw it in. The beloved donut company, Dunkin’ Donuts, does its best to serve you a fresh, hot, and awakening cup of coffee.
When a cup of coffee is ordered, you can be sure that you are receiving the freshest of the freshest. Dunkin’s motto is “If not used within 18 minutes, Dunkin’ Donuts coffee is discarded, and a new carafe is freshly brewed.” Put the kettle on, we’re coming.
Living in the Red Stuff
Let’s talk tomato sauce. There is more than just tomatoes than the eye can see. Papa John’s and Domino’s (and all other pizza chains, for this matter) are nourishing fly egg farms in their tomato sauce without even knowing.
Apparently, there are likely around 30 fly eggs in every 100 grams of sauce, together with at least one maggot. So, let’s thank the pizza places for giving us more protein, and let’s think very carefully before ordering pizza next time.
Chipotle Was Never Meant to Be
When Chipotle founder Steve Ells initially planned to open a dining place, he wanted a fine dining restaurant. He imagined men arriving in suits and ties and never thought he would eventually own a fast food chain. If he had enough money at the time, Chipotle might have never happened.
He established Chipotle, hoping the fast food establishment would earn him enough money to make his fine dining dream come true. However, his burritos were so good and so popular the customers came running back for more.
Competition Subway
How many people can make a sandwich at the same time? A lot. According to the Guinness book of records, Subway held the record and had 1,481 people make one of their subs simultaneously. They held that record for two years in a row.
Subway’s honorable record was taken away by TangoTab, which had 2,586 people preparing their sandwiches all at once. On your mark, get set…Sub!
Golden Arch Degree
Back in 2011, it wasn’t as easy as you may think to work for McDonald’s, one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world. In fact, it was even harder than enrolling in one of the most prestigious universities in the country.
7% of the people who applied to Harvard university were accepted. How many people were accepted onto McDonald’s employee list? Only 6.2, which makes the golden arch dream seem further than what it really is.
Omelet Perfection
IHOP has the best omelets around, all thanks to its surprising ingredients. It is no secret, and the recipe can be found online. They add pancake batter to the omelet mixture, which makes it rich and delicious.
All said and done, this is bad, bad, bad news for gluten-free IHOP lovers, as the egg section on the menu will have to be avoided.
Not a Very Healthy Salad
Next time you plan on having a salad, or anything else based on vegetables at McDonald’s, hold your horses and count the calories. Some of the salads the chain has to offer are not as healthy or low cal as you think they are.
The Bacon Ranch Salad, for example, which aside from lettuce, had a generous helping of crispy chicken, can reach up to 680 calories. The big mac only has 540). So, what is it going to be?
A Different Kind of Ring
If McDonald’s hadn’t changed their original plans and the idea that came up in the mid-1980s would have actually turned into reality, the chicken nuggets as we know them today would not have existed.
In 1983, McDonald’s recipe writers created the onion nuggets to accompany the salads they had on offer. Thankfully, the taste testers weren’t so impressed by the new creation and the chain continued to work on the nugget recipe.
True Believers
Remember this next fact for your next trip to Buffalo, NY. If you happen to find yourself there, hungry, with no money, and in desperate need of a space to pray, look for Rev. Darius Pridgen’s True Bethel Baptist Church.
This church is much more than it seems. It’s a Subway franchise, it offers jobs for those with no work, and it feeds the hungry. Oh yeah, and it is also a church.
A Puzzle of Beef
In recent years, McDonald’s has been trying to improve its menu, use better products, and support sustainability and other save-our-planet organizations. This next one will make you think before buying your next hamburger.
The chain has admitted that one single hamburger patty can consist of parts sourced from more than 100 cows. Again, more than 100 cows. That’s a lot of moo. Maybe too much moo.
You Can Smell It in the Air
When it comes to quality, Arby’s is in the lead. In 2014, the chain invested a lot of time and money but gained so much respect and customers that it was all worth it. Arby’s had the longest tv commercial ever, which aired for more than 13 hours, all in one single shot.
Arby’s wanted to show how delicate their craft is and how seriously they take their work. They filmed a piece of brisket being smoked without skipping a single minute. They proved how dedicated they all were to the famous brisket sandwich.
They Are Still Chicken
McDonald’s delicious chicken nuggets have had more stories behind them than McDonald’s restaurants over the years. At one stage, it was thought they were not made of chicken at all, and they were sent to labs to give the verdict. We have conclusions.
Chicken nuggets ARE made of chicken. It might not all be chicken MEAT, but it’s 100% chicken. The nuggets contain very little meat, and the rest is a mixture of fat, bones, and tendons.
And What About Strawberry Frappuccino?
Starbucks was founded in 1971, and besides its wonderful cakes and pastries, it is known for its fluffy frappuccinos. The cream and coffee-flavored delight has been a best-seller, however, not many know what it really consists of. Well, at least not until 2011.
Up until 2011, the regulations on beverages and edible goods weren’t as strict as they are today. The red coloring in the strawberry frappuccino was sourced from cochineal beetles. The FDA brought this to an end, and today, not only Starbucks but all red food coloring is sourced from carmine, making us feel a lot less guilty when indulging in one of these.
America at Its Best
The Waffle House has become a road trip favorite. Mouthwatering hot waffles with scrumptious toppings are America at its best. It was reported that this establishment serves the most waffles per minute nationwide. On average, The Waffle House serves almost 150 waffles every 60 seconds.
The chain claimed that since its opening days in 1955, they have served altogether close to 900 million waffles. Pretty impressive.
Sbarro’s Original Cheese Cake
Sbarro is not only for pizza. It is also the home of the chain’s famous delicious cheesecake. One of the main reasons it remained so delicious for so many years is because the founder, Carmela Sbarro, used to make the cakes on her own without using any factory facilities.
It was only when Carmela’s feet could not carry her any longer and when the number of cakes exceeded 1000 pieces a week that she realized that she needed help. That’s when she turned to a supplier and accepted that the cakes won’t be handmade anymore.
Krispy Kreme Is Almost 100 Years Old
In the hot summer days of 1973, Vernon Rudolph brought to life one of America’s fast food icons, Krispy Kreme. It first began as a donut supplier for local grocery stores, however, very soon, that was about to change.
The demand was overwhelming, and before Rudolph realized what was happening, the first Krispy Kreme that sold its goods directly to customers was born. The donuts were sold on a sidewall through a window. How sweet.
In-N-Out University
If you are planning a long-term career in a fast food chain in general and in In-N-Out in particular, prepare yourself and your notebooks. You will be needing them when you enroll in their university.
In-N-Out invest a lot in their future restaurant managers, and they have founded the chain’s school, where trainee managers receive education on customer service, kitchen hygiene, and quality foods. Get ready to send in your application — not everyone is accepted.
The Meaty Cheesy Boys
Before NSYNC was NSYNC and before America’s Got Talent adorned our screens, one of the nation’s favorite fast food chains, Jack in the Box, was involved in music too. And that involvement was called The Meaty Cheesy Boys.
Jack in the Box formed the band for commercial reasons initially, however, they succeed much more than expected. They were so cool at the time that they were invited to perform with “Ultimate Cheeseburger” at the 1999 Billboard Music Awards.
Dairy Queen With No Doubt
So many things started at Dairy Queen, not just the Hot Fudge Sunday. As it turns out, one of America’s best rock bands started its days at one of Dairy Queen’s joints. Gwen Stefani and her brother used to work at the Queen, however, they never saw their ice cream days as a lifelong career.
It was there that the two discussed forming No Doubt together with John Spence, one of the band’s founders.
Easy on the Guac
McDonald’s eaters consume more potatoes than any other fast food chain; Domino’s is number one when it comes to tomatoes, and Burger King is not far behind when it comes to meat consumption. So where does this leave our Mexican friend, Chipotle?
Chipotle use up to an astonishing 100,000 avocados a day, making them in the lead of the green stuff. When we think of it, that is a lot of guacamole.
Donut Fries
This next item can be found only in particular, Dunkin’ Donut locations. Imagine fries are made from donuts and then coated in cinnamon sugar. So simple, yet so perfect. And yes, they are served warm. Ideal for breakfast, but can be eaten anytime f the day as far as we are concerned.
Five of these scrumptious fries will cost you just $2, however, you will have to travel to a location that serves this, so add the flight or gas cost to the bill.
Finger-Lickin’
One of KFC’s most memorable slogans was “finger-lickin’ good.” This was translated for all countries the chain operated in, and everywhere the phrase was catchy and successful, except for China. In China, there were a few translation barriers.
The catchy phrase didn’t translate well into Chinese and instead of “finger-lickin’ good,” the new KFC slogan was “eat your fingers off.”
Well Baked
We are still surprised by this next fun fact. Wendy’s was established in 1969 and was named after the founders’ daughter, Melinda. Wendy was Melinda’s nickname. The new chain offered, like many other restaurants, the burgers and fries combination, however, it did have something that nobody else did.
Even today, Wendy’s is the only fast-food chain restaurant t that serves baked potatoes. Being the only one, it is reported that over 1 million potatoes are ordered throughout the chain every single week.
It All Started With 1000 Dollars
What were you up to when you were 17 years old? Basketball? Skateboarding? Thinking about university? Saving money to travel the world? Fred DeLuca was thinking big. Very big.
When Fred DeLuca was 17 years old, he borrowed $1000 from his family and opened his first sandwich shop. That one shop became one of the most successful sandwich chains we know today. It has over 38 thousand locations worldwide and had an annual revenue of over 16 billion dollars. Ladies and Gentlemen, Subway.
Recipe Owner
This next fact is one of the weirdest we have found about Popeyes Chicken. In 1992, the chain had to rebuy its chicken recipes from the Copeland family following the relinquished control. Over the years, Popeyes paid the Copelands more than $3 million in royalties so they could use the recipes.
After the passing of one of the founders, the chain was obliged to fully purchase the recipe. This cost them more than $40 million.
I Feel Like Chicken Tonight
Chick-fil-A was founded in 1946 and was originally named Dwarf Grill. It was then when S. Truett Cathy, the chain’s founder, brought a chicken sandwich served on a bun with two pickles to perfection. This chain is so successful and not only for its fried birds.
The restaurant’s lemonade is apparently the best one can get, and in 2013, Chick-fil-A bought more than 200 million lemons to create their best-selling beverage. What can we say? When life gives you lemons, give them to Chick-fil-A.
Combine Your Way
Who doesn’t know Subway’s Italian B.M.T or their mouthwatering Meatball Marinara? These Subway classics have been starring on the menu for years and don’t seem to be going anywhere. Saying this, how many sandwich combinations do you think Subway has?
There are almost 38 million combinations that can be created at Subway. So, next time you’re in line for a sandwich and can’t decide what to choose, take whatever pops first to your eyes. It will take you a lifetime to go through all combinations.
A Finger From the Bar
This next story is real and could serve as a great warning story to tell your children. In 2004, Anna Ayala thought it would be funny to pull a prank on Wendy’s. This prank would place her behind bars. And for what? For a fingertip?
Ayala claimed she found a fingertip in the dish she ordered, however, it turned out that she herself was the one who planted it there. She got caught, but it costs the chain over $21 million thanks to the hearsay that spread. Eventually, she found herself behind bars and banned for life from any of Wendy’s restaurants.
A Sad Jack in the Box
Being such a happy figure, Jack in the box has a very sad story behind it. The chain was founded in 1951 and provides fast food to millions of happy customers yearly. Except for 1993, which wasn’t a very good year.
That year, an E-coli outbreak was traced back to the chain. Jack in the Box was sued for more than 15 million dollars. A class action was taken against the chain, as lives were lost and many people were affected. The suit was settled for a sum of almost $50 million.
Papa John’s Text Too Often
We found this next story hilarious. Papa John’s was sued by a man named Jonathan Anozie for texting him too often, which resulted in Anozie feeling anxiety, aggravation, and frustration. All this was after he texted the automatic message system with the word STOP.
We are not sure how many text messages this customer received and what exactly was written in them, but to get frustrated over a text message and actually win a lawsuit? Now that is pro.
The Almighty Filet-O-Fish
Whenever there is a story behind the creation of a dish, it automatically makes the dish taste better. Here’s one about the almighty fish dish served at McDonald’s. In 1962, more than 20 years after it was first founded, the Filet-O-Fish was born.
It was created for religious Catholics who didn’t eat meat on Fridays. Even today, this dish is very popular, especially during Lent.
All for a Good Cause
Not only did Dave Thomas bring Wendy’s to us, but he also brought us this beautiful piece of information. In 1992, Wendy’s creator founded the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. He felt this cause was close to his heart and had to donate and invest as much as possible.
Dave Thomas himself was adopted at a very young age. It is no secret that he is a result of an unplanned encounter that took place one summer eve in Atlantic City.
KFC’s Holiday Treet
To most, Kentucky Fried Chicken is a mid-week treat, a simple and delicious guilty pleasure that doesn’t require any effort and is not even too costly. And to others, it is a Christmas Delight.
Since 1975, the Japanese Kentucky Fried Chicken offer a Christmas special barrel worth $40. This barrel is so popular that they are sometimes sold out before the holiday even begins!
Around the Clock
Up until 1988, Denny’s was known as the 24/7 fast food chain that is always open. For more than 35 years, Denny’s always had something to offer. In 1988, the chain decided to give the employees some time off and decided to close its doors for a few hours during the least busy ones. This led to a problem no one thought of.
Because the doors were never locked, the locks were not in use for all those years. New locks had to be installed across all the chain’s branches. Closing the restaurants for a few hours cost the chain more than it anticipated.
Outback the Back
Outback Steakhouse is one of the best steak houses that was exported to America from Australia. Well, that is not so true. As it turns out, and despite the false advertisement, Outback Steakhouse is not Australian at all.
Even more, the founders of this chain have never set foot in the land down under. They don’t have any authentic Australian dishes on their menu, and they don’t even know what Australian food is all about. They just wanted to advertise it that way because it sounded unique.
The Chosen Ones
As if celebs don’t already have it all. If you are a first-class celeb, like Jay Leno or Jennifer Hudson, you are indeed a chosen one. A chosen one to be on the grand Burger King Crown Card prestige list.
Those who are lucky enough to have a Crown Card will grant themselves a lifetime supply of burgers and fries at any Burger King restaurant of their choice. As if celebs don’t already have it all.
King, Queen, Jack
Everything is different Down Under, even the King. In 1991 when Burger King was planning to open their first restaurant in Australia, they were in for an unpleasant surprise. Burger King as a trademark already existed in the southern continent, and they had to think of another name for the Australian chain.
Hungry Jack is what they came up with, and even today, if you happen to walk the land below, don’t look for the King, look for the Jack.
The Other Wopper
We are not sure if, today, in the 21st century, someone could get away with something like this, however, back in 1960, no one seemed to mind. Burger King, home of the Whopper as we know it, was established in 1954 in Miami, Florida. As it turns out, this wasn’t the only king around.
Six years later, in 1960, another burger joint with the same name was established in Matton, Illinois. The King of Illinois was wise enough to trademark the name and therefore was allowed to keep it.
Burger Cologne
You don’t have to go to Burger King if you want to smell like a flaming hot whopper and medium fries. Well, at least you didn’t have to in 1995. It was then that the burger brand launched a limited edition cologne that smelled like a mouthwatering meat patty.
The delicious scent was on offer only in Japan and cost $55. In our opinion, it could be cheaper to buy a happy meal and simply spread it all over your body.
A Royal Touch
McDonald’s has more than 36 thousand restaurants spread all over the world, owned by many franchisers. One of the most famous franchises is the British royal family.
The late Queen Elizabeth’s Crown Estate is home to the fast-food chain alongside some palaces and racecourses. You know what they say, if you’re not going to eat it, the least you can do is own it. Well, that’s what the Brits say, anyway. So we’ve heard.
Where the Flavors Rest
There are hundreds (in fact, 300) of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavors that didn’t last very long or were a limited-edition development. At one of the chain’s factories in Waterbury, Vermont, there is a discontinued flavors graveyard where those ice cream tastes rest peacefully.
Every once in a while, the earth is wiped off one of the long-forgotten flavors, and it is brought back to life for a limited time. This process is called the “rein-cone-date” of the flavor.
When Things Were Cheap
Remember when we used to pay just $1 for a taco, and we thought it was cheap? Well, in 1960, not long after Taco Bell was established, a taco cost $0.19. Now, that is cheap! These were the days when the Bell was an outdoor hangout, and there were no indoor seating spaces.
In those days, the menu was pretty modest, and all they had on offer was tacos, burritos, frijoles, and tostadas. And yes, all items were just $0.19.
A Bell Revolution
Our beloved Taco Bell is known for many things, and they are also pioneers when it comes to people’s rights, especially woman’s rights. Glen Bell, the founder of Taco Bell, used to help his aunt in a bakery when he was young.
Years later, Taco Bell would become the first fast-food chain to hire a woman for a management position. Now it is clear why the chain succeeded so profoundly.
More Than 50 Cent
In 2008, Taco Bell was dragged to court for supposedly damaging the rapper 50 Cent’s reputation. 50 Cent claimed that the chain unauthorisedly used his name to promote their new “Why pay more” campaign. They allegedly destroyed his image.
Taco Bell wrote a letter to 50 Cent, asking him to change his name to 79 Cent, 88 Cents, or 99 Cent, which were the prices of some items offered through this campaign. Instead of the letter being addressed to the rapper in person, it was leaked to some publicity firms and media companies. Fiddy wanted $4 million but settled for an unknown amount.
Popeyes Chicken — Named After Who?
Founded in 1972, the then 28-year-old founder struggled to bring Popeyes Chicken to greatness. Years later, the succulent chicken house became what we know and love today. So, which famous cartoon character does not hide behind the chain’s name?
Many assume that Popeye the Sailor Man was the inspiration for the chain’s name, however, this is false. It’s another animated character who was the impulse. Remember the movie “The French Connection”? Remember Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle? That’s the inspiration Popeye.
The Big Waffle House
The Waffle House was founded by two friends — Tom Forkner and Joe Rogers. The two men wanted to open a restaurant that would bring together fast food and 24/7 table service. Back then, in 1995, there weren’t any restaurants that offered round-the-clock service.
The most profitable item on the menu was the waffle, so the two decided to name the restaurant after the dish that made them the most money. And as waffles were not considered a take-out item, it also helped to let customers know they offered table service too.
From Sewing Machine to Pizza Making
This pizza joint that can be found in almost every shopping mall was founded by the Italian mama Carmela Sbarro. She immigrated to Brooklyn from Naples together with her husband and three sons. Carmelas’ dream was to open an Italian deli in the heart of NY. She never thought her dreams would turn into a pizza chain.
In her early years in America, Sbarro sewed dolls’ clothes and saved penny to penny so she could make her dream come true. Gradually, the deli became a pizza shop, which later expanded to the Sbarro we know today. Carmela worked in the first Sbarro until her last days.
Krispy’s French Connection
Krispy Kreme may be an American brand, however, the recipe is far from being native. The founder of the chain reportedly bought the donut recipe from a French chef and locked it in the company’s vault until this very day.
There are many speculations as to what the donuts consist of. Some say they consist of cream, egg whites, and mashed potatoes, and some say it’s simply milk and flour. What is really in the donuts? Perhaps we will never know.
Drive Through Jack in the Box
Robert O. Peterson, the founder of Jack in the Box, brought to us a lot more than just hamburgers. Apparently, Peterson is a true entrepreneur in the fast-food industry. Drive-through already existed when Jack in the Box was established, however, Peterson took it a few steps forward.
He introduced an intercom system to the drive-through service and realized what a significant difference it made, both for the customers and for Jack in the Box. What a pioneer.
Fried Crocs
This next fact might seem super weird and untrue, however, we are afraid to say that this is all authentic and legit. This is all true, and please, do not try this at home. KFC crocs are an actual thing, and there are even two versions to choose from.
The first is a simple classic croc clog with a KFC touch. The second kind has the bottom part designed with the famous chicken bucket, and the top part has chicken pieces printed all over. If that’s not enough, it even has removable fried drumsticks. Oh yeah, Kim Kardashian has a pair. Why? Because of course she does.
Is It Pizza? Is It Chicken? It’s Both!
In 2019 the rules of fast food changed. KFC and Pizza Hut joined forces and created the most extravaganza pizza the world has ever known. The popcorn chicken pizza was everything you could dream about and combined two favorite chains into one.
Imagine a classic pizza topped with mountains of mozzarella, dotted with crispy chicken popcorn, and sprinkles of sweet corn. This is as good as it gets.
More Than Just Chicken
There is more to KFC than chicken, and we are not referring to cups of sweetcorn or crispy popcorn. We are talking about the chain’s entertainment section. Apparently, the Colonel has a video game to his name, called Colonel Quest. The aim is to collect as many fried drumsticks as possible, and that is not all.
The Colonel also has a comic book. “The Colonel’s Adventure” covered his extreme life and leads to the mysterious discovery of his superpower — making the perfect fried chicken.
The Queen
Jack McCullough founded the first soft-serve ice cream in 1938. McCullough described his new products as “the queen of all dairy products,” which is how the name “Dairy Queen” was born. Their famous Blizzard was invented almost 50 years later and is a best-seller even today.
Now, even though we consider Dairy Queen as ice cream, according to “ice cream rules,” the soft serve is not real ice cream. Real ice cream must consist of at least 10% butterfat, and Dairy Queen has only 5%.
Domino’s Technology
Domino’s Pizza has taken delivery a few steps forward. In fact, miles and miles forward. Their first attempt at deliverer-free pizza was in 2016 in Australia. This first attempt wasn’t successful, and in 2017 the chain gave it another try.
As of today, the automatic robot system does not fully operate, however, this innovative way of delivering pizza might take the world by storm. Remember, if you do one day come across a robot that delivers your takeaway, Domino’s was first.
The Glaze
Some of the best-selling Krispy Kreme donuts worldwide include Chocolate Iced Glazed, Glazed Blueberry Cake, and Oreo Cookies and Kreme. Still, the number one money maker wherever you go is the original Glazed Donut.
Since its early days, customers have been dazzled by the addictive smell of the original glazed donuts. These days the donuts pass under a waterfall of glaze, a process that was invented by the founders in the 1960s. Up until then, each and every donut had to be coated by hand.
One in Four
If you think McDonald’s chicken nuggets come in random shapes, think again. Apparently, the big M is making art out of their crispy bird bites, and there is a story (and reasoning) behind the shape of the famous nugget. The chicken mixture goes through something that resembles a cookie cutter, which ensures the nuggets are all of the same weight and in one of four shapes.
The four nugget shapes are a boot, bell, ball, and bone. The ball is round, the boot and bone look like deformed rectangles, and the bell resembles a diamond. So, next time you order a box of nuggets, see if you can recognize which is which.
KFC Hotel
In August 2021, a pop-up KFC hotel was built in London, UK. Each guest had a “press for chicken” button and could earn themselves free fried chicken worth almost $140 every single night. The pop-up hotel stayed open for 11 nights in honor of the 11 secret herbs used in their recipe.
The guests arrived at the hotel in a black limo called the “Colonelmobile,” and enjoyed themselves at the “hot-winger arcade.” Who were the guests greeted by? The “chick-in” clerk, of course!
Northern Whopper
In 2016, the Finnish Burker King franchise wanted to localize the American chain and make Burger King a bit more Finnish. This was not by adding a touch of the Finnish kitchen but by turning the burger joint into a…sauna. A spa was opened in one of the restaurants in Helsinki, making the locals feel a bit more at home.
The sauna could see up to 15 people and included a shower room and lounge. This was all set just a few meters from the diner, where guests enjoyed their whoppers.
Julia Child of Chinese Cuisine
In 1993, Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming opened P.F. Chang’s, a Chinese-American fast food chain. Their menu and recipes were created by Cecilia Chiang, who is an award-winning chef. Cecilia’s cooking was so authentic and unique, and she was considered the Julia Child of Chinese Cuisine.
Some of P.F. Chang’s dishes were so successful that they branched out of their 300 restaurants. Chang’s spring rolls, for example, can be found in the frozen section at your local supermarket.
I Don’t Want to Rock
Chipotle is one of the nation’s favorite Mexican fast-food chains, and there are a few things you don’t know about it. It was established in 1993 in Denver, Colorado, and brings us much more than burritos. The chain takes music very seriously and invests in it just as much as it invests in its food.
Chipotle has hired DJ Christopher Golub, who created a playlist for the chain. Each restaurant has its own, and it is updated every single month. So, Chipotle is doing wonders with satisfying our stomachs, and they are also doing wonders in satisfying our ears.
She Began Her Career in the Kitchen
Lynsi Snyder is an American businesswoman and billionaire, and she is also the proud owner of the In-N-Out fast food chain. She is Harry Snyder’s granddaughter, who is the founder of the successful hamburger house. She is a very talented hard worker, and you won’t believe how hard she had to work before becoming who he is today.
Following the tragic death of her uncle, who was at the time the owner of the chain, Lynsi decided to take control of the family business. She had to work her way up, and her first position was in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and slicing onions.
Next in Line
Next time you hear about a new Chick-fil-A restaurant opening, don’t just ignore it — mark down the opening date and be sure to be one of the first 100 customers. Why, you ask? Well, for a very good and economical reason.
Chick-fil-A encourages its customers to visit its new restaurants, so they offer free chicken for the first 100 customers who make it to its brand-new doors. Remember, look out for new locations, and get ready to camp out.
Hut in Space
When Pizza Hut says it will deliver anywhere, it means what it said. Back in 2001, more than 20 years ago, a Pizza Hut pizza was delivered to Yuri Usachov, the Russian astronaut, while he was at the space station. This might have brought great publicity to the chain, however, it didn’t come cheap.
It was reported that the Pizza Hut space campaign cost the chain almost $1 million. Now that is a lot of money, considering it wasn’t a solo journey into space, and the pizza had to catch a ride with the Russian Rocket.
Ben’s Noodles
The founders of Ben and Jerry’s went to school together. They met in 7th grade and were both the slowest kids running the tracks. When they opened the first Ben and Jerry’s, they didn’t specialize just in ice cream and had items like soup, bagels, and chicken noodles on their menu.
They initially wanted to focus on bagels but couldn’t afford the equipment that they needed to operate a bagel place. The two had to compromise on ice cream. And good thing that they did.
On the Bone
If you want pizza, you go to Pizza Hut or Domino’s; if you crave a hamburger, McDonald’s or Burger King will do. But where do you go if you fancy a T-Bone steak? You go to Waffle House!
Many customers visit the Waffle House purely for their amazing waffles, however, as it turns out, the sweet house accommodates the largest number of T-Bone eaters in the world and serves one every four minutes. So by the time you finish scrolling down our list, another T-Bone will be delivered.
Go West
Every country has its habits, and every McDonald’s has its…weird dishes. Take the branches in the Philippines, for example. Burgers and fries weren’t enough for the East-Asian country, so local adaptations had to be made.
McDonald’s in the Philippines offers McSpaghetti. The dish consists of one fried drumstick and spaghetti in a minced beef sauce, topped with grated cheese. It’s basically Sbarro and KFC in one. No, thank you.
The Frings
One of the biggest dilemmas in life is choosing between french fries and onion rings. We always want them both but we don’t want to be thought of as pigs. What to do? Look for Burger King’s secret menu. Apparently, there is one.
Look out for a Burger King Branch that sells separate items. You can then order “frings” and enjoy both worlds. We suggest putting this on every menu in every branch in the world. Why make us suffer?
Dunkin’s Secret Menu
Dunkin’ Donuts (as of 2018, known only as Dunkin’) has a whole parallel world that most customers, even the most loyal ones, are unaware of. The loved donut chain has many items that are not listed on any menu. All you have to do is ask one of the members of the staff.
The secret menu includes Nutella Suprise (which is basically their famous Mocha iced coffee with a shot of hazelnut syrup), and there is the almighty Snickers Coffe which is the Nutella Suprise with a swirl of salted caramel. You are welcome.
