The Impulsive Buy » McDonald’s

NEWS: Mashed Potato Burger From McDonald’s China Could Be A Knockoff of Another Country’s Burger

Marvo — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:24:34 +0000

There are companies in China that make cheap knockoffs of things like iPads, designer sunglasses, Nike shoes, and BMW automobiles. Copyright laws in China are…well, let’s just say copyright in China is copyallright. At first, I didn’t think the new McDonald’s China Mashed Potato Beef Burger sounded like a knockoff of another country’s burger, but after doing some research, it might just be.

Here in the United States Burger King had a burger topped with mashed potatoes and Burger King Taiwan had a burger called the Mashed Potato Beef Burger. Okay, so perhaps it’s not a knockoff of another country’s burger, but it is a knockoff of another company’s burger.

The McDonald’s China Mashed Potato Beef Burger is made up of two 100 percent beef patties, bacon, lettuce, some kind of sauce, and a layer of mashed potatoes. I’m lovin’ it…and I’m hatin’ it at the same time because we can’t get it here in the United States. If you happen to find yourself in China to buy a cheap iPad knockoff, a Mashed Potato Beef Burger will cost you 19.5 yuan (about three US dollars).

Commercial below:

WEEK IN REVIEWS – 1/21/2012

Marvo — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Here are a few product reviews posted this week from other blogs we follow.

Hmm…Peanut butter jelly in a slimy energy bar form or, with a few more ingredients, a form that’ll make me drunk enough to eat peanut butter jelly in a slimy energy bar form. Decisions. (via Crazy Food Dude and Food Junk)

Turns out the McDonald’s Hot Habanero sauce is as spicy as a Ronald McDonald and Wendy romance. (via An Immovable Feast)

There’s already a Big Cock Energy Drink, so of course someone had to make a Little Pussie Energy Drink. So now that this low bar has been set, I guess we just have to wait for Guarana Gangbang Go-Go Juice. (via Possessed by Caffeine)

Swedish fish…but not what many of you might be thinking of. (via Dave’s Cupboard)

NEWS: McDonald’s Oreo Cookies ‘N Creme Pie Sounds Like Something Worth Smuggling In From Canada

Marvo — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

How come Canada gets first dibs on the new McDonald’s Oreo Cookies ‘N Creme Pie?

The Oreo cookie was invented in the United States in 1912, so shouldn’t the United States also have the opportunity to consume the baked pie with a chocolate Oreo crust and sweet white filling. They say those who smelt it, dealt it. So why is it that those who forged it, can’t gorge on it?

This review of the McDonald’s Cookies ‘N Creme Pie by our friends over at So Good Blog isn’t helping me quell my jealousy.

For now, to satisfy our Oreo-flavored fast food desires, I guess we Americans are just going to have to settle for either a McDonald’s Oreo McFlurry, Burger King Oreo Brownie Sundae, Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard, Carl’s Jr. Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich, Jack in the Box Oreo Milkshake, Wendy’s Oreo Frosty Parfait, Baskin Robbins Oreo Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream cone, or a Sonic Double Stuff Oreo Sonic Blast.

Image via flickr user MPD01605 / CC BY SA 2.0

NEWS: McDonald’s New Hot Habanero Sauce Could Make Your Face As Red As Ronald’s Hair, Nose, and Shoes

Marvo — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:56:18 +0000

According to Justin over at An Immovable Feast…well, actually, according to Justin’s brother, McDonald’s has released a new spicy habanero sauce for you to dip your McNuggets, McBites, Chicken Selects, or if you’re daring, your tongue in.

Update: Click here to read a review

Habanero chili peppers are rated 100,000-350,000 on the Scoville scale, making them more than ten times hotter than a jalapeño pepper and something you might see contestants eat on Fear Factor now that it’s back again.

This isn’t the first time a major fast food chain has tried to incorporate habanero into their menu. Last year, Carl’s Jr. tested a burger with habanero sauce. I’m not sure if McDonald’s is testing the sauce or is planning a nationwide rollout, but Southern California, where these sauces have been found, is one of areas where McDonald’s tests new menu items.

If you’ve tried the new McDonald’s Hot Habanero Sauce, let us know how frightened our mouths should be in the comments below. Also, where you found them.

Update: Pictures of the sauce in the comments below.

Image via flickr user Tom Hilton / CC BY 2.0

REVIEW: McDonald’s Chicken McBites

Stephanie — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:54:27 +0000

Peer pressure is a bitch. When I was fourteen, I had my most memorable bout with peer pressure when my friends and I took turns jumping off a bridge. You heard me right. You know that old-as-dirt, parental warning “If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?”

Well, that bridge is real, dear reader.

And it was quite clear to me at the time that the answer was YES. There was a creek that ran through the town where I grew up, and at certain points throughout there were little footbridges. One particular bridge was about seven feet off the ground, and one day, my pals decided they would try to jump off and land on the level surface just on the edge of the creek. I was hesitant to do it since the ground was pretty muddy, and I was more than a little scared to sully my brand new jeans and awesome TLC CrazySexyCool t-shirt. You can probably see where this is going. I took a flying leap off the edge.

Long story short, the lovely ladies of TLC were soon covered in a slick of grime, dead leaves and any number of biological specimens dredged up from the creek bed. I should’ve heeded T-Boz’s warning to stick to the rivers and the lakes I was used to instead of careening like a howler monkey into certain doom. Now, I would have to go home covered in dreck and confess my bad deeds, so I was up shit creek. Literally. But like I said… peer pressure is a bitch. It can make you do things you really don’t need to do… and most importantly, probably shouldn’t do.

It is now evident that McDonald’s has also fallen victim to the sway of their fast food peers by introducing Chicken McBites. What KFC, Chick-Fil-A, Popeye’s, Sonic, and even Arby’s have already accomplished years ago, McDonald’s now feels it must also do in order to prove it isn’t … (waaaaait for it) Chicken. We all know that McDonald’s is no stranger to fried poultry, and that they are certainly capable of producing their own version of popcorn chicken. It just feels a bit like overkill when you already have McNuggets and Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips. Why would customers want smaller pieces of chicken with less meat in them? It doesn’t make any sense. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The presentation of the Chicken McBites is on point. Chicken McBites arrive hot and fresh in a very cute and well-designed paperboard container with a built-in sauce cup holder that folds back from the lid. The sauce cup holder is very clever and handy, but make sure you don’t ask for honey with your McBites like I did. The holder is not constructed to hold the shallow honey container and appears designed to grip larger dips like Sweet n’ Sour and BBQ Sauce. Order honey, and you’ll be unwittingly setting up a very cute and well-designed honey catapult.

Given that popcorn chicken is high in fat and calories and sodium, all the bad things that go against nature and your better judgment, McDonald’s has decided to offer Chicken McBites in three different sizes, so you can make the “best” worst choice possible. They sell a 4-ounce “Snack” size, a 6-ounce “Regular” size, and a 12-ounce “Shareable” size. The fact that the largest size is called “Shareable Size” is interesting – this must be McDonald’s way of saying “Don’t eat the whole thing by yourself, Fatass.” Each size is sold individually, ranging from $1.99-$4.99.

I ordered the Regular size and quickly discovered that the McBites themselves also varied in size. There were big ones and small ones. There were microscopic McBites (which could barely be called “McBites” in the first place because something that McSmall hardly required McChewing) and gargantuan McBites (that were clearly two McBites stuck together).

Like most popcorn chicken, the McBites were chewy and crispy on the outside with very generous breading. The breading was seasoned with spices that added the tiniest amount of heat. What the spices were, I do not know. The McDonald’s website says that McBites consist of “chicken breast meat” with a “savory home-style breading,” so I guess those spices can be found at home, y’all!

But let’s talk about the meat-to-breading ratio. There were scanty amounts of “breast meat” here, folks. I understand it is popcorn chicken and that popcorn chicken is mostly flour, but this was really just fried, spicy flour with a slight, somewhat chicken-flavored filling. This is what McDonald’s – the #2 Fast Food chain in the world — came up with when faced with the possibility that they’d be excluded from the popcorn chicken game? Coming in second to Subway makes them want to go out and make fried, barely-meaty chicken chunks? They just had to do something, even if that something wasn’t their best effort. Did McDonald’s even have to pretend they cared about popcorn chicken?

Chicken McBites are not yet available everywhere, but they soon will be. They’re not as good as McNuggets or the Premium Chicken Strips, but they do come in several sizes. So they’ve got that going for them. I know McDonald’s will consistently try to impress with new additions to its menu that mirror what their peers have tried before, even if it the food doesn’t turn out the best… Even if their efforts result in disaster. Someone somewhere will look at the yucky, messy results and respect that McDonald’s did it; that they tried.

(Nutrition Facts – Regular size (6 ounces) – 470 calories, 28 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 730 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, 22 grams of protein.)

Other McDonald’s Chicken McBites reviews:
An Immovable Feast
Grub Grade
Fast Food Geek

Item: Chicken McBites
Price: $2.99
Size: Regular size
Purchased at: McDonald’s
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: TLC’s Waterfalls. Fried poultry. Adorable packaging. Nice, affordable prices for all three sizes. Yummy home-style seasoning. Comes with a sauce cup holder.
Cons: Peer pressure. Scanty amount of meat in each McBite. Honey catapults. Creek bed filth. Deigning to care about popcorn chicken.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal

Stephanie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:00:31 +0000

I own this amazing pair of sleek, light-as-a-feather pants that changed my attitude about what pants could be. I knew that I had to buy them when the changing room attendant began to wax poetic about her own pair that was waiting for her at home after a long day at work. These pants had it all: comfort, good taste, and style. I would not be embarrassed to be seen wearing them in public, unlike other “comfortable pants” I happen to own … (I’m looking at you faded high school gym sweatpants). The price was a little steep, but I knew I was making a good investment on these heavenly pants.

I recently discovered that the same could be said for McDonald’s new Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal. Since it’s the latest in a long line of fast food establishment oatmeal initiatives, it’s certainly fashionable, and since it is only available in a few markets right now, it’s something you can brag about to friends (if you’re in the habit of bragging about what you ate… which is pretty ridiculous, so please don’t.)

The Apple Cinnamon Walnut oatmeal also costs more than you’d want to pay for instant oatmeal, but you knew what you were getting into when you pulled your car into a McDonald’s drive-through for breakfast, instead of boiling some water and tearing open a packet of Quaker Instant, so shut your mouth.

The oatmeal itself is pretty hearty. When you receive it, it’s already filled with generous chunks of apples (different types of apples, I may add) and thickened with light cream. In fact, if it weren’t for the delicious cinnamon flavor of the rolled oats and the accompanying packet of chopped walnuts you have to add in yourself, this oatmeal would be almost the same as the Fruit & Maple version, minus the dried cranberries and raisins. Even the McDonald’s where I bought my Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal got confused and handed me the older variety without so much as a blink… I mean, I understand the two oatmeal varieties look sort of the same, but you’d think there would be safeguards in place… Oh, wait, never mind, this is McDonald’s during the breakfast rush, not NASA. If someone’s headed for a burst O-Ring it would probably be the dudes in the headsets who don’t make eighty grand.

The Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal is warm, filling and tasty, but the only thing that keeps it from getting a higher rating from me is the presentation. Seriously, it looks very unappetizing. When they first give it to you, the cream hasn’t really seeped into the oats, so it leaves a thin, cloudy layer of liquid at the top. Not cute. You really have to stir it up a bit to give it a more natural-looking (and non-disgusting) appearance. It’s confusing to the senses.

The oatmeal smells wonderful, and the container is hot and inviting, but it looks like baby food … after the baby has eaten it and spit it back up. As we’ve already seen with the Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, it’s not guaranteed that every McDonald’s location will serve its oatmeal in this horrible fashion. Just be prepared to be a little frightened by the oatmeal straight off, give it a good stir and enjoy. Hopefully in some comfortable and stylish pants.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 bowl – 270 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.)

Other McDonald’s Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal reviews:
Brand Eating
Serious Eats

Item: McDonald’s Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal
Price: $2.19
Size: 1 bowl
Purchased at: McDonald’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Oatmeal initiatives. Generous amount of apple chunks. Delicious cinnamon flavor. NASA. Heavenly pants.
Cons: Can be easily mistaken for the Fruit & Maple version by non-NASA employees. Only available in limited markets. Must mix in the chopped walnuts on your own. Oatmeal’s presentation can be likened to baby vomit.

REVIEW: McDonald’s McFlurry with Reese’s

Marvo — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:15:59 +0000

They say bacon makes most things better, but I believe the same can also be said of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. (See here, here, and here.)

Blending Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups with soft serve ice cream to create the limited time only McDonald’s McFlurry with Reese’s sounds like McMagic.

By the way, McMagic is quicker and cheaper than regular magic, and if you use it too much, you’ll get fat.

To be honest, I thought the McFlurry with Reese’s was on McDonald’s menu all this time, which I guess shows how often I eat a McFlurry. After accidentally Googling McFluffy and then correctly Googling McFlurry, I learned the McFlurry with Reese’s is somewhat similar to the McRib in that it comes back every so often, people have created Facebook pages dedicated to it, and they both don’t have bones.

While I don’t really care for the McRib, I did enjoy the McFlurry with Reese’s.

If you look at the pictures, the McFlurry is topped with what appears to be a generous heaping of crushed Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and that crushed candy gives the dessert a wonderful peanut butter and chocolate flavor. However, even after mixing the McFlurry, the bottom fourth of it had very little candy pieces, and I was left eating what was pretty much just vanilla soft serve.

Also, there’s something else I noticed about the peanut butter cup bits. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have a distinct peanut butter flavor, but I didn’t quite taste it in this fast food dessert. It’s as if the vanilla soft serve ice cream is a flavor vampire.

But, again, I did enjoy the McDonald’s McFlurry with Reese’s. It’s a satisfying dessert and I definitely prefer it over another limited time only McFlurry variety — the Rolo McFlurry. I can taste why people will take the time to set up and manage a Reese’s McFlurry Facebook fan page.

Now, of course, this begs the question, if people love them so much, why doesn’t McDonald’s permanently add the McFlurry with Reese’s to their menu? Because it’s not as if its availability is based on pork prices. There’s a lot of soft serve ice cream and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in the world.

(Nutrition Facts – 12 ounce cup – 610 calories, 220 calories from fat, 25 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 320 milligrams of sodium, 85 grams of carbohydrates, 77 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of protein.)

Other McDonald’s McFlurry with Reese’s reviews
Brand Eating
Would I Buy It Again

Item: McDonald’s McFlurry with Reese’s
Price: $2.99
Size: 12 ounces
Purchased at: McDonald’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Wonderful peanut butter and chocolate flavor. Satisfying dessert. Nice small bits of peanut butter cups. Decent source of fiber. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups make almost everything better. I now know what McFluffys are. No bones.
Cons: Only available for a limited time. Not a permanent menu item. Contains trans fat. Could not really taste the peanut flavor from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Not enough crushed peanut butter cups. Performing too much McMagic.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Sweet Autumn Shake

Jeff — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:33:54 +0000

As I’ve stated before, there are certain flavors that remind us of the seasons. You can’t deny eating red potatoes roasted with sea salt and rosemary doesn’t remind you of the winter. It’s rustic and familiar. Think about the taste of fresh lemonade. Its tart body, quenching and refreshing, brings about memories of hot summer days basked in the scent of fresh cut grass.

Food and memories have a symbiotic relationship. Most of us hold fond recollections of these moments. I am, however, left with one question. Why does McDonald’s hate the fall so much? Why?

If the clown had his way, memories of the autumn would include the flavor of overly sweet and creamy burnt vanilla. I think Ronald was abused as a child. How else to explain his coiffure that just asks for attention? You see, he has returned the favor by antagonizing us with their new Sweet Autumn Milk Shake.

The new M83 album is so good and I would rather talk about that but my job is to tell you my thoughts on this miserable experience. Also, does anyone miss the way McDonald’s shakes were served in their regular cups? I do. I am not a fan of their “McCafe” branding. The dollop of spray-can whip cream with a maraschino cherry plopped on top. I understand it’s supposed to emulate the countertop diner milkshake but there was something charming about slurping a strawberry milkshake in the ordinary cup.

So this limited edition flavor was found at one of the kindest McDonald’s I have come across. My wife has celiac (allergic to glutens) and cannot have the biscuit or hotcakes, and they always offer her an extra sausage patty or hash brown. If she was nice, she would let me eat her biscuit but instead she is a jerk. I was surprised to find the shake in my city but this one being next to a renowned media entertainment college, it makes sense.

The college demographic is more likely to try new things and I believe this particular establishment is frequented by many afflicted with the munchies. It’s a very smart location to test out some new stuff. (Note to those that go here and are reading this, stop consenting to searches by the cops, you do no favors to your criminal defense case in allowing it.)

Anthony Gonzalez really found a good balance of ambient and 80’s homage on M83’s new release…alright, alright…back to the milkshake. This will be the last “nice” thing I can say in this article: This McDonald’s is very sweet to their customers. However, this pales in comparison to how sweet this crappy shake is.

The color of the shake is orange, a bit like their Arctic Orange Milkshake. I thought it would be more of a reddish orange to mirror the autumn leaves but it was a scary bright orange. I saw this as an omen but I promised to consume things for you guys no matter how wary I am.

I understand that it’s called the Sweet Autumn Milkshake but I had no clue this was actually a warning. It was so sugary, my teeth hurt. The shakes come in small, medium or large but you would be advised to drink just the small one unless you want to slip into a type 2 diabetic coma. If you’re like me, you may not drink any more than five slurps.

I assumed the vague “autumn” flavor would be pumpkin pie-ish and I was right but you need to work at it. Picture a pumpkin pie that was baked too high and too long, then topped with cheap vanilla ice cream and maimed further with sugar cubes smashed into its flesh. God, this shake made me want to go to the nearest dog park and toss the concoction at a teacup yorkie, kick the owner in the ghoulies and then defecate at a nearby tree in shame. This was awful.

The taste of vanilla was immediate and as subtle as a chainsaw, a very sweet heavy fake tasting vanilla invaded my tongue. Where was the fresh autumn taste I was promised by the website? I even mixed the shake myself to raise the intensity. I did not taste anything but vanilla and the whipped cream was getting in the way.

Then like a cheap shot or perhaps a “Dear John” e-mail one gets after coming home after work. It was an unwelcome surprise and then the constant nature of suckness which the rapidly expanding universe couldn’t even contain revealed itself. There it was, a faint pumpkin pie flavor that gave way to an intrusive burnt gingerbread aftertaste. The charred smokiness ran everywhere and it was one epic fail of trying to capture the flavor of crust. Another sip only intensified this acrid taste. A third made me want to pull out my teeth Oldboy style.

I am tired of the pumpkin pie flavor and it seems like we are inundated with many variations of a product that scream with it. However McDonald’s really did distinguish themselves by adding that unique burnt flavor that I think no one has been craving. Congratulations Ronald, we feel your pain.

Picture a dinner with your girlfriend’s parents, and just as you’re about to suggest a Chardonnay…your uninvited friend who’s always hammered is at the bar and notices you. He invites himself to the table, stumbling, hi-fiving everyone, telling an embarrassing anecdote or two then drunkenly pulls out his long john silver and pees everywhere including on your face. Yeah, that’s what happened to my taste buds. It went from boredom to disgust.

I applaud McDonald’s trying to give us more than the flavor of custardy pumpkin pie by injecting a touch of baked crust but this was a disaster. You would do much better buying a vanilla milk shake and then adding some pumpkin pie spice. It doesn’t sound appealing but it has to better than this thankfully “limited edition in limited areas” offer.

(Nutrition Facts – 12 ounce shake — 540 calories, 17 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 50 mg of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 87 grams of carbohydrates, 73 grams of sugar, 0 grams of fiber, and 11 grams of protein.)

Item: McDonald’s Sweet Autumn Shake
Price: $1.79
Size: Small/12 ounces
Purchased at: McDonald’s (home of that creep Grimace)
Rating: 3 out of 10
Pros: It’s available only for a limited time. It is sweet as the shake’s name advises. M83’s song “Reunion” is so dreamy, shoegazing is still alive! The whip cream on top is yummy. That it is available in limited areas. Oldboy is an awesome film.
Cons: It’s available at all. It is really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really sweet and then burnt. Golden showers and consenting to a search, in that order. Getting dumped by e-mail. Did I mention that the shake is really sweet? And then a burnt flavor?

WEEK IN REVIEWS – 10/29/2011

Marvo — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Here are a few SCARY product reviews posted this week from other blogs we follow.

BOO! Orange candy coated chocolate pieces in chocolate chip cookies. Oh, that’s SCARY! (via Junk Food Betty)

Even scarier? How about Sugar-Free Pumpkin Peeps that, according to its packaging, “may cause stomach discomfort and/or a mild laxative effect.” Muahahaha! SCARY…FOR YOUR UNDERWEAR! (via Rodzilla Reviews)

When I saw pictures of this scary item it shook me to the bone, which the scary item does not have. It would make Dr. Frankenstein proud. (via Tampa Bay Food Monster)

Want to scare the kiddies this Halloween? Nothing scares the kiddies more than…VEGETABLES! (via Freezer Burns)

This gummy candy is spooky. But not when you first look at them, because you can’t really tell what they are. But if you look closely and let you brain process it, then you’ll figure out what they are, and then they’ll be SPOOKY! (via Candyblog)

Image via flickr user wwarby / CC BY 2.0

NEWS: McDonald’s Offering Sweet Autumn Shake At Limited Locations

Marvo — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 01:38:09 +0000

Update: Click here to read our McDonald’s Sweet Autumn Shake review

Yesterday, Impulsive Buy reader Lisa told us on our Facebook page about McDonald’s new Sweet Autumn Shake. It’s features cinnamon and nutmeg mixed in McDonald’s reduced fat ice cream and topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

After doing a little searching on Google, it appears to be a regional (or test) item, available at select McDonald’s locations ~~in the Midwest and East Coast~~. It’s been available at some of those locations since the beginning of the month.

I do have my doubts that it will be rolled out nationwide because the McDonald’s restaurants here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean have just begun offering the limited time only Arctic Orange Shake.

But I’m not sure I want to try the McDonald’s Sweet Autumn Shake, because Lisa said of it, “Nastiest thing I’ve had in a while.” However, here’s a positive review, so it might not be as bad.

If you’ve had the McDonald’s Sweet Autumn Shake, let us know what you think about it in the comments below.

Image via flickr user Dan Zen / CC BY 2.0

REVIEW: McDonald’s Caramel Apple Sundae and Caramel Apple Parfait

Marvo — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:49:37 +0000

McDonald’s once used fresh apples slices for good, but with their new Caramel Apple Sundae and Caramel Apple Parfait, they’ve now gone over to the dark side of the Force.

I’m sorry. I should warn you that this review might be sprinkled with Star Wars references because I have both trilogies in my head thanks to Spike TV, who showed Episodes 1-6 multiple times over the Labor Day weekend. This is not the first time I got caught up in watching all the Star Wars movies on Spike.

Much like Bothans losing many lives to provide the Rebel Alliance with information about the second Death Star, I have lost many three-day weekends watching all the movies multiple times since 2008, when Spike TV started broadcasting all the films. Although, to be honest, it’s not a complete waste, if you count the custom permanent butt mold in my couch that was made with all the sitting I did.

With all the Star Wars in my head right now, my dreams are a little weird. Do you know what it’s like having Jar Jar Binks popup in your dreams? It’s like having a car alarm go off in your head. Not even imagining gold bikini Princess Leia can help overcome that.

Wait. What was I talking about before? McDonald’s Chewbacca Anakin Solo? McDonald’s Calrissian Antilles Padmé?

Oh, that right. McDonald’s Caramel Apple Sundae and Caramel Apple Parfait.

Both desserts use the apples found in the much more wholesome Fruit & Walnut Salad and Fruit & Maple Oatmeal. The apples in both desserts are smothered with a generous serving of gooey caramel, making the apples look like they’re floating in a Dagobah swamp. While the apples will keep the doctor away, the caramel might not keep the dentist away. The sundae version also includes McDonald’s reduced fat soft serve ice cream, while the parfait has low fat vanilla yogurt.

The caramel is the Order 66 that turns the apples from wholesome to evil. And when I say evil, I mean really good.

Both desserts had a delicious caramel apple flavor. Although I could taste the apples more with the parfait. The crunchy apples were cut into small enough pieces that it easily allowed me to mix everything with the included spoon and, thanks to the added calcium ascorbate (calcium and vitamin C), the apples looked as golden and fresh as a recently cleaned C-3PO. As I mentioned earlier, there’s a lot of caramel, but there’s also enough apple chunks to ensure you get a little bit of everything in each spoonful.

Now, the thing is the caramel is the dominant flavor in both the sundae and parfait. It’s dominant enough that it negates the flavors of the soft serve ice cream and vanilla yogurt. Basically, the Caramel Apple Sundae and Caramel Apple Parfait pretty much taste the same. So deciding which one to choose really depends on how much you’re willing to spend or how many calories you’re willing to take in. Although, the Caramel Apple Sundae’s serving size looks smaller than McDonald’s regular sundaes, so you should also take that into consideration.

However, whichever one you choose, you can’t go wrong. The McDonald’s Caramel Apple Sundae and Caramel Apple Parfait are both really good desserts.

May the Force be with you.

(Nutrition Facts – Caramel Apple Sundae – 330 calories, 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 55 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 35 grams of sugar, 7 grams of protein, 8% vitamin A, 130% vitamin C, and 20% calcium. Caramel Apple Parfait – 180 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 24 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein, 130% vitamin C, and 20% calcium.)

Thanks to Impulsive Buy reader Lane for letting me know about these.

Other McDonald’s Caramel Apple Sundae and Caramel Apple Parfait reviews:
On Second Scoop
Brand Eating

Items: McDonald’s Caramel Apple Sundae and Caramel Apple Parfait
Price: $2.29 (Caramel Apple Sundae)
Price: $1.99 (Caramel Apple Parfait)
Size: N/A
Purchased at: McDonald’s
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Caramel Apple Sundae)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Caramel Apple Parfait)
Pros: Tastes like caramel apples. Lots of caramel and apple chunks. Small apple pieces made it easy to mix. Star Wars. Custom couch butt molds. Gold bikini Princess Leia. The Force.
Cons: More expensive than regular sundaes and parfait. Sundae and parfait pretty much taste the same. The Caramel Apple Sundae’s serving size looks smaller than regular sundaes. Wasting a three-day weekend watching nothing but Star Wars movies multiple times. The dark side of the Force.

WEEK IN REVIEWS – 8/20/2011

Marvo — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Here are a few product reviews posted this week from other blogs we follow.

I’m no beer drinker. I’ll stick with adult beverages that have either umbrellas or straws in them. But this Newcastle Brown Ale Ice Cream sounds good. It definitely sounds much better than Old Milwaukee Light Ice Cream. (via Foodstuff Finds)

Frito-Lay combines cheesy and spicy for the billionth time. Okay, I’ll admit, billionth time is a complete exaggeration. It’s more like the millionth time. (via Food Junk)

Do kids in Japan giggle whenever they see the words “Crunky Ball Nude“? Because If I were to say those words to a typical sixth grader here in the US, I would make them giggle. Then they would tell their parents about what I said to them and soon after I would find myself being taken into police custody. (via Japanese Snack Reviews)

I can’t believe this is a favourite in Canada. It’s flavour doesn’t sound very good and it’s colour doesn’t look very good. But I kinda still want to eat it. (via Tasty Lies)

Wendy’s adds more cheese to a cheeseburger. I look forward to the day when they add more frost to their Frosty. (via We Rate Stuff)

Image via flickr user Sean Davis / CC BY ND 2.0

WEEK IN REVIEWS – 8/13/2011

Marvo — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Here are a few product reviews posted this week from other blogs we follow.

Hand-crafted lemonade sounds nice, but I’d like someone to come out with lemonade that’s crafted by sitting on lemons. Butt-crafted, if you will. (via I Ate A Pie)

Great. Now I’m going to have nightmares about these creepy looking candies. (via Gobble Monkey)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there are three Jack in the Box restaurants within two miles of each other on the same street. I will gladly destroy one of them with my bare hands so that In-N-Out can build a location here and I can enjoy this on a regular basis. (via Rodzilla Reviews)

McDonald’s has a S’mores Pie? Awesome. Now I have something to dip into my McDonald’s Hot Fudge Sundae. (via Foodette Reviews)

It’s Nutter Butter Blizzard Review Week on the internets. I wonder if next week is Exercise To Burn Off Nutter Butter Blizzard Week. (via Would I Buy It Again and Grub Grade)

Image via flickr user CoCreatr / CC BY SA 2.0

NEWS: McDonald’s Testing Zesty BBQ Cruncher, Gives You The Option Of Which Farm Animal To Eat

Marvo — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 01:18:45 +0000

Earlier this month, we mentioned McDonald’s was testing their English Pub Burger, but it appears McDonald’s R&D has been hard at work developing more burgers with their Angus Third Pounder patty. The latest to come from their test kitchen and into an extremely limited number of McDonald’s locations is their Zesty BBQ Cruncher.

What’s most interesting about this sandwich is the fact that it’s available with either an Angus Third Pounder patty or a chicken patty (crispy or grilled). It also comes with peppered bacon, barbecue sauce, Pepper Jack cheese, and crispy onion strings in between an artisan roll.

The crispy onion strings are a nice addition, but they also make me wish McDonald’s offered onion rings. Instead, I have to settle for Burger King’s poor excuse for onion rings.

If you happen to try the McDonald’s Zesty BBQ Cruncher, let us know how it was in the comments.

Source: Burger Business

Image via flickr user Vacacion / CC BY 2.0

NEWS: McDonald’s Testing English Pub Burger, But Pickled Eggs Not Included

Marvo — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:22:56 +0000

McDonald’s is testing another variation of their Angus Third Pounder and they’re calling it the English Pub Burger.

I was surprised by this burger because I didn’t know English pubs were known for their burgers. I thought they were known for fish and chips, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pies, pickled eggs, and ploughman’s lunches.

The English Pub Burger is made up of a 1/3 pound Angus beef patty, hickory-smoked bacon, white Cheddar cheese, American cheese, grilled onions, steak sauce, and Dijon mustard in between an artisan roll. Grub Grade reader James from Illinois tried the burger and was impressed.

Right now, they appear to only be available at select locations in Illinois and there’s no word about a Snack Wrap version. I hope it makes it to all McDonald’s restaurants because it sounds damn tasty. However, you know what would go great with a McDonald’s English Pub Burger? A McDonald’s Shamrock Guinness Milkshake. I hope they start testing that soon.

Sources: Burger Business and Grub Grade

Image via flickr user chacrebleu / CC BY SA 2.0