Could you name the one fast food chain Reddit was most obsessed with in 2023? Do you know about the Applebee’s discount that was good enough to break the Applebee’s website? After you read this roundup, the answer to both questions will be “Yes, absolutely.” Read on to learn about the top food stories of the week.
In the past few weeks, there have been a growing number of social media posts on TikTok, YouTube, and Threads that all feature a simple but apparently satisfying new Disneyland treat: fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. — Micheline Maynard
New Orleans is in the midst of celebrating carnival season, which culminates next Tuesday on Mardi Gras Days. But the Great Crawfish Crisis of 2024 looms over the city and Louisiana, where the mudbugs are on menus from late winter through summer. — Micheline Maynard
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest food celebrations of the year, one whose festivities involve sitting in front of the TV and eating just about everything for hours on end. So it’s no wonder that millions of people prepare for these gatherings by Googling the best party recipes. — Dennis Lee
The Chicago-style hot dog, topped with tomatoes, pickles, onions, sport peppers, celery salt, and relish, is always subjected to the same insult: It’s a salad on top of a hot dog. To many folks, a hot dog is best when it’s simple: beef tube, condiment, bun, maybe some onions. Too many vegetables tend to turn people off. Unless, of course, the vegetables are the point. — Danny Palumbo
For people who love Polish doughnuts, pączki (pronounced poonch-key) season starts earlier and earlier each year. Though traditionally a treat for Fat Tuesday, bakeries across the Detroit area and places with Eastern European populations begin selling pączki weeks in advance, while others are taking orders to be picked up on the day before Ash Wednesday. And this year’s pączki are fancier than ever. — Micheline Maynard
It’s hard to overstate how enormous Domino’s is. It’s the largest pizza chain on the planet with about 20,000 stores worldwide. In 2022, its global retail sales reached $17.5 billion. Love it or hate it, Domino’s provides a consistent product that’s easy to order and track. And the restaurant has wisely expanded its menu to include wings, sandwiches, dips, desserts, salads, and even pasta. Let’s see which ones taste best. — Danny Palumbo
ALDI has a large fan base because of its low prices and often unique rotation of items on its shelves. What the grocery chain is not often praised for is its high-tech shopping experience, but that could change soon. Grocery Dive reports that ALDI has been testing a fully automated checkout system at one of its U.S. stores. — Angela L. Pagán
The Applebee’s promotion that was gone in 60 seconds is coming back, but this time around the chain has learned a valuable lesson: Do not piss off your fans. According to an email announcement, Applebee’s Date Night Pass will once again be available for purchase until February 9. — Angela L. Pagán
People love talking about fast food on social media. Getting hyped for limited-time releases is one thing, but the discourse about fast food chains isn’t always positive. Restaurant Business reports that the one chain that Reddit couldn’t stop talking about in 2023 was Taco Bell—and much of the conversation was centered around one thing: its prices. — Dennis Lee