Wendy's on Block as Stale Sales Sink Earnings

It's the first change in the fast food chain since 1969

(NEWSER) - Goodbye, Burger King. Hello, Burger Queen. Wendy’s is about to overtake Burger King as the No. 2 fast food chain in US sales, according to a new report from market research firm Technomic. If that doesn’t sound momentous to you, consider that it’s the first time the big three burger chains have switched order since Wendy’s was founded in 1969, the Wall Street Journal points out. What’s more impressive: Wendy’s sales—expected to be $8.42 billion this year—will come from around 5,800 restaurants, compared to roughly 7,200 for Burger King. How far behind will Burger King be? About $53 million. More»

Nate Silver finds the KFC monstrosity is really only average

(NEWSER) - So by now you've heard of—or God help you, sampled—the gluttonous monstrosity known as KFC's Double Down , but how does it stack up in the less-than-healthy world of fast food? Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight runs the numbers, creating an index of fat, cholesterol, and sodium in which the Double Down rates a 1. He finds worse chicken gut-busters:

• Panera Chipotle Chicken: 1.49. It's not even considered true fast food, but it runs about 50% more of "the bad stuff."

From the Arch Deluxe to the Wendy's buffet and beyond

(NEWSER) - Taco Bell is debuting its new shrimp tacos, a decision that seems destined to go down in the annals of fast food failures. But it won’t be alone. Marcus Leshock recalls the 15 biggest fast food product disasters at Chicago Now. Here's a sampling:

• McLobster: For some reason, McDonald’s—at least in select northeastern cities—sees itself as the kind of classy place that should serve lobster, on a bun.
• Burger King table service: BK also tried to make itself classier in the early ‘90s when the chain introduced table service—“you know, like a real restaurant!”
• Wendy’s Superbar: Instead of going for the “fancy” vibe, Wendy’s introduced a buffet—and it had everything from salad to Mexican food to pizza.

Golden arches play catch-up in a country that prefers chicken

(NEWSER) - You can visit Ronald McDonald at 800 restaurants across China, but the Colonel will feed you at a whopping 1,940 KFC locations. So McDonald's is starting the engine on a new campaign to overcome the Chinese cultural bias for poultry over beef: Unable to compete in sheer number of outlets, the company is pioneering drive-throughs. More»

Fast-food packaging, not what's inside, sways kids' tastes

(NEWSER) - Preschoolers judged McDonald’s-branded food superior, even compared to the same products served without the familiar packaging, a study reported in Time concludes. The Pavlovian response to the Golden Arches worries child health experts, who link it to increasing obesity among the young. More»