Jack in the Box Boasts Most Toxic 'Value' Burger

But those salads still aren't good for you, says blogger

(NEWSER) - Burger King overhauled its menu this week and is selling smoothies, wraps, and new salads as part of a push to woo women and families. The makeover comes after Burger King dropped to third place in the fast-food rivalry last year, trailing McDonald's and—for the first time ever—Wendy's, reports the Wall Street Journal . "I think all of the players are looking at ways they can compete more effectively with McDonald's," says an analyst. More»

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.

Fast-food places have plenty of little-known options

(NEWSER) - In-N-Out Burger’s “secret menu” (veggie burgers, etc.) has gotten way too famous to really be considered a secret anymore—but Coupon Sherpa rounds up little-known items at other fast-food joints:

• Chili’s: Though it’s not on the menu anymore, you can in fact still order the restaurant’s namesake dish.
• Long John Silvers: Ask for a side of crumbs and you’ll get—for free—a box of fried batter parts that fell off the fish or chicken.

Virtually any fast-food joint is choosier about what your kid eats

(NEWSER) - The millions of pounds of beef and chicken doled out by the National School Lunch program every year wouldn’t pass muster at KFC or McDonald's. Though the meat the USDA buys and then supplies to schools beats the bare minimums imposed on grocery store meat, it doesn’t live up to the far stricter criteria of most fast food joints, USA Today reports, despite a 2000 Department of Agriculture mandate to adopt “the highest standards” for school meat. More»

Same products contain less salt in Europe, Australia

(NEWSER) - If you're craving some Chicken McNuggets, you're better off getting them in Europe than on this side of the pond. With 1.6 grams of salt per 100 grams of nugget, the American version is packed with more than twice the salt of British McNuggets, which contain 0.6 grams of salt, a study finds. Australian, Kiwi, and French McNuggets all have far less salt than American and Canadian ones, though the UK has the least—perhaps thanks to voluntary limits in the country, NPR reports. More»