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March 20, 2018

Top 10 creepiest food mascots of all time

If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a galaxy to erase the childhood memories of creepy burger-slinging clowns and sketchy chip-peddling cheetahs. Anyone with a television set over the past 50 years has fond, and somewhat disturbing, memories of mascots gone-by. Well, in an effort to erase years of therapy, we’ve revived what we consider to be the creepiest mascots of all time. Without further ado, here’s our list of the top 10 mascots who seriously weird us out.

March 20, 2018

6 cheesiest meals in America

Americans eat some 31 pounds of cheese each year. While much of it goes on top of pizza, here are some dishes you’ll need a specially-designed cheese ladle to get through --in our homage to fromage. 

March 20, 2018

Top 10 burger restaurants in the US

We've seen Gordon Ramsay flip out, but can he flip a burger? The star of Hell's Kitchen is from Scotland, but his new Las Vegas burger joint does justice to the American standard hot sandwich. Whether you like your hamburger highbrow --- think foie gras and truffle toppings --- or simply served with ketchup and a side of fries, you’ll find both approaches to the patty on our list of the top 10 burger restaurants in the United States.

March 20, 2018

World’s strangest McDonald's commercials

While we're not positive that McDonald's is the first place you should visit when traveling internationally, if you did, you'd see some variations on the familiar burger and fries routine, reflecting a location's culinary traditions. Some offerings don't sound half bad, like Nicaragua's Mango Pie — their variation of our apple pie — and the Paneer Wrap in India, but among the more unusual offerings are Russia's McShrimps, Japan's Bacon Potato Pie, Turkey's McTurco with lamb meat, China's Chicken McMuffin, and Hong Kong's Rice Fantastic, a burger between two rice patties. And just as the menus vary around the world, so do McDonald's television commercials. McDonald's commercials in the United States have long been associated with energetic people enthusiastically crowding into a booth, happily devouring their paper-covered Big Mac. The tone is upbeat, the kids are wholesome, and everyone is thrilled to be under the bright McDonald's lights. We've been treated to jingles ranging from "We do it all for you" to "I'm lovin' it" over the years; we've even been assured that we deserve a break today. Even for those who don’t eat there, McDonald's advertising has made its way into our subconscious. The fast-food giant has trotted out beloved characters, most notably their red-haired mascot Ronald McDonald, for kids to grow attached to and further promote their family-oriented advertising. Sure, many of us think clowns are really creepy, but... well, wait — in McDonald's first TV spot, circa 1963, featuring Ronald, he really is creepy. He doesn't look much like the Ronald we've come to know, but has a more patched-together scarecrow look, with hay-like hair, a paper cup for a nose, and a large tray on his head. (The role was originated by Willard Scott, long before he became the TODAY Show's weather man.) Ronald has had many makeovers since those days, but has long since settled on the basic uniform of a yellow jumpsuit and red-striped socks. This character set the tone for the family-focused ads that we've become familiar with over the years. However, there is a whole other world of McDonald's advertising, several worlds in fact. Although McDonald's started in the United States in the 1940s and has been a fast-food standby ever since, it now has restaurants in 119 countries. And all those folks in all those countries need to be advertised to! Surprisingly, McDonald's doesn't always stick with the happy-go-lucky, cramming-food-into-your-mouth advertising we're accustomed to in the U.S. While some of the ads employ humor, certainly, and many do evoke an upbeat mood, it seems that other countries are not afraid to go off-theme and try different methods of getting a viewer's attention. A little darker, a little sexier, a little more offbeat — these commercials are not quite what you may expect.

March 20, 2018

Five novelty burgers worth trying

Chains seem to be upping the ante when it comes to the size of and ingredients in their specialty burgers. Whether you are in the mood for nine layers of beer and cheese or a combination of Swiss and avocado, here are five flavorful burgers to try.  

March 20, 2018

The world's top 10 coolest McDonald's

These days it seems like you can’t go anywhere in the world without being greeted by those familiar Golden Arches. Most McDonald's are comfortingly identical: red and yellow color scheme, beige floors, plastic tables, cardboard cutouts of Ronald McDonald, and ball pits for the kids. Around the world, though, there are some pretty innovative examples of how creative franchise owners blend into (or stand out from) their surroundings. 

March 20, 2018

10 biggest fast food failures

From hot dog-stuffed pizza to bacon sundaes, the fast food industry is plying consumers with wackier food items by the day. But here are a few products and services that didn't pass the national taste test. 

March 20, 2018

McDonald’s customer turns violent after receiving wrong breakfast order

Police in Glendale, Wisc., are currently seeking the public’s help in identifying an irate McDonald’s customer who assaulted a teenage employee after receiving the wrong breakfast order.

March 19, 2018

Massachusetts Burger King removes sign about overdosing after complaints

This location has had nine drug overdoses in a year.

March 19, 2018

Sonic debuting pickle-based frozen drink; early taste-tester calls it 'surprisingly delicious'

Pickle juice is having a bit of a moment at Sonic.