Have you seen Taco Bell’s new Loaded Grillers?
And, have you noticed the reemergence of the Chicken Fries on Burger King’s menu? How about Arby’s Sliders?
These snack-sized menu additions are there for a reason.
People are changing the way they eat – and they’re moving away from super-sizes – especially when it comes to fatty, fast foods.
Convenience is, and always will be, a reason for hitting the drive-thru when hunger strikes. But, it’s not all about how fast you can get it. We’re tired of pigging out when all we need is a few more bites to keep us going. And more fast food establishments are adding bite-sized options to their menus in an effort to hold their customer base. You’ll find mini items at Sonic and Starbucks too.
These smaller bites are set to entice two groups of people – those that actually want a snack (or don’t want to eat too much) and people that wish to save a couple of bucks when they do splurge at fast food establishments.
From a contemporary diet perspective; this can only be a good move. More diet plans than ever before suggest it’s important to eat several smaller meals in a day than to indulge at two or three main sittings. There’s plenty of research to back this move. It’s not just keeping the metabolism moving either; people tend to make smarter eating choices when they’re not experiencing intense feelings of hunger.
Of course, most fast-food chains aren’t adding lettuce and green pepper sandwiches to their menus. Instead, it’s slightly smaller fried chicken breasts and baby burritos.
Unfortunately, most fast-food chains aren’t combining this trend with their ever-hotter menu items. With good reason; the fierier their offerings, the more likely people will be to skip the second (or third) item. It’s the capsaicin in super hot chili peppers and sauces that will switch off the cravings and make you feel satiated long before you’ve had your usual, super-sized portion of fast food.
Taco Bell happens to be the one chain that’s making a consolidated move with their extreme grillers. Not only are these snack-sized items incredibly reasonably priced, but they’re also filled with fire. Customers can choose mild (Chipotle), medium (Habanero), and hot (Ghost Pepper) flavors. (It reminds us of the days before they launched their Fire sauce – and we can only hope to see a Carolina Reaper variety of these grillers.)
Whatever you may think of Taco Bell, it’s likely the success of these items will induce other fast-food chains to combine their hottest offerings with their new mini-sizes. And, we can’t wait for that to happen. Until it does, don’t you think you should carry a small bottle of Mad Dog 357 Hot Sauce with you? It might just have you making better food decisions now (without all that deep-fried madness).