To many of us who grew up with Pizza Hut, driving past one of the abandoned red-roof buildings is a depressing sight that brings on a wave of nostalgic sadness. Online commentary tends to point to those empty suburban relics as proof of a corporate funeral. According to a virtual avalanche of online content, we … Read more
In fast food opinion polling, Wendy’s frequently ranks near the top of the burger hierarchy. Diners often praise the burger, fries, and the quality of the chicken over the other national burger chains. To anyone looking purely at sentiment data, Wendy’s looks like a beloved national staple. So how does a chain with such a … Read more
Since the late 1970s, Betty Crocker has been printing the words “Pudding in the Mix” on some of its cake mix boxes. The marketing suggests that in the dry ingredients package is a secret payload of prepared pudding or even a dedicated packet of pudding mix that will make your cake super moist. But, of … Read more
As anyone old enough to remember the 1990s about the era’s biggest commercial disasters, and Zima will almost certainly make the list. A favorite butt of pop-culture jokes, retrospectives treat the citrusy malt drink as a goofy corporate misfire alongside Crystal Pepsi, New Coke, and the Arch Deluxe. Late-night television turned ordering a Zima into … Read more
If you grew up in North America, the name “Hungry Jack” conjures images of pancake mix, bottles of syrup, and canned refrigerator biscuits with the Pillsbury doughboy smiling from the label. It has nothing to do with a flame-broiled Whopper. Things are a bit different in Australia. There, in Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth, there are … Read more
For generations across the American South, a familiar linguistic exchange played out in convenience stores, service stations, and living rooms, and in many places, it still does. It went something like: “You want a Coke?” “Sure.” “What kind do you want?” “Dr Pepper.” To ordinary consumers, carbonated soft drinks were never rigid beverage categories. Nobody … Read more