Creepy Drive-Thrus And A 2024 Forecast: The Top Food News Of The Week

This week, the McDonald's McRib was slandered by beloved chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern, and an Ohio fast food chain caused a stir by using a celebrity clone as the voice of its AI drive-thru ordering assistant. Oh, and there was plenty of discussion of stinky cheese, too. Read on to find all the top stories from the week of December 11, 2023.

It's no secret that artificial intelligence is shaping the world of fast food. We've seen how the industry is using AI to minimize human interaction, with multiple chains testing AI drive-thru ordering. Now, that system is about to get creepier, thanks to the magic of voice cloning. – Dennis Lee Read More

The year 2023 has been a busy one in the culinary world, and time has flown by in a flurry of chicken sandwiches—but now it's time to look ahead. Let's walk through what the new year might bring to our plates, because 2024 is shaping up to be quite delicious. – Dennis Lee Read More

For every success in the fast food world, there's a path littered with failure, and no brand was spared some amount of embarrassment this year as fans responded to various menu items with disappointment. Here were the biggest fast food failures of 2023. – The Takeout Read More

We've heard about the flops, now let's celebrate the shining beacons of hope that landed on fast food menus in 2023. These were the 15 most delicious limited-time offers we sank our teeth into this year. – The Takeout Read More

The 24th edition of McCormick's annual Flavor Forecast, in which the seasoning company predicts next year's biggest flavor, has arrived. Last year's edition predicted that in 2023 we would collectively embrace full-fat cooking, French cuisine, and spicy food. However, 2024's forecast is broader, and the number-one flavor chosen by the brand this year is tamarind—an international ingredient that people across the world use to add tart sweetness to their dishes. – Dennis Lee Read More

No matter what you think about the McDonald's McRib, it's undeniably unique in the fast food landscape. Still, it's divisive. Celebrity chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern just gave the McRib a shot for the very first time, and let's just say he's got some firm opinions about the sandwich. – Dennis Lee Read More

Last week, social media personality Alix Earle, she of pork roll bagel fame, released a 14-second TikTok that turned some heads. It also made people wonder: Is it okay to eat soup this way? – Lauren Harkawik Read More

As we look back on a year filled with some stunning limited-time menu items, it makes sense that a lot of those meals found their way into our delivery orders as well. Grubhub has released its annual Delivered Results report for 2023, featuring data on national takeout trends and our ordering habits from across the year—much of which surprised us. – Angela L. Pagán Read More

Ah, Watergate salad, also known affectionately around our stomping grounds as Green Stuff. It's that funny side salad made of pistachio-flavored pudding, canned pineapple, marshmallows, and whipped topping (not whipped cream—usually Cool Whip). But as TikTok has taught us, not everyone knows about it, and some people are horrified to learn of its existence. – Dennis Lee Read More

The pungent odor of a well-aged cheese is one sought after by cheese experts everywhere. You can't be a true cheesemonger without appreciating a good stink. But what makes one cheese the stinkiest of them all? – Angela L. Pagán Read More