WEEKLY MENU 11.13.22
Can you even GUESS what holiday we’re observing during the Weekly Menu 11.13.22?
Interestingly, the November “holiday” that hits during the Weekly Menu 11.13.22 is National Fast Food Day. As if the fast food chains don’t buy enough attention already!
McDonald’s isn’t actually the favorite fast food around here. I think that distinction goes to Taco Bell for the boys (is there anything better than ten tacos at midnight?) and to Arby’s for Bert and I. We were all alone in the house a couple weekends ago and were delighted that we could run out and get a few Arby’s sammies for the two of us. Then we wondered if adoring Arby’s is dating us. If we were younger and hipper, we probably wouldn’t have to fight the blue-hairs to get to the counter first. Just saying.
What’s the Nationwide fast food favorite?
For all of America, unlike our household, it is McDonald’s.
Here’s a closer look at the numbers, based on systemwide sales:
| Rank | Company | Systemwide Sales (2021) | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | McDonald’s | $46.0 billion | Burger |
| #2 | Starbucks | $24.3 billion | Snack |
| #3 | Chick-fil-A | $16.7 billion | Chicken |
| #4 | Taco Bell | $12.6 billion | Global |
| #5 | Wendy’s | $11.1 billion | Burger |
| #6 | Dunkin’ | $10.4 billion | Snack |
| #7 | Burger King | $10.0 billion | Burger |
| #8 | Subway | $9.4 billion | Sandwich |
| #9 | Domino’s | $8.6 billion | Pizza |
| #10 | Chipotle | $7.5 billion | Global |
Holy moly, that’s a lot of fast food. In 2022, it’s estimated that there will be sales of $331 Billion – that’s with a B. We don’t actually eat a ton of fast food around here, despite indications to the contrary. When the boysies were little we ate a bit more, but that’s really decreased over the years.
Baby Boy and I developed a little bit of a taste for Quarter Pounders during the pandemic (there’s an understatement), but overall I’m more likely to hit up the Golden Arches for breakfast. (An Egg McMuffin, Hash Browns and a Diet Coke is the breakfast of champions. Or at least this champion.)
McDonald’s is a kid favorite because of the Happy Meal.
There’s no scientific data to back this up, of course, but, come on. Those things are tempting now and I’m nearing 60 years old. I love a little kit, and when you throw in some tasty food, some fries and some tchotchke item, I. Am. There. And McDonald’s never disappoints. (Affiliate links follow – see Disclaimer Page for details.)
You don’t actually have to go to Mickey D’s for the toys anymore. They are purchasable everywhere. Check out how stinking cute these chicken nugs are:
And the first non-creepy Ronald McDonald I’ve ever seen:
It’s big business all around, apparently, not just at the restaurant itself.
Plus, everyone is trying to figure out how best to make the iconic menu items at home. I’ve looked at a ton of recipes that purport to make fries that taste just like McDonald’s. You can brine them in salt or salt and sugar. You can coat them in corn starch. How about a double fry in two different kinds of oil? Yeah. No.
How about if I’m really jonesing for McDonald’s fries I take a stop in and buy some. We are making an at-home version of the Big Mac this week in homage to the fast food giant, but I’m going with a bag of frozen shoestring fries as an accompaniment.
What else is for eats on the Weekly Menu 11.13.22?
We’re starting the week out with kind of a different meal, because Bert and I won’t be able to get to the grocery store on Sunday. I planned dinner around what I have in house. We always have sausage in the freezer, and the soup looks like a comfort food winner (although it’s a new to us recipe). I might just fry up the sausage and serve the beans as a side, though. That’ll be a game time decision.
If you’ve never tried my Sweet & Spicy Popcorn, you should really give it a shot. It’s the perfect thing to have a big bowl of while watching some football. I’m betting you have all the ingredients in your pantry too. Don’t forget the napkins!
Wednesday (November 15th) is National Fast Food Day, so we’re having the homemade Big Mac’s for dinner. We’ve never tried this recipe before, but it looks pretty legit. I saw one recipe that called for one pound of ground beef to make 4 Big Macs. What in the actual hell? Sure, that probably meets the nutrition guidelines but it wouldn’t fly around here.
Somehow we’ve accumulated multiple packs of Naan bread in the freezer, so we’ve got Naan Pizza on the menu too. They’re super easy and cook fast because the bread part is ready to go. Perfect for dinner any night, the longest part of these is waiting for the oven to heat.
WEEKLY MENU 11.13.22
