Something new from the Colonel

Here's something new that the folks at KFC are thinking about springing on an unsuspecting public:
http://dailyviews.runnersworld.com/2009 ... that-.html

Just looking at it kinda chokes me up, at least my arteries.

I dunno, it reminds me of the chicken cordon bleu that Market Day sells- you know, those not-occuring-in-nature chicken loaves, stuffed with cheese and ham? (and the kiev version, full of butter that gushes out when you cut them.)

I mean, don't get me wrong, it looks disgusting, but it's far less shocking to me than a hamburger served on krispy kremes, and even less disgusting than those weird bowls they were selling a few years back, with corn and mashed potatoes and cheese.

Good thing they got rid of the "fried" in their name so it wouldn't clash with these new healthier alternatives they're offering

Hilarious. Love the type of comments you find at Runner's World. I have to admit, I would eat it. I wouldn't buy it, but I would eat it. Or at least try.

Apparently it's coming April 12

http://www.kfc.com/doubledown/

Hi- It also comes in a grilled version, which only has 460 calories, 23 grams fat, and 1430 mg of sodium! I have not been to a KFC since 1985, when one of my sister's moved out to Seattle, and I rode with her. We stopped at this KFC in Austin, Minnesota, and we split a five piece box, and we could not finish it all. It was the greasiest chicken I have ever had, and I had no desire to go back there again.

When I heard about the grilled chicken, I was tempted to visit KFC again, but now this double down totally turns me off from them. Hope this helps, Nancy

turkob wrote:Apparently it's coming April 12

http://www.kfc.com/doubledown/

I guess I'll have to take one for the team...

I wonder if they'll have another coupon fiasco attached with it.

Sam Sifton on "The Double Down":

...a slimy and unnaturally moist thing, with flavor ginned up in a lab. It is, in all, a disgusting meal, a must-to-avoid.

Best,
Michael

NFriday wrote: When I heard about the grilled chicken, I was tempted to visit KFC again, but now this double down totally turns me off from them. Hope this helps, Nancy

I had the team on the regular grilled chicken, N - don't bother. While it's baked chicken at least (so they aren't deep-frying without breading it as I suggessted they might) it is painfully greasy - almost more so than the fried stuff. It is also incredibly gummy, in the manner of baked chicken that's been sitting in a steam table. I've never liked the "11 herbs and spices" and their flavor is much more pronounced in the grilled chicken. All kinds of reasons to avoid it, and I'm just not buying the corporations's assertion that it has only slightly more than half the fat of original recipe.

I wonder how long until we read about a chef (or blogging home cook) somewhere putting together a tastier version of the "Double Down", using fresh/higher-quality ingredients, just to see if the concept has the potential to taste good.

Francis Lam on the Double Down in Salon.

Khaopaat wrote:I wonder how long until we read about a chef (or blogging home cook) somewhere putting together a tastier version of the "Double Down", using fresh/higher-quality ingredients, just to see if the concept has the potential to taste good.

It's been done.

Mhays wrote:

Khaopaat wrote:I wonder how long until we read about a chef (or blogging home cook) somewhere putting together a tastier version of the "Double Down", using fresh/higher-quality ingredients, just to see if the concept has the potential to taste good.

It's been done.

Vegan version, too

Double down is peanuts compared to some other stuff. I'm guessing whoever wrote this article has never seen an episode of Man Vs Food

On a similar note, Nate Silver does his Nate Silver thing with the Double Down.

So, is the Double Down the most gluttonous fast food sandwich ever created? It depends on how you measure it. At the margins, consuming one Double Down almost certainly isn't as bad for you as a Triple Baconator, a Thickburger, or even a fully-loaded Chipotle burrito. But while those products should, in theory, fill you up for at least half the day, the Double Down might leave you hankering for seconds. It's a high bar to clear, but it's the closest thing to pure junk food of any "sandwich" being marketed today.

Fascinating! I like the DD and the DDPC as measuring tools for the comparative awfulness of fast food.

Cogito wrote:Here's something new that the folks at KFC are thinking about springing on an unsuspecting public:
.

Egads, it is kind of hard to say that they are "springing something on the unsuspecting public" when they advertise clearly what they are offering on billboards, TV and radio ads.

Now whether you want it or not, that is a different issue.

MincyBits wrote:Fascinating! I like the DD and the DDPC as measuring tools for the comparative awfulness of fast food.

A total ripoff of The Economist's Big Mac Index (their way of looking at purchasing power parity).

-Dan

Today's NYT "Idea of the Day" highlights a valid point about our opinions about fast food:

Double-Down Hypocrisy

Best,
Michael

When a fast-food chain comes out with a bacon-and-glop sandwich with fried-chicken patties as buns, we’re outraged. But when a mom-and-pop diner does the same thing or worse, we say, "What a quaint slice of Americana."

Certainly worth a thought.

While there may be some justice to that comment, on the whole this is one form of media (the NYT) looking in the mirror and seeing another (stunt food shows). I think if you look at sites like Road Food, or the relevant parts of this one, or wherever, the slices of Americana we treasure are more likely to be someone who makes pie or fried shrimp or a Runzi really well-- not the one who makes a 20-lb. po'boy or something.

And even if a place makes a gutbuster food, it's probably a more natural and authentic gutbuster than one cooked up in the labs of KFC or Hardee's or whoever.

I have a hard time getting worked up about the KFC Double Down. Just seems like a variation on chicken cordon bleu to me.

Mike G wrote:And even if a place makes a gutbuster food, it's probably a more natural and authentic gutbuster than one cooked up in the labs of KFC or Hardee's or whoever.

Right - and the thing that grosses me out the most about this item is KFC's mass-media marketing campaign trying to legitimize it as everyman's food. Even if most of the foods featured in shows like "Man Vs Food" are publicity stunts, I don't think they're trying to get the average customer to eat them as much as they are hoping the hordes of people gawking at the lunatic eating the quintuple-baco-cream-filled-cheese-cow-on-a-stick will spend their money on the regular menu.

It is true, however, that this is far from the least healthy thing you could choose to eat...

Hi- KFC was originally going to offer Double Down, for a limited time. Apparently they have sold over 10 million of these, and they are going to keep it on the menu, as long as the demand is there. I was sad to hear that it was selling so well. Has anybody tried it yet? Hope this helps, Nancy

Mhays wrote:

Mike G wrote:It is true, however, that this is far from the least healthy thing you could choose to eat...

Here is an exchange from Morningnewsbeat.com a newsletter for the supermarket industry:


America Seems To Doubling Up On The Double Down

USA Today reports that KFC is on the verge of selling its 10 millionth Double Down - the bacon and cheese sandwich that is surrounded by chicken breasts instead of bread, the fried version of which has 540 calories, 32grams of fat, and 1,380 milligrams of salt. This success means that KFC will make the Double Down a permanent part of its menu; originally, it was scheduled to go off the menu on Sunday.

The company says that the Double Down is one of its most successful product launches.

KC's View: Clearly, Americans have spoken. It may be fat Americans with high blood pressure and bloated cholesterol levels, but they get a voice, too.

There may be wailing and gnashing of teeth in the health care and nutritionists communities, but KFC shareholders are going to be happy, and the chain’s executives have to feel like they are sitting pretty.

You can’t stop companies from selling crap like this. You can’t stop people from eating crap like this. Nor should we.

Though it seems entirely reasonable to me that it is appropriate public policy to insist that KFC and its brethren inform people about the product’s calories, fat and sodium levels. And it seems like appropriate private policy for companies to insist that people who eat in such a way that their health is negatively affected should pay more for health insurance. People need to have a level of personal responsibility...and they need to have the data so they can make informed choices.

For me, the assiduous responsibility of a company like Burgerville is far more attractive than the practices of KFC. Even more important, Burgerville’s food is a lot better. No contest.

But that's me.

http://www.morningnewsbeat.com/Home/Hom ... 2010-05-20


Reader Response:

MNB user Brian List wrote:

Not that I’m a big fan of KFC (I actually never eat there) but I did a quick comparison with a Burgerville Chicken sandwich with the double down. Both of these companies’ menu and nutrition facts are found within 2 clicks from a Google search.

KFC Double Down: 540 calories, 32 fat grams, 10 sat. fat grams, 1380 salt.

Burgerville Crispy Chicken Sandwich: 600 calories, 30 fat grams, 9 sat. fat grams, 1360 salt.

Pretty similar comparison, though you call the double down ‘crap.’ And again, I really do not like KFC’s food, but I think you’re throwing them under the bus a little bit here. I understand (and agree with) your argument about company nutrition transparency, but as I said earlier both nutrition facts were found with ease. One of the reasons I stopped eating at Chili's for lunch was when I looked and found out what I thought was a reasonably ‘healthy’ chicken sandwich had 1,000 calories and 120% of my daily sodium intake for the day. Take a look at that menu when you get a chance, its pretty shocking.

http://www.morningnewsbeat.com/Home/Hom ... 2010-05-21

Looks like Friendly's is trying to get in on the ridiculous sandwich act. Behold the Grilled Cheese Burger Melt:

1500 Calories
870 Fat Calories
79g Total Fat
38g Saturated Fat
180g Cholesterol
2090mg Sodium
101g Carbs
9g Dietary Fiber
4g Sugar
54g Protein

While those foods look gross, just take a look at these. Sadder than all the extra calories, sugar, saturated fat and sodium is that many of these desserts, in my experience, taste like cardboard or worse.

Those would be awesome with a side of cookie dough!

I was shocked to find that the fried ice cream was actually "better for you" than some of the rest of that stuff. Interesting. To Las Palmas!