The Food Scout

With names like “Cocaine” and “Bawls” found on beverages these days, why would anyone think twice about potential newcomers like “Tru Blood” or “Booty Sweat.” But increasingly, consumers will have to think twice about whether a new edgy product is going to make them look cool or feel like a sucker, literally. I myself was almost fooled by a recent print ad I saw in Entertainment Weekly for a bottled red drink called “Tru Blood” with the headline “Real Blood is for Suckers.” Hardly shocking at all these days, now that we’ve used all the other drink names like “Whoop Ass” and “Dopamine: Vegas in a Can.” But the fine print ...

I'm still recovering from the shockwaves I felt in my wallet this weekend. No not gasoline, but food. I just decided not to think about the $3.35 per gallon price tag when I fueled up, even though a month ago I was paying $2.79 a gallon. That's probably because I'd been driving around for days (on a tank of $3.05 gas) watching the price go up to $3.15, then $3.25 and even $3.35 in places. So I'd been bracing for the hit at the pump.

It’s my birthday and I don’t have much time to work today, because I’m running around town redeeming all the free food that I’m getting for my birthday. Buffalo Wild Wings sent me a gift card for $15 (and I’ve never spent a cent there). Fortunately it’s right next door to Coldstone Creamery, where there’s a “Love It” custom creation of my choice waiting for me (if I show them the coupon with the one-week expiration date). Then just a few doors down is Qdoba, which is giving me a free burrito. I don’t think I can eat $15 worth of food at BWW and a big burrito at Qdoba at the same time, so I’m going to have to come another day. Then, somewhere I have to fit in a visit to Red Robin, which is giving me a burger for my birthday (they’re hoping I bring some people with me to celebrate, I suppose. Suckers!). Then later this week I want to stop by McAlister’s ($5 off birthday coupon), San Francisco Oven for a Buy-An-Entree-Get-The-Second-For-50%-Off (hmm, that will cost me money), and Sonic for a free medium drink (cheapskates).

Starbucks Coffee Company just launched www.mystarbucksidea.com, and I have to admit that when I first saw it, I said to myself, “Oh, brother.” The fact that they printed little cards that could be picked up in-store, which read “Have an idea for us?” on one side, and listed the website on the other, made me think the company must be really desperate for ideas to have to go this far.

Forget all that money that’s been spent upgrading technology and increasing efficiency at drive thru lines at QSRs. That’s so 5 minutes ago in the world of convenience. Companies that want to REALLY be a convenient sandwich solution for consumers at lunch time are resorting to delivery services in urban areas.    New Yorkers can phone fresh sandwich-maker Pret A Manger from about anywhere in Manhattan, and within minutes, one of 19 roaming delivery trucks (electric, to be eco-friendly) will pull up to the curb and delivery a sandwich to someone holed up in their office or condo and too busy to run to a nearby street vendor or restaurant. I am ...