Fast-food companies are slavering over your a.m. bucks, says the Seattle Times in the story “Food-Industry Giants Compete Over Breakfast,” which starts with this interesting nugget:
When Starbucks customers began entering cafes clutching takeout bags stuffed with breakfast food, executives at the Seattle coffee giant took note.
‘When you have people walking in with a competitor’s bag, it tells you we have a need to fill,’ said Cheryl Garner, division food manager for the cafe chain’s regional headquarters in Huntington Beach, Calif.
McDonald’s thought the same thing a while back, and, in fact, that’s exactly why it improved its coffee, hoping to snag the folks who were stopping at both Starbucks and McD’s on the way to work. But turnabout is fair play, and Starbucks now has breakfast sandwiches on sale in 700 of its stores. Word is they’re actually kind of tasty, particularly the eggs Florentine. The baristas hate making them, because they stink up the stores and slow down service, but the sandwiches do contain actual food items such as eggs, spinach, and cheese, items that might not leave you with an acute attack of indigestion.
Speaking of indigestion, the Seattle Times article goes on to list some of the breakfasty items now being rolled out in fast-food stores. Most of the new offerings are just the same ol’ eggs/ham/bacon/cheese combos with different wrappers—biscuits, English muffins, tortilla shells, what have you—but Taco Bell, Burger King, and Wendy’s are trying out some more unusual items. Anyone up for a Guacamole Bacon Grilled Stuft Burrito? How’s about some of BK’s Cheesy Tots? Followed by two Tums and a seltzer, no doubt.
Why the sudden focus on breakfast? The chains are trying to eat McDonald’s lunch. Seems there are a lot of folks out there grabbing breakfast on the run. Putting two pieces of bread in a toaster at home is too much work in the morning? Really? Glass of milk and a banana slow you down too much? Somebody needs some advice from Timer!
Some people are just lazy and like to blow money on fast food.
With new coffee machines that can be set the night before to grind and brew, as well as the simplicity of things such as toast, cereal, fruit, yogurt, granola, instant oatmeal-heck, even microwaveable single serving egg whites!- people who grab fast food breakfasts and coffee should be ashamed!
BUT-I suppose if the fast food industry wants to take advantage of twits, more power to ‘em.
Diana, I’m one of the twits of which you speak, and I find your holier-than-thou attitude absolutely reprehensible. Who’s more of a twit, the person who grabs coffee at a drive-thru window, or someone who drops nearly 5 bucks on the same thing blended with ice at Starbucks? When I grew up, breakfast was near always toast and a glass of milk through high school, and frankly I’m sick and tired of it. Maybe I feel like going out and having somebody else cook for me, but I’m too short on time to go to a sit-down place for breakfast. At this point, I’m pretty much stuck with drive-thru.
There are a couple of places out there with passable fast breakfasts. Chick-Fil-A’s is quite decent (if not utterly delicious), and can be a little on the healthy side with multigrain bagels and mixed fresh fruit. I also find Sonic’s breakfast sandwich offerings to be a good bit better than they have any right to be, likely because they tend to overcook the eggs the way everyone else does. And you would be surprised how many Chowhounds sing the praises of McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. The Cheesy Tots from BK mentioned in the article, however, are absolutely hideous.
JK, how hard would it be to set the coffee machine to have the java ready for you when you get up?
A programmable machine will pay for itself pretty quick. Chik Fil a is NEVER healthy-neither is Sonic I invite you to read the nutritional information online. You can get mutigrain bagels to toast quick at home, as well as pre cut mixed fruit-or make your own huge bowl of fruit salad on SUnday and divide it into individual portions. All of which will cost you way less than the drive through, and save you fats, trans fats and preservatives.
Egg McMuffins may be good (i dunno, I don;’t eat fast food, and this was pre-Morgan Spurlock) but I just think it’s a waste of money to get them when you can prep pre-made “McHome Muffins” on the weekend, freeze them, and then nuke them. You’ll find them probably just as good as the Santa Barbara hockey puck shaped egg special, if not better.
You save time, $$$ and calories…what’s not to lose by grabbing a quick and nourishing bite at home?
Look, I know you’re busy and in a rush. but a good breakfast is importan. not to be holier than anyone, but here’s what I, a rushed woman on her way to an early shift, do for brekkers.
I buy bulk egg whites called eggology and fresh tomatoes and plain nonfatyogurt on the weekend. Sunday afternnon, I pour the white into individual day protions. I chop the tomatoes, mix them with garlic, olive oil, salt, basil and balsamic, and put them in a container in the fridge. This all takes under a half hour.
3 days a week, I use the egg whites and tomatoes to make quick omlettes. The other two mornings, I have the yogurt with nut free granola and splenda. Each dish takes less than 10 minutes to make, due to the pre-prep. I even have time to pour out my husband’s favorite cereal, top it with a banana and granola, and make my own tea in the microwave.
You could easily pre prep your fruit salad or buy already chopped, toast a bagel and smear on cream cheese-and save lotsa bucks.
Of course, I sometimes have to follow my Grandpa’s advice:
“Not enough time in the morning for a home breakfast? Well, get up earlier!”