News: The Coffee Bean - $1 Holiday Drinks on November 8th.

The Coffee Bean is once again doing one of their open house events where you can buy a cup of their at-the-time featured drinks for $1.

This time, they're celebrating the holiday season with $1 holiday drinks from 2pm to 6pm tomorrow, Thursday, November 8, 2012.

For $1, you can choose from a 12-ounce cup of either Winter Dream Tea Latte, Gingerbread Cookie Ice Blended, Gingerbread Cookie Latte, or Red Velvet Hot Cocoa.

News: Taco Bell - New XXL Steak Nachos

Starting tomorrow, Taco Bell serves up new, limited-time XXL Steak Nachos.

The XXL portion of nachos comes with three times the steak of a Steak Taco (i.e. 4.5 oz of steak instead of 1.5 oz), nacho cheese sauce and melted cheese blend, guacamole, pico de gallo, and reduced fat sour cream on a bed of tortilla chips.

By weight, XXL Steak Nachos are almost twice the size of an order of Nachos BellGrande (503g to 305g). That's over a pound of food.

Review: McDonald's - Crispy Chicken CBO Sandwich

McDonald's Crispy Chicken CBO (Cheddar Bacon Onion) sandwich is their latest limited-time burger and features a crispy fried chicken filet, hickory-smoked bacon, caramelized grilled onions, two slices of white cheddar and a creamy mustard sauce. It's all served on a toasted bakery-style bun that offers some whole grains.

I picked up one of these at my local McDonald's for $4.49.

News: Starbucks - 2012 Holiday Drink Menu

No big surprises this year for Starbucks' 2012 Holiday Drink Menu. It's exactly the same as last year's. Once again, there's the flavors of egg nog, peppermint, gingerbread, and caramel brulee.

Here's what's being featured:

- Peppermint Mocha - espresso, steamed milk, mocha sauce, and peppermint-flavored syrup, topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate curls. Also available with white chocolate.

Review: Burger King - Wisconsin White Cheddar Whopper

Burger King's Wisconsin White Cheddar Whopper is like a Whopper with cheese, but with Wisconsin White Cheddar instead of American cheese, with bacon, and with red onions instead of white.

The price on the burger is $4.49.

News: Dunkin' Donuts - Winter 2012 Holiday Menu

For the holiday season this year, Dunkin' Donuts once again trots out Peppermint Mocha and Gingerbread syrups for their coffee drinks, but also introduces new White Chocolate and new Red Velvet Drizzle Donuts for their limited-time 2012 holiday menu.

Here's a look at this year's complete holiday line up:

News: Baskin-Robbins - November 2012 Flavor of the Month

For the month of November, Baskin-Robbins is featuring Nutty Cream Cheese Brownie as their Flavor of the Month. The flavor was the winner of the second annual "Create Baskin's Next Favorite Flavor Contest" last year and consists of chocolate fudge ice cream swirled with a cream cheese ribbon and with walnuts and fudge brownie pieces mixed it.

News: Jack in the Box Testing Late Night Menu

According to one of my readers, Luis, Jack in the Box is testing a late night menu out in San Jose, CA.

In a curious move by a chain known for serving their entire menu all the time, the menu is only available after 9pm.

The centerpiece of the menu is Jack's Munchie Meal where $6 nets you an order of Halfsies (half curly fries and half regular fries), two Tacos, a 20-ounce drink, and a choice from four entrees.

The available entree choices are:

Review: Starbucks - Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream is a new seasonal flavor they started offering this month. It features pumpkin spice ice cream swirled with coffee ice cream (or vice versa, it's a pretty even mix).

A pint retails for $3.99 (around $3 on sale).

News: Kashi - New Soft-Baked Chocolate Almond Butter Cookie

Kashi expands their line of soft-baked cookies with new Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies.

The cookies take a base of cocoa and almond butter and throw in dark chocolate chips, almonds, and Kashi's signature blend of 7 whole grains.

Like all Kashi products, the new Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies are free of preservatives, artificial flavors, colors and high fructose corn syrup.

Review: Nabisco - Chewy Chips Ahoy! Gooey Caramel Cookies

Nabisco Chewy Chips Ahoy! Gooey Caramel Cookies feature the familiar soft-baked chocolate cookie with a gooey caramel center.

A 10-ounce package tends to cost around $3 (around $2 if on sale).

News: Starbucks - New Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream

Starbucks now offers new Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream in select grocery stores nationwide.

The seasonal flavor features pumpkin spice ice cream swirled with coffee ice cream.

The suggested retail price is $3.99 for a pint and the ice cream is available through February.

Neat! Thomas English Muffins Come in Pumpkin and Cranberry

Thomas English Muffins are probably my favorite English muffins (especially with bacon and eggs), but I typically think of them as very traditional and unchanging.

I was surprised, then, to find out that they offered seasonal pumpkin spice and cranberry flavors for the holiday season.

Around the World: KFC Japan - New Ginger Fried Chicken

Tinkering with the Colonel's chicken seems to be the norm at KFC Japan. Most recently, they've introduced new Ginger Salt Fried Chicken (previously they offered chicken with a rice breading).

The chicken is flecked with black sesame seeds and comes with a ginger seasoning packet to sprinkle on before eating for more ginger flavor.

KFC Japan is not cheap though. A single piece comes in at 260 yen (or about $3.23 US).

Frozen Friday: Breyers - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate "Ice Cream"

Breyers' Reese's Peanut Cup Chocolate frozen dairy dessert is part of their Breyers Blast line, which features mix-ins to go with the frozen dairy dessert. The flavor features chocolate frozen dairy dessert interspersed with a Reese's peanut butter swirl and pieces of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

A 1.5-quart tub tends to sell for around $4, but I received this one courtesy of Unilever.

News: White Castle Offers Free Sweet Potato Waffle Fries for Voting

White Castle recently introduced new Sweet Potato Waffle Fries to their menu and are offering them for free on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to voters.

Specifically, White Castle is offering a free small order of Sweet Potato Waffle Fries with any purchase to any guest with either an "I Voted" sticker or who brings in a coupon for a "free small Crinkle Cut or Sweet Potato Waffle Fry" on Election Day. The coupon is available via the White Castle Facebook page if you vote for your favorite style of fries.

News: Sonic - New Premium Chicken Sandwiches

Sonic introduces two new Premium Chicken Sandwiches this month: the limited-time Asiago Caesar Chicken Sandwich and the re-tinkered Classic Chicken Sandwich.

The Asiago Caesar Chicken Sandwich is only available for a limited time and features your choice of a crispy or grilled chicken breast filet, tomatoes, a romaine lettuce blend, Sonic's signature Caesar sauce (a garlic aioli variant), and a slice of Asiago cheese served on a toasted, whole grain ciabatta bun.

Review: McDonald's - Holiday Mint McFlurry

McDonald's new Holiday Mint McFlurry is here for a limited time for the holidays with the taste of mint syrup, vanilla soft serve, and peppermint candy pieces.

A 12-ounce cup costs $2.49 at my local McDonald's.

News: Subway - November 2012 Featured $5 Footlong

Subway's Featured $5 Footlong for the month of November is the Spicy Italian. The sandwich features a base of spicy pepperoni and salami to go with your choice of veggies, cheese, and bread.

Also new, Subway's fresh-baked cookies are now available in 12-pack and 3-pack sizes (they've always offered them at a discount for 3 cookies in my area though...).

News: Dairy Queen - November 2012 Blizzard of the Month

Dairy Queen's November Blizzard of the Month is embraces the cool mint flavor that's popular around the holiday season and mixes it with chocolate: Choco Mint Brownie.

The Choco Mint Brownie Blizzard blends mint syrup, pieces of brownie, and choco chunks into vanilla soft serve. It's also available as a Blizzard cake for your more festive occasions.