News: The Coffee Bean - New Latte Macchiato

The Coffee Bean starts off the new year with the new, limited-time Latte Macchiato. 

Like Starbucks' so-called Macchiato (which the new drink is almost identical), the new drink is a twist on the traditional caffe macchiato (macchiato literally means "marked" in Italian), albeit one whose name makes a little more sense.

News: Sonic - 99-cent Large Drinks and Slushes Before 10 am

While Afternoon Happy Hour with half-price drinks is a stalwart of the Sonic menu, Sonic recently added a deal where you can order any large fountain drink or slush for only 99 cents but only before 10 am. They call the deal the Morning Drink Stop.

News: KFC - 10-Piece Favorites Bucket for $12.99

As part of the launch for new Extra Crispy Boneless Chicken, KFC is offering the 10-piece Favorites Bucket for $12.99.

Like the name suggests, you can choose 10 pieces of chicken (a mix of legs, wings, breast, and thighs) in any of the varieties offered by KFC (Original Recipe and Extra Crispy in bone-in or boneless varieties, and Grilled).

News: Starbucks - New Via Instant Lattes

Starbucks adds milk to their Via brand of instant coffee with new Via Vanilla Latte and Caffe Mocha flavors.

To add some creaminess to the microground coffee, they've gone with a "natural dairy" powder. Like most varieties of Starbucks Via (and most instant coffees for the matter), you need only add hot water to make a cup.

Review: KFC - Extra Crispy Boneless Chicken

KFC's new, limited-time Extra Crispy Boneless Chicken is pretty much like their Extra Crispy fried chicken but without the bones.

I picked up one piece as part of a Go Cup for $2.49.

News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Sliced Turkey Breakfast Sandwich

Dunkin' Donuts targets your new year's resolution to eat better with the introduction of the new Sliced Turkey Breakfast Sandwich featuring a new, toasted multigrain flatbread folded around three slices of turkey, reduced fat cheddar cheese, and pepper egg whites.

The sandwich is also available in a Wake-Up Wrap version with egg, cheese, and one slice of turkey wrapped in a flour tortilla.

News: Del Taco - New Turkey Tacos

While turkey burgers have long been a "better-for-you" fast food option (or reasonable facsimile for non-beef-eaters), turkey tacos are pretty new to the scene and Del Taco's new Turkey Tacos are a first among Mexican fast food chains.

Review: Nabisco - Original Rice Thins

As a gluten-free analog to their Wheat Thins brand, Nabisco introduced Rice Thins last year. The Original flavor features rice crackers made with just three ingredients: white rice flour, high oleic safflower oil, and salt.

A 3.5-ounce box was $1.99 on sale.

News: Wendy's Ciabatta Bacon Cheeseburger Slated for February

Wendy's bun experiments continue: Coming February, it looks like Wendy's plans to introduce the new, limited-time Ciabatta Bacon Cheeseburger.

The new burger features a quarter-pound beef patty, oven-roasted, chopped tomatoes, rosemary-garlic aioli, spring mix, natural Asiago cheese, and applewood-smoked bacon on a toasted Ciabatta bun.

News: El Pollo Loco - New $10 Loco Variety Pack

El Pollo Loco looks to cater to sport watchers and party-goers (or both) with the introduction of the new Loco Variety Pack.

For $10, you get 4 BRC (beans, rice, and cheese) burritos and 4 Tacos al Carbon (soft corn tortillas filled with chopped flame-grilled chicken, diced onions, and cilanto). along with all the salsa you want from their salsa bar.

News: KFC - New Extra Crispy Boneless Chicken

KFC welcomes the new year with new, limited-time Extra Crispy Boneless Chicken.

Available through February 2, 2014, the new chicken is crispier than Original Recipe Boneless and features a different spice mix.

Review: Hostess - Banana Twinkies

Hostess Banana Twinkies feature the classic golden sponge snack cake with a banana-flavored creme filling. According to the box, it's an "artificially flavored banana creamy filling." They're a limited-time Walmart-exclusive.

A 13.58-ounce box of 10 cakes was $3.99.

Around the World: McDonald's Japan Retro USA Menu Little Resembles Retro USA

McDonald's Japan starts a retro-styled "American Vintage" menu this Monday featuring six new burgers representing different time periods of the US. Specifically, the '50s, '70s, and '80s will be represented (or at least hearkened back to). Basically, they've moved on from regional "American" burgers to burgers from specific time periods.

Around the World: Frito Lay Japan - New Mountain Dew Cheetos

It looks like the latest crazy Frito Lay snack flavor to come out of Japan is a limited-edition Mountain Dew Cheetos snacks. Well, it's more like Cheeto-like as there's no cheese and the corn snacks are instead powdered with a fizzy Mountain Dew-flavor powders.

Apparently, they taste like "sweet lemon lime chips."

The move is probably not a huge surprise as Frito Lay is the same company that introduced Pepsi-flavored Cheetos last year.

Frozen Friday: Safeway Select - BBQ Pulled Pork

Safeway Select's Pulled Pork in BBQ Sauce frozen meal features shredded pork in a sweet barbecue sauce served with a side of macaroni and cheese.

An 8-ounce box was $1.99.

News: Jamba Juice - New Whole Food Nutrition Smoothies

Jamba Juice offers new Whole Food Nutrition smoothies as the new year begins and are promoting them with a coupon that discounts them to $2 a piece.

So named because of the whole fruits or veggies that go into making them, the new line up consists of the following smoothies:

News: Burger King - Free Coffee with Any Breakfast Sandwich Purchase

Burger King looks to keep their breakfast customers caffeinated with the offer of free coffee with any breakfast sandwich purchase.

The limited-time deal is only good for a small 12-ounce hot coffee and only during breakfast hours (which tends to run until 10:30 or 11:00 at most BK restaurants). A small cup of coffee typically goes for $1 at Burger King.

News: Baskin-Robbins - January 2014 Flavor of the Month

Baskin-Robbins goes with a cinema theme in introducing Movie Theater Popcorn ice cream as their January 2014 Flavor of the Month.

The flavor features butter popcorn-flavored ice cream with buttered popcorn-flavored rice crisps pieces and a salty caramel ribbon.

Review: Jack in the Box - New Southern Style Biscuit

Jack in the Box recently updated their biscuits with a new recipe and have taken to calling them "Southern Style" Biscuits.

They're currently promoting them with either bacon or sausage plus a fried egg and cheese at 2 for $3 (normally $2.99 each).

News: Starbucks - New Caramel Flan Latte

Starbucks is offering up the limited-time Caramel Flan Latte as their first new drink of the new year. It features espresso, steamed milk, and caramel flan-flavored syrup stirred together, topped with caramel-infused whipped cream and a caramel flan drizzle.