The Best And Worst Fast Foods We've Tried In 2023
This year has been a big one for the fast food industry, with plenty of new food and drinks being launched in 2023 for curious foodies to try. Some of these items were delicious variations on existing favorites, while others blazed new flavor trails that I was happy to walk along. Sadly, most were only available for a limited amount of time, and thus their greatness will only exist as indelible food memories.
However, not everything I tried at a fast food restaurant this past year was a triumph. There were plenty of good, but not great items, and unfortunately, there were some notable fails. As a food reviewer for Daily Meal, I wasn't shy in letting you know in my chew and reviews where the hard truth lies. Before we close the book on the year, let's look at the best and the worst fast foods we tried in 2023. Oddly enough, the thing most of them had in common was that they were some shade of brown. Maybe 2024 will bring about more green foods. Thanks for reading, and happy eating!
Best: Popeyes' Garlic and Parmesan Wings
Popeyes knows a thing or two about chicken, but for some inexplicable reason, for almost five decades, it never took full flight in the wings game. In 2023, Popeyes charted a new flight plan and slowly rolled out a couple of flavors of wings. Right before Thanksgiving, it took an even bigger leap forward and dropped three more flavors to give eaters a total of five for the choosing: Ghost Pepper, Sweet N' Spicy, Honey BBQ, Signature Hot, and Roasted Garlic Parmesan.
One cannot go wrong with any of the five wings flavors permanently added to the Popeyes menu, but the one that soars far and above the rest is easily Roasted Garlic Parmesan. Doused in a vibrant, creamy white sauce, it not only stands out from the rest visually, but taste-wise too. The others are pretty standard hot or savory wing flavors, but this one, with Parmesan and Asiago cheeses teamed with caramelized onions, creates an irresistible pungent zest. I loved the sauce so much that once my wings were gone, I was happily scraping the bottom of the box for any remaining traces of it.
Worst: Chick-fil-A's Peppermint Iced Coffee
I will admit, I'm not much of an iced coffee kind of guy, but I am always open to a sweet, caffeinated treat to slurp down. Chick-fil-A did come through with such a drink this holiday season, with its frothy Frosted Peppermint Chip Coffee. However, at the same time, it also pushed another drink on its customers that was apparently a liquid version of a lump of coal: Peppermint Iced Coffee.
Peppermint is a tricky flavor, and probably best left to candy canes and baked goods. In drinks, it can get rather dicey, and Chick-fil-A's Peppermint Iced Coffee proved to be an absolute crap out. A month after trying the drink, I still cannot get its nasty taste out of my mouth. In my review, I was initially reluctant to call the drink "vile," for the fear of coming off as being too harsh, but my stomach kept reminding my brain that that's the absolute truth with this one. Spreading holiday cheer? More like spill this holiday jeer! Don't worry Chick-fil-A, you were still a very good boy this year despite this winter foul.
Best: Cinnabon' Cookie BonBite Sandwich
One of 2023's worst-kept "secrets" delivered some of the year's best desserts. That not-so-buried secret was the introduction of Cinnabon's secret menu, which anyone can easily find by ordering through its website or app, or asking for the item by name in stores. And oh boy, what a set of names: The TurtleBon, the Caramel Lover, the Oreo Bon, and the Cookie BonBite Sandwich. The first three are tricked-out versions of the classic Cinnabon cinnamon rolls that include enough gooey sweetness that they'd make Willy Wonka blush.
However, the one secret item that everyone needs to know about, and gobble down as much as humanly possible, is that one that's not like the others — the Cookie BonBite Sandwich. The BonBite has always been there for the taking, where a cookie shell houses an interior filled with cinnamon roll. Well, double the amount of Bites and mortar them together with lush cream cheese frosting, and you have the makings of one of the best cookie sandwiches you will ever have had the pleasure of devouring. Life is short, indulge often — especially on the Cookie BonBite Sandwich.
Worst: Panera's Ham, Egg & Cheese On A Cinnamon Crunch Bagel
Cinnamon-flavored foods for breakfast aren't a controversial idea. There's a reason why it's a popular flavor of oatmeal, seasons hot frosted rolls, and headlines a beloved "Toast Crunch" cereal. Even Panera has utilized the spice for its Cinnamon Crunch Bagel which has delighted eaters since 1998. While I had never had the pleasure of having a Cinnamon Crunch Bagel before this summer, fate set me on a collision course with one when the fast-casual bakery concocted its Ham, Egg & Cheese On A Cinnamon Crunch Bagel sandwich.
I assume that Panera had hoped that after this sandwich dropped, breakfast would never be the same again. Turns out, breakfast would never be the same again for me, and not in a good way. Sure, the ham seemed straight out of a package, but that was the least of my taste worries after I found myself drowning in a sea of cinnamon. Cinnamon dust, cinnamon crust, cinnamon rust, cinnamon way too much! Next time I'll skip the bagel sandwich and just drink a jar of cinnamon.
Best: Chick-Fil-A's Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich
Chick-fil-A's standard-issue chicken sandwich is such a thing of perfection as is. It's so revered by eaters that it forced all its fast food competitors to eventually make their own chicken sandwiches to try and top it. Apparently feeling left out after all these years, Chick-fil-A decided to join the fun, trying to top its own sandwich. So how is that possible? The magic here comes about by swapping out the pickles for pickled jalapeños, drizzling on some honey, and topping it all off with the pièce de résistance — pimento cheese.
What started out as a 2020 test run in the Carolinas became a full-blown nationwide phenomenon in 2023 when everyone finally got their hands on Chick-fil-A's Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich. The company called it an "original take on an original," and I did them one better by saying the "sandwich is one small step for Chick-fil-A and one giant leap for sandwich-kind." This sandwich did the impossible and made the original chicken sandwich feel like a bit of a yawn. Sadly, this limited-run item left us too soon. But I have a sweet and savory feeling that it won't take too long for it to return to stores, and happily be in my mouth again.
Worst: Wendy's Pumpkin Spice Frosty Cream Cold Brew
Had Chick-fil-A's Peppermint Iced Coffee not blown onto the scene this holiday season, and also totally blown, then Wendy's Pumpkin Spice Frosty Cream Cold Brew would have easily retained the throne of worst drink I had this year. Pumpkin spice gets a bad rap, but when implemented properly, can turn into something worth indulging in on a crisp autumn day. Wendy's actually proved this when it released its delicious Pumpkin Spice Frosty at the exact same time.
So where did it all go wrong with the Cold Brew drink that essentially shares the same name as the winning Frosty flavor? I'm not exactly sure. Both the Frosty and the Cold Brew use the same Pumpkin Spice Syrup as a key ingredient. How much was used is unclear, but when it got swirled up into coffee it became nauseating and instantly undrinkable. I'm curious to see if this one returns next year, or if Wendy's decides to leave this one out.
Best: Baskin-Robbins' Turkey Day Fixin's
Food products that try to emulate a Thanksgiving dinner plate usually sound like a gimmick not worth sticking a fork into. In the lead-up to this year's holiday, Baskin-Robbins made its flavor of the month for November one with a lot of familiar trimmings — Turkey Day Fixin's. This flavor was certainly a gimmick, but wisely kept the actual turkey and stuffing off the table, and instead played up all the Thanksgiving sweet stuff in a rich and creamy form.
Sweet potato, honeyed cornbread, Ocean Spray cranberry sauce, and autumn spices came together in a scoop that was both a visual splendor and a pleasurable, toothsome flavor. Turkey Day Fixin's was a perfect treat that could serve as an actual dessert to have after the big meal on the 4th Thursday of November, or on any day within that month to capture the holiday's essence.
I had this flavor on the first day of November, and it took such a hold on my heart that weeks later I bought a to-go pint of it for home. I try not to have regrets in life, but one is not getting a second pint, so I could have had Turkey Day Fixin's live another day in my life. I'm not sure if Baskin-Robbins ever repeats flavors of the month, but for this one, I hope it makes an exception.
Worst: Dunkin's Loaded Hash Browns
The hash brown bites at Dunkin are nothing particularly special to begin with, but they've remained a decent starchy side option to pair with its breakfast sandwiches ever since being introduced in 2008. The notion of making a "loaded" version of them, in a handy cup, sounded like a decently baked idea. Well, at a retail price of $2.49, Dunkin's seasonal Loaded Hash Browns won't empty one's bank account, but it certainly won't fill one's belly either.
The problem with this item is that the hash browns are billed as being "Loaded," and I'm not sure two toppings constitute such a heavy adjective. Sure, the bacon bits were very present in the Loaded Hash Browns, but the queso was more of a drizzle when it should have been a downpour. Dunkin' is perhaps onto something with this item, but it needs a total re-hash. I suggest it takes a look at Waffle House's menu and goes big — scattering, smothering, and covering them in anything and everything in sight.
Best: Papa John's Twix Papa Bites
When I heard that Papa John's was releasing a breaded treat that was to be dressed up and to taste like Twix candy bars, I immediately interrupted my family's Disney World vacation and raced to the nearest Papa John's I could find. Since the location I landed on didn't have any seating, my rental car's hood served as my table, which I hovered over to taste test Papa John's Twix Papa Bites.
This baked treat was an absolute mess to touch and eat. Nonetheless, it was well worth getting both my hands and mouth messy in order to devour it. Sure, these Bites seemed to lack any of the signature shortbread cookie that makes a Twix a Twix, but the dough, which was really crunchy on the outside and super soft on the inside, made for a most suitable replacement. The icing on this "cake," and the real draw is the endless flow of rich chocolate and drippy caramel sauces that drape these Bites. This is one of the best Twix-like products I've ever had that isn't an actual Twix. Kudos to you Papa!