Fast Food Discussion: Mexican Pizza at Taco Bell

[kyphysics]

That is a complicated sociological and economics question.

Plan for the future. Can you cook simple things? Buy the food items from a grocery store, cook the things ahead of time that you could want for later, and refridgerate or freeze what you cooked. Take your portions later, reheat if needed, and eat. You can consider this fast-food, but prepared earlier.

I'm going to stock up on fresh veggie garnishes tomorrow to make ham and/or fried egg sandwiches.

My fridge is pretty bare. I've honestly been blowing so much $$$ on beer/wine + fast food lately and not eating in enough. This will be good for my budget. Going to buy lots of cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, and onions. I've enjoyed making fried egg and/or sliced ham sandwiches with them as toppings/garnishes in the past. Throw in some mayo or spicy mustard and I'll be fine late night.

I honestly need to check my finances. Bar hopping ($100/night) is killing my savings on weekends. It's fun...we sometimes get Waffle House or Taco Bell at 2-3AM to finish off the night, but it's unhealthy nutrition-wise and money-wise.

As I've said above, I spend so much money on late-night food that IF there were convenient healthy options around more often, they'd make a killing off of my wallet.

 

[kyphysics]

Tried the limited time Pizza Hut Detroit style pizza today (double-pepperoni). Came out to $14.99 ($12.99 w/o tax).

Taste and quality-wise, it was great. Would I pay $14.99 for it again?. . .probably not.

I'd pay $12.99 at most. It's also not entirely what I'd consider deep dish. I've definitely gotten deep dish style pizzas elsewhere with much thicker/deeper crusts. Pizza Hut's version is just "slightly" deep. lol

Not bad. Price aside, I'd rate it a 8/10. Factoring in price, it's a 7/10. Nonetheless, I'd prefer Jet's Pizza's Detroit style over PH.

 

[kyphysics]

Kroger has 8-piece $5 fried chicken every now and then. Bought some today.

Total steal. I'm sure they lose money on this and use it to suck you into buy other stuff.

 

[hutchphd]

I'm sure they lose money on this and use it to suck you into buy other stuff.

Known in the retail world as a loss-leader. MMMM... fried chicken..... It begs the question: how do you figure the optimum price for such a device?. Clearly there is a sweet spot, but I haven't a clue as to how one would figure it out.

 

[kyphysics]

Known in the retail world as a loss-leader. MMMM... fried chicken..... It begs the question: how do you figure the optimum price for such a device?. Clearly there is a sweet spot, but I haven't a clue as to how one would figure it out.

I don't know, but if I bought the same thing from Hardee's, it'd cost me $12.99 probably.

Kroger also doesn't limit the amount you can buy. Although, I suppose a natural limit would be the size of your freezer/fridge.

I'm fine to just buy the fried chicken and nothing else.

 

[kyphysics]

I bought a large Chick-Fil-A mac-n-cheese today w/o looking at price first.

Was shocked it was $7 and some change. I'm conflicted. I love their mac-n-cheese. 9/10 in my book. It's the best in the fast food game, imho. But it's expensive. I guess I have to treat this as a luxury going forward.

Even the Deluxe sandwiches at CFA are less than $7. It's their most expensive "entree-like" item from what I can tell.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I need...I need.,..I need

Gumption.

 

[JT Smith]

My wife turned me on to salads. I mean, of course I'd eaten them before but she got me to really crave them. Would I buy them from McDonalds if they sold them? No way. Because I know what that would mean in terms of freshness, quality, and price too.

And convenience. I do have to go to the market to buy fresh vegetables frequently. But once they're in the refrigerator it's dead easy to chop up a big salad. We go with Persian cucumbers, radishes, mushrooms, red bell peppers, tomatoes (if there are good ones available), rocket. A few other things rotate in and out.

It takes me maybe 5 minutes to make two huge salads. We eat them about 6 nights a week now. It would not be faster to get them from a fast food place. And there's just no way they would measure up.

 

[JT Smith]

My wife also turned me on to whisky. I couldn't stand the thought of it after one time drinking it till I puked as a teenager. But she retrained me. Salads and whisky, sort of like good and evil.

 

[Algr]

They started shaving those cucumber, tomato, onion, olives, etc. slices so thin that I had to ask for more and more toppings and the associates would just sprinkle a tiny bit each time. I'd have to say I want more...more...more...it felt embarrassing, so I just stopped going.

I used to like Subway salads, but the last time I ordered one the guy brought out a tray that that was the size of a side salad at McDonalds. I just walked out. Their “foot-long” subs are under 10 inches too.

This will be good for my budget. Going to buy lots of cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, and onions.

Yea, if you want to eat healthy at night, nothing beets a well stocked refrigerator. So you have to plan ahead and deal with the occasional waste if you start developing normal sleep habits.

Unfortunately I question wether my cooking is any more healthy then fast food.

 

[hutchphd]

And convenience. I do have to go to the market to buy fresh vegetables frequently. But once they're in the refrigerator it's dead easy to chop up a big salad. We go with Persian cucumbers, radishes, mushrooms, red bell peppers, tomatoes (if there are good ones available), rocket. A few other things rotate in and out.

May I also recommend including cooked beans ( garbanzos, red beans, black beans ) and whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat, bulghur wheat, pearled barley) and lightly cooked veg into your salad rotation. Also fruits and nuts. You can even use canned tomatoes (during winter) if you are clever. Some of these hardier salads can refrigerate for a day and get better for it. ...Add leafy stuff at serving time if desired.

 

[JT Smith]

May I also recommend including cooked beans ( garbanzos, red beans, black beans ) and whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat, bulghur wheat, pearled barley) and lightly cooked veg into your salad rotation. Also fruits and nuts. You can even use canned tomatoes (during winter) if you are clever. Some of these hardier salads can refrigerate for a day and get better for it. ...Add leafy stuff at serving time if desired.

Yes, there is nearly endless variation and for us it has changed over time. Toasted pine nuts, pomegranate, and chopped beets are in our current list of optional add-ons. The main thing is freshness. And we like 'em big. A salad like the ones I make would probably cost $30 each in a restaurant. But I've never seen anything like them served anywhere so it's just a wild guess.

A salad from a late night fast food place? Give me a break!

 

[symbolipoint]

A salad from a late night fast food place? Give me a break!

That comment especially I liked.

For myself, I've very little interest in "salads". I eat vegetables because I know they are healthy but I choose vegetables with some vigorous character, like stuff I could cut chop and cook with heat: for example, carrots, brussels sprouts, kale,... and like that. This stuff is not usually fast-food available, so person must cook the stuff himself.

 

[hmmm27]

Gotta ask : do toasted pine nuts taste like a pine tree smells ?

Awhile back, I tried a pesto pasta dish at a restaurant : it was fantastic and actually smelled of pine trees.

Never since, and don't ask what my home-made pesto tastes like.

 

[JT Smith]

Gotta ask : do toasted pine nuts taste like a pine tree smells ?

Awhile back, I tried a pesto pasta dish at a restaurant : it was fantastic and actually smelled of pine trees.

Never since, and don't ask what my home-made pesto tastes like.

Not in my experience. I buy pine nuts raw and toast them in a pan and they just have a nice, nutty aroma.

Do pine cones smell like a pine tree? I suspect that the aroma we think of as "pine" is mostly from the wood and needles. Fresh cut pine wood is incredibly aromatic. As an aside, there is a species of pine in the California Sierra Nevada that has bark that smells like vanilla, at least sometimes.

I wonder if you just had pesto made with a particularly aromatic basil. Or maybe they also used other herbs in the pesto. Rosemary has a pine-like aroma.

 

[JT Smith]

For myself, I've very little interest in "salads". I eat vegetables because I know they are healthy but I choose vegetables with some vigorous character, like stuff I could cut chop and cook with heat: for example, carrots, brussels sprouts, kale,... and like that. This stuff is not usually fast-food available, so person must cook the stuff himself.

I've had carrots and broccoli and zucchini as fast food in Japan... coated in batter and deep fried.

Some food courts I've encountered that have ethnic food stalls include cooked vegetables. But it's sure not standard, at least around here.

Whole Foods carries a line of salads under the brand name "Urban Remedy". They're expensive prepackaged salads with a list of ingredients that sounds pretty good. But they look horrible in their little plastic boxes. A good salad is perishable. How would the fast food guys do it?

 

[symbolipoint]

I've had carrots and broccoli and zucchini as fast food in Japan... coated in batter and deep fried.

Some food courts I've encountered that have ethnic food stalls include cooked vegetables. But it's sure not standard, at least around here.

Whole Foods carries a line of salads under the brand name "Urban Remedy". They're expensive prepackaged salads with a list of ingredients that sounds pretty good. But they look horrible in their little plastic boxes. A good salad is perishable. How would the fast food guys do it?

At one time, several years ago, Popeye's, which is a fast-food type shop (several of them), did serve a few cooked vegetables and they were nice - when they were served at those shops. Unfortunately not anymore.

 

[kyphysics]

Had McDonald's hotcakes (3 pancakes) for $4.13 this morning.

Good (butter + syrup over hotcakes = heaven). But pricey. They feel very airy and not so filling. I give them 8/10.

For that price, I think I'd still prefer Chick-Fil-A's chicken biscuit (despite their shrinkflation), which I rate as 9.5/10.

 

[kyphysics]

FWIW, the hotcakes + sausage option is $5.50. I refuse, b/c the sausage patty is so thin nowadays and mine is frequently burnt and dry. I only buy hotcakes alone.

 

[symbolipoint]

Posts #'s 168 and 169 -
Another reason to learn to make your own pancakes, which you can adjust the quality to your liking and have for lower price (but then this is no longer Fast Food).

 

[kyphysics]

Posts #'s 168 and 169 -
Another reason to learn to make your own pancakes, which you can adjust the quality to your liking and have for lower price (but then this is no longer Fast Food).

Maybe I should try. I did recently make my own brownies. They cost less than $2 from a mix and the proportion size was about the same as the Chick-Fil-A $17 party pack. Saved $15.

Admittedly, CFA's tasted better.

You're right, though. That wouldn't be news for the fast food thread. This is devoted to eating OUT.

 

[JT Smith]

Making decent pancakes is pretty easy. Making really good ones is harder.

As for cost, the dry ingredients are super cheap even if you buy a boxed mix. The Trader Joes stuff I used this morning (by coincidence I made myself a big pancake this a.m.) doesn't require milk, just an egg and water. The eggs were from Whole Foods so the egg cost more than the dry mix. The maple syrup was by far the most expensive part as I use it liberally. Probably +$1 right there, so maybe $2 for the whole thing.

My guess is that McDonald's doesn't have maple syrup.

 

[kyphysics]

Making decent pancakes is pretty easy. Making really good ones is harder.

As for cost, the dry ingredients are super cheap even if you buy a boxed mix. The Trader Joes stuff I used this morning (by coincidence I made myself a big pancake this a.m.) doesn't require milk, just an egg and water. The eggs were from Whole Foods so the egg cost more than the dry mix. The maple syrup was by far the most expensive part as I use it liberally. Probably +$1 right there, so maybe $2 for the whole thing.

My guess is that McDonald's doesn't have maple syrup.

The reason I eat out a lot is that it's non-laborious all-around. I eat and throw my food bag in the garbage. No pots and pans to clean. No dishes. . . .The cleaning, for me, is worse than the actual cooking.

Cooking can be therapeutic/fun. Cleaning after a long day of work or right before work (when your mind is trying to prep) is not ideal for me. I know I pay more eating out, but it's a convenience factor.

The thing is...I spend very little on other areas of my life. Some people spend big bucks on their car...clothing...gadgets, etc. I'm a minimalist on that stuff. My one big spend area is food (eating out). I enjoy it and like that I don't have to "work."

 

[JT Smith]

I'm like you in that I also don't spend very much money on car, clothing, and gadgets. I have a 25 year old car, a 10 year old computer, and my clothes are mostly jeans and free t-shirts. I cook not to save money. I cook primarily so that I can have high quality food and also have control over the specific ingredients. I also hate cleaning but tossing out endless wrappers, bags, and boxes wouldn't be an improvement.

When quality takes a backseat to convenience... well that's fast food in a nutshell, isn't it?

 

[kyphysics]

I'm like you in that I also don't spend very much money on car, clothing, and gadgets. I have a 25 year old car, a 10 year old computer, and my clothes are mostly jeans and free t-shirts. I cook not to save money. I cook primarily so that I can have high quality food and also have control over the specific ingredients. I also hate cleaning but tossing out endless wrappers, bags, and boxes wouldn't be an improvement.

When quality takes a backseat to convenience... well that's fast food in a nutshell, isn't it?

I agree most fast food is pretty bad for you. But, I have to think Chick-Fil-A is one of the heathier (even if in relative terms) ones.

It's my Go To place (3-4x a week). I don't have that disgusting weighed down feel afterwards with places like Burger King, Hardees, Popeye's, and the like.

Maybe it's cheaper to cook at home and pack a lunch vs. eating there, but it's the best bang for your buck + not unhealthy + super tasty place I know of. The manager knows me by name. I've developed a fun rapport with her.

 

[JT Smith]

I agree most fast food is pretty bad for you. But, I have to think Chick-Fil-A is one of the heathier (even if in relative terms) ones.

I've never been to one. I had to look it up to see if there were any nearby (there's one 3 miles away).

What do you get there? Some sort of chicken I presume. Is it basically chicken or a chicken sandwich with fries instead of a hamburger with fries? Or is it different?

I wish there were a Salmon-Fil-A franchise.

 

[symbolipoint]

I've never been to one. I had to look it up to see if there were any nearby (there's one 3 miles away).

What do you get there? Some sort of chicken I presume. Is it basically chicken or a chicken sandwich with fries instead of a hamburger with fries? Or is it different?

I wish there were a Salmon-Fil-A franchise.

Do a simple web search. Mostly chicken sandwiches with a bun, and a few other chicken items.

 

[JT Smith]

Do a simple web search. Mostly chicken sandwiches with a bun, and a few other chicken items.

I did look at their online menu. But under sides it had things like chicken noodle soup and greek yogurt parfait. I was thinking that people probably don't typically eat those things with a chicken sandwich. Hence my question to kyphysics about what he gets there.

 

[symbolipoint]

I did look at their online menu. But under sides it had things like chicken noodle soup and greek yogurt parfait. I was thinking that people probably don't typically eat those things with a chicken sandwich. Hence my question to kyphysics about what he gets there.

Chicken Soup often would be unusual at any fastfood shop, but best to not discount the idea. Could be good soup; Pollo Loco has or had a soup, and certainly it was a nice one.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Chicken Soup often would be unusual at any fastfood shop

Except for Chick-fil-A, Chipolte, subway, Panera, and Quiznos.

 

[symbolipoint]

Except for Chick-fil-A, Chipolte, subway, Panera, and Quiznos.

Fine. Unusual but not extremely unusual. Now we need to check at Burger King, In-&-Out Burger, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Carls Jr., and see if they sell soup.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Subway has 25,000 stores in the US, about twice that of McDonalds.

The top 10 in terms of stores are:

1. Subway *
2. Starbucks
3. McDonalds #
4. Dunkin Donuts
5. 7-Eleven
6. Pizza Hut
7. Burger King #
8. Taco Bell
9. Dominos
10. Circle K

If you drop the convenience stores and Starbucks, you would add Chick-fil-A (*), Wendy's (#) and Dominos.

The "*" means they have soup, the # that they have that iconic fast-food staple, hamburgers.

To me, this indicates the availability of soup is there. If you want to argue that the popularity of soup is fairly low, I think the evidence supports that,

PS In-&-Out? Carl's Jr? You must be on the west coast.

 

[JT Smith]

To me, this indicates the availability of soup is there. If you want to argue that the popularity of soup is fairly low, I think the evidence supports that,

The availability isn't what I asking about. McDonald's has oatmeal and fruit parfait but I'll bet those items are far down the list of popularity.

I did a very quick search and found this website that listed the top items in each category at Chick Fil A in 2020. The #1 entrées were the chicken nuggets and the chicken sandwich. The number one side was the waffle fries. So it's what I was imagining: standard fast food using chicken instead of beef.

 

[symbolipoint]

The availability isn't what I asking about. McDonald's has oatmeal and fruit parfait but I'll bet those items are far down the list of popularity.

He was responding to my comment from one of my posts.

 

[kyphysics]

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/americas-fastest-growing-restaurant-chain-150000886.html

QSR Magazine reports that Jersey Mike’s is the number-one fastest growing chain in America: From 2020 to 2021, 246 stores were added across the country, bringing the total number of locations to 2,100, and the chain brought in more than $2.2 billion in sales, a huge jump up from the $1.5 billion in 2020 sales. Jersey Mike’s star is on the rise, and while it still has a way to go before catching up with Subway’s 37,000 locations, its exponential growth proves how far it has come from its humble beginnings to earn a spot among the country’s top sandwich brands.

They are pretty tasty.

Known for absolute freshness (daily baked bread, meat sliced to order, and fresh veggies cut every morning), I usually rate them about an 8/10. Only thing preventing me from eating there is pricing.

So expensive. Since I'm not the biggest sub fan and am fine getting lower quality (that is still good) at a much cheaper price elsewhere, I don't eat here.

 

[symbolipoint]

Main problem from my experience was big WET, DRIPPY sandwich, so physically bad quality. I had something with lettuce, chicken, pickles, and i-do-not-remember what else. My preference of which store brand would go to Subway, because, just neater.

 

[kyphysics]

Main problem from my experience was big WET, DRIPPY sandwich, so physically bad quality. I had something with lettuce, chicken, pickles, and i-do-not-remember what else. My preference of which store brand would go to Subway, because, just neater.

I've been a few times and never had a wet, drippy sandwich. I do ask for vinegar and oil, but it's a reasonable amount that never gets to that stage.

Maybe give them another chance if you liked them except for the drippy factor? Everyone I talk to usually loves Jersey Mike's. They also say it's expensive, so cannot eat there a lot.

I bought 3 big subs a year ago and they cost $52 (after tax). Harris Teeter has $5 sub days, where the size isn't as long, but the meat/toppings level is actually more. HUGE savings for only a slightly worse tasting sub (then again, I'm not a big sub fan, so maybe a true fan would notice the difference more), imho.

 

[kyphysics]

I'm guessing Harris Teeter (owned by Kroger) also loses money on those $5 subs, which they probably use to lure shoppers into buy other stuff.

 

[kyphysics]

I tried Chick-Fil-A's Chorizo Egg Bites today for $4.79 (pre-tax).

WORST item ever at my favorite fast food restaurant
i.) They were SMALL. 4-total and each was only slight larger than the diameter of a U.S. quarter. The height was about half an inch. So, these were TINY and you got so few. Over $1 for one. You'd think they tasted amazing right? . . .
ii.) Taste-wise, they had a barely perceptible flavor. It was mostly egg with a tiny HINT of chorizo and cheese. I was expecting a fluffy egg with lots of gooey cheese inside and actual chorizo chunks. NOPE. If there was actual chorizo, I didn't notice it. I only noticed chorizo "flavor" - only a tiny hint at that. No runny/gooey cheese either. If there was cheese, it felt very light and dry.

The awesome chicken biscuits are $3.19 (pre-tax) and a much better deal.

My rating: 1.5/10

 

[vela]

The reason I eat out a lot is that it's non-laborious all-around. I eat and throw my food bag in the garbage. No pots and pans to clean. No dishes. . . .The cleaning, for me, is worse than the actual cooking.

I tended to eat out when I was younger because it's difficult to cook for one. I'd get tired of eating the same thing for three days and would often end up forgetting about leftovers, which then ended up getting tossed. Also, the whole planning thing never really worked for me.

Cooking can be therapeutic/fun. Cleaning after a long day of work or right before work (when your mind is trying to prep) is not ideal for me. I know I pay more eating out, but it's a convenience factor.

The thing is...I spend very little on other areas of my life. Some people spend big bucks on their car...clothing...gadgets, etc. I'm a minimalist on that stuff. My one big spend area is food (eating out). I enjoy it and like that I don't have to "work."

Eating out is certainly more convenient, and often the food will taste better than stuff you make yourself. But I find fast food gets old really fast. I'd rather pay a bit more and get something that's more sophisticated than a burger and fries or a burrito.

 

[symbolipoint]

Eating out is certainly more convenient, and often the food will taste better than stuff you make yourself. But I find fast food gets old really fast. I'd rather pay a bit more and get something that's more sophisticated than a burger and fries or a burrito.

You're not trying too hard and the effort needed is yet no so much. But do not worry about that. Continue spending extra money for the fast-food you like. Finding the fast-foods are more expensive than you are comfortable? Time to learn to cook some foods the way you like[/size] and for often, less money!

 

[vela]

You're not trying too hard and the effort needed is yet no so much.

Did you intend to reply to me? I'm not the one who eats fast food all the time.

 

[symbolipoint]

Did you intend to reply to me? I'm not the one who eats fast food all the time.

Yes. I explained in post #191. Possible slippage within interpreting that part of yours which I quoted. Fast-food taste better? NO. You can control this when you cook the food you like your own way. Then, left-overs should be no problem. Convenient to "eat out"? I amn't so sure. You have to drive somewhere, speak into a big speaker, wait in line stting in the car, pass your money through the window, pass the food through the window, put in somewhere or somebody hold it and struggle to still put it somewhere, then drive home and carry the food out in the bags to bring into the house. On the other hand, sitting and eating at the fast-food place is uncomfortable.

 

[kyphysics]

Eating out is certainly more convenient, and often the food will taste better than stuff you make yourself. But I find fast food gets old really fast. I'd rather pay a bit more and get something that's more sophisticated than a burger and fries or a burrito.

Chick-Fil-A isn't "sophisticated" (very basic conceptual items), but I honestly think they taste better than stuff you can buy at a more expensive casual/sit-down restaurant. Everything from their chicken sandwiches to mac-n-cheese, all the way to their fresh squeezed lemonade (amazing and refreshing!), I think they offer the best combination of value (cheap) + taste (flavor - even good quality real ingredients too - unlike most ff w/ "filler" ingredients/substances) + "health" (least unhealthy of ff places).

. . .Hence the reason I am there 4x a week and a lot of staff know me by name.

I think In-N-Out burgers are the same way. Way better than what expensive burgers taste like at a ff price. ..It's just that we don't have them here. Otherwise, I'd eat there 4x a week too.

 

[kyphysics]

Fast-food taste better? NO. You can control this when you cook the food you like your own way.

Depends on the place. Depends on your cooking skills.

I'm not making any burgers and chicken sandwiches at home better than In-N-Out and C-F-A.

 

[symbolipoint]

Depends on the place. Depends on your cooking skills.

I'm not making any burgers and chicken sandwiches at home better than In-N-Out and C-F-A.

Certainly. My skill for making a meat stew is good. I can make a chicken sandwich but this is definitely more work and more time-consuming, so is quicker to go to a chosen fast-food place, but then, I usually do not like their quality. Breading and frying the pieces of chicken is a big chore,...

 

[pinball1970]

I tended to eat out when I was younger because it's difficult to cook for one. I'd get tired of eating the same thing for three days and would often end up forgetting about leftovers, which then ended up getting tossed. Also, the whole planning thing never really worked for me.Eating out is certainly more convenient, and often the food will taste better than stuff you make yourself. But I find fast food gets old really fast. I'd rather pay a bit more and get something that's more sophisticated than a burger and fries or a burrito.

This is about food we like and this is A. Usually overpriced for what it is and B. Not good for you.

That is what I think of when I think of fast food. That is what to fast food is but my caveat is that it has to be a treat. Once a month ideally but as you get older you earn more and can afford to do it more often.
At a time when you should be looking at what you eat a little bit more.
By you I mean me. I made a video, two actually on a place in Manchester.

I will try and post it. It not work last time.

 

[pinball1970]

A taste of Manchester where non of the food is actually from the UK let alone Manchester.
Or perhaps it is now? How long do we eat food before accept it as our food?
I did not cook Sunday dinner with Yorkshire pudding, I cooked Chicken Madras or Vindaloo.
Excuse the technology, I have never tried to walk whilst videoing and talking.
Plus people kept standing in front of the menus and ruining my shots. Anyway...
EDIT: Too big

 

[kyphysics]

Certainly. My skill for making a meat stew is good. I can make a chicken sandwich but this is definitely more work and more time-consuming, so is quicker to go to a chosen fast-food place, but then, I usually do not like their quality. Breading and frying the pieces of chicken is a big chore,...

Any ability to make loaded fries?

In theory, these shouldn't be hard to make. You can buy frozen fries or just cut up fresh potatoes and put them in an air fryer.

Next, cut up a bunch of topping/garnishes (onions, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, etc.) and have some bags of mixed cheese blend to sprinkle over them and give a bake in the oven.

Never tried it, but just thought in theory it should be simple. Main problem is that frozen fries NEVER taste as good as fresh restaurant fries. And, secondly, the "Ranch" dip you buy at a grocery store is NEVER as good as the ranch from some restaurant. I have no idea why, but it's always been that way for me. . .just can't find a "restaurant-quality" ranch at the supermarket.

 

[symbolipoint]

In theory, these shouldn't be hard to make. You can buy frozen fries or just cut up fresh potatoes and put them in an air fryer.

Next, cut up a bunch of topping/garnishes (onions, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, etc.) and have some bags of mixed cheese blend to sprinkle over them and give a bake in the oven.

Never tried it, but just thought in theory it should be simple. Main problem is that frozen fries NEVER taste as good as fresh restaurant fries. And, secondly, the "Ranch" dip you buy at a grocery store is NEVER as good as the ranch from some restaurant. I have no idea why, but it's always been that way for me. . .just can't find a "restaurant-quality" ranch at the supermarket.

Too complicated for me. No matter, I prefer not loaded fries. My best choices if I want "fries" or something approximately like that is Wendy's, McDonalds, or the Potato Wedges from the hot-foods counter of some grocery stores.