The D & W Fast-Food Critic Team (P*S*C* #16)

Of course we both like to eat good, healthy food...but neither of us would consider ourselves to be foodies. When we were in Arizona, we were working on a big project involving

l-o-n-g days with no operating kitchen facilities. With the basic need of food, short on time, and in honor/memory of the family members who used to live in this area and went to McDonald's every single day, we decided to try out every nearby fast food establishment and rate them!

A common thread with each breakfast meal was that we would split the cinnamon roll offered at each fast food place. (Rating on a four star system with one star as the lowest.)

Here are our results for these cinnamon "sins":

Wendy's

Deb: These rolls have it all...gooey with ample cinnamon ribbons throughout the roll that tasted just like Grandma had made it from scratch. A half isn't enough! ****

Wes: Very good. ***1/2

McDonald's

Deb: Yummy, so gooey you need a fork to eat it (and are tempted to lick out the container because so much goo is left over once the roll is eaten!) ***3/4

Wes: Too much frosting and sweetness! **1/2

Burger King

Deb: These four little cini-minis come with a separate packet of frosting. Good thing the frosting is available, because these little swirls are as dry as the desert day we were having! *

Wes: At first I thought these were the best because they weren't sweet like the others. But when we went back to Wendy's for a second comparison, I realized I liked Wendy's better! ***

Cinnamon roll winner: Wendy's

Next category: egg entrees

Burger King

Deb: I had the Bacon/egg/cheese wrap. It was a little funny looking when I unwrapped it due to the petite little potato rounds tucked inside. However, the flavors melded nicely and it was better than it looked. **2/3

Wes: This egg/cheese croissandwich is my traditional favorite. I like it without the bacon or sausage because it's less fat. ***2/3

Wendy's

Deb (visit #1): The breakfast biscuit with egg and cheese was the best fast food biscuit combo I've ever eaten! The cheese and egg were tasty as could be, but the biscuit was divine - soft on the inside with a touch of crispness on the outside. Again, this tasted like something Grandma would have made! ****

Wes (visit #1): I had the biscuit just like Deb did. It was delicious...and quickly devoured. ****

Deb: We saw the Bacon/cheese panini on the menu the first visit, and agreed to come back on our last day to try it out! It was the best!!! Freshly made with grill marks on the bread, and the right balance of inner ingredients. ****

Wes: Not able to comment immediately because he couldn't put it down! ****

Egg Entree winner: Wendy's once again!

And also a shout-out goes to Wendy's for their delicious Minute Maid yogurt smoothie!! Nice blend of o.j. (with pulp and mini bits of oranges) and frozen yogurt!

We also ate most lunches and suppers at fast-food places (and NO we aren't going to be making a documentary on this experience anytime in the near future) and wish to pass along our recommendations for these to our loyal followers - all three of you.

Del Taco is good. Especially if you like a spicy kick to your Mexican food meals. Too many jalapenos and onions for Wes. I enjoyed my chicken and cheese quesadilla quite a bit.

The new roast beef sandwich specials at Arby's are very tasty. Wes liked all the add-ins in the cheddar and ranch and I liked the bleu in the bleu cheese.

KFC has a decadent mashed potato bowl. Wes missed the "Chicago" in the hot dog and though the meat was tasty, he had to add relish to kick it up a notch.

Our overall winner: Wendy's!!!

After our five days of eating (mostly) like this, we can honestly say we're not ready for any more fast food any time soon. We did what we needed to do as far as our family business, and this added a bit of fun to our days - and amazingly enough neither of us gained a pound. However, our arteries are not talking to us at the moment...