Starbucks $15 Extra Value Meals

OK, I made the price up. But Starbuck's has signaled to the world that they will be offering pairings of food and drink items at attractive prices, in a nod to the economy and the continued strength of McDonald's and other fast fooders' value options.

So here are my totally out my tuckus predictions.

Venti Caramel Machiato and Classic Coffee Cake: $15
Venti Coffee and Reduced Fat Turkey Bacon Sandwich: $15
Tall Hot Tea and Apple Fritter: $15
Cheese and Crackers Plate and Grande Iced Tea: $15
Tall Caramel Frappucino and a lovely recycled napkin: $15
Large Green Salad and 4 ounce gratuity cup of tap water: $15
Tall Vivanno (chalk flavored) and a cut up apple: $15

I kid. Actually I love Starbuck's so consider these jokes of amour. But the idea of this company competing with the McSausage McBiscuit for a Mcbuck is an odd direction to take, in my view.

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Mickey Ds Cuts The Cheese...

Mediapost reports that McDonald's has changed the makeup of their dollar menu to replace the double cheeseburger with the McDouble, a burger with one instead of two slices of cheese.

Cheese prices is climbin', people!

The Dollar Menu has also been key in enabling McDonald's to draw in cash-strapped consumers during this trying economic year and continue showing increases in same-store sales in most recent months. QSR magazine reported an increase of 3.4% in U.S. same-store sales for the second quarter and a 5.3% U.S. same-store increase for the month of October (globally, same-store sales rose by 6.1% and 8.2% for those two respective periods).

"McDonald's had to simultaneously accomplish two very important objectives: Make sure that the value proposition continued to be strong enough to compete effectively with all of the other value menu options out there, and ensure that the margin was sufficient for its franchisees to make a fair profit," sums up Dennis Lombardi, EVP, foodservice strategies for WD Partners, a design and development firm for restaurants and retail chains. "Their solution was a compromise that achieves both requirements."


The other silver lining? 100 or so fewer calories! Those waistbands are probably ALREADY feeling a little loose!

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