restaurant on 84

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BREAKFAST -SERVED ALL DAY

From the griddle.

Add Bacon or Sausage Links, Taylor Ham or Turkey Sausage Patties $3.99 Extra / Add Canadian Bacon $4.50 Extra / Add 1 Egg 1.49 Extra / Add 2 Eggs $2.99 Extra

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

With Fresh Strawberries & Whipped Cream

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES (3)

Cherry or blueberry pancakes, chocolate chip pancakes, banana pancakes.

With Bananas and Walnuts Cooked Inside

CINNAMON APPLE PANCAKES

Topped with Cinnamon Apple Compote

FRENCH TOAST (3)

Banana french toast.

 With Bananas and Walnuts Cooked Inside 

CINNAMON RAISIN FRENCH TOAST

Cinnamon apple french toast.

 Topped with Cinnamon Apple Compote 

FRENCH TOAST

 With Fresh Strawberries & Whipped Cream 

CANNOLI FRENCH TOAST

3 Layers of French Toast Stuffed With Cannoli Cream & Chocolate Chips, Topped With Powdered Sugar & Whipped Cream

BELGIAN WAFFLE

Belgian waffle sundae.

With Ice Cream and Whipped Cream

With Fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Topped w/ Bananas, Walnuts and Whipped Cream

FRIED CHICKEN (20 oz.) & WAFFLES

Extra large farm fresh eggs.

Served With Potatoes, Toast & Jelly / Add Bacon or Sausage Links, Taylor Ham or Turkey Sausage Patties $3.29 Extra / Add Canadian Bacon $4.50 Extra / Substitute Fruit Salad Instead of Potatoes $2.49 Extra

TWO EGGS ANY STYLE

Corned beef hash & eggs, hamburger & eggs, pastrami or corned beef & eggs, virginia ham steak & eggs, steak & eggs any style, gyro meat & eggs, tasty and fluffy 3 egg omelettes.

Substitute Egg Whites or Egg Beaters $1.00 Extra / Add Choice of Cheese: Provolone,American,Swiss, Mozzarella $1.25 Extra / Add Mushrooms $1.00 Extra / Add Onion or Peppers or Tomatoes $.50 extra / Add Bacon or Ham or Sausage Cooked Into Omelette $1.69 Extra / Substitute Fruit Salad Instead of Potatoes $2.49 Extra

AMERICAN CHEESE

Swiss cheese, florentine (spinach & feta), feta cheese, corned beef, green pepper & onion, specialty eggs, chicken fajita omelette.

Grilled Chicken, Onions, Peppers, Cheddar Jack Cheese and Served With Salsa & Sour Cream

HUEVOS RANCHEROS

Flour Tortilla Stuffed with Scrambled Aggs, Tomato,Peppers, Onions,Bacon or Ham or Sausage and Melted American Cheese. Served With Home Fries

EGGS BENEDICT FLORENTINE

2 Poached Eggs on a Toasted English Muffin w/ Tomato, Spinach & Feta, Topped w/ Hollandaise Sauce. Served With Home Fries

CAPTAIN'S BREAKFAST

Sliced Nova Scotia Lox on a Toasted English Muffin w/ 2 Poached Eggs, Topped With Hollandaise Sauce. Served w/ Potatoes

EGGS BENEDICT

2 Poached Eggs on a Toasted English Muffin w/ Canadian Bacon, Topped with Hollandaise Sauce. Served w/ Home Fries

JERSEY BENEDICT

 2 Poached Eggs on a Toasted English Muffin w/ Taylor Ham, Topped with Hollandaise Sauce. Served w/ Home Fries 

IRISH EGGS BENEDICT

 2 Poached Eggs on a Toasted English Muffin w/ Corned Beef Hash, Topped with Hollandaise Sauce. Served w/ Home Fries  

CALIFORNIA BENEDICT

 2 Poached Eggs on a Toasted English Muffin w/Avocado, Tomato Tpooed w/ Hollandaise Sauce. Served w/ Home Fries  

84 OMELETTE SPECIAL

Cooked with Bacon, Sausage and Greek Feta Cheese Inside

BREAKFAST WRAPS

All below Served w/Home Fries or Salad or Cup of Soup / Egg Whites or Egg Beaters $1.00 Extra / Substitute Sweet Potato Fries or Onion Rings $2.49 Extra

Scrambled Eggs w/ Bacon & Cheese

 Scrambled Eggs w/ Ham & Cheese 

 Scrambled Eggs w/ Spinach and Feta Cheese 

 Scrambled Eggs w/ Bacon , Potato, Feta Cheese, Sausage

 Scrambled Eggs w/ Ham, Onion, Peppers and American Cheese

Scrambled Eggs w/ Grilled Chicken Breast, Cheddar Cheese and a Mild Salsa

Scrambled Eggs w/Gyro, Tomato and Tzatziki Sauce

Scrambled Eggs w/ Turkey and Swiss Cheese

Scrambled Eggs w/ Bacon, Cheddar and Avocado

Grilled Chicken, Onions, Peppers, Cheddar Jack Cheese. Served with Salsa & Sour Cream

Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Ham, Mushrooms & Shredded Cheddar

BUFFALO CHICKEN

Scrambled Eggs, Buffalo Chicken and Cheddar Cheese

FOR NUTELLA AND SMORES LOVERS

Nutella pancakes (3), nutella pancakes plus.

With Fresh Strawberries or Bananas

SMORES CAMPFIRE PANCAKES

With Marshmallow Cream, Chocolate Chips And Chocolate Syrup

NUTELLA FRENCH TOAST (3)

Nutella french toast plus....

With Strawberries or Bananas

NUTELLA WAFFLE (3)

Nutella waffles plus..., smores campfire waffles, breakfast delights, biscuit topped w/ sausage gravy, greek yogurt.

With fresh Banana or Fresh Strawberries or Fruit Cup

Choice of Cheese or Cherry or Blueberry

Served with Sour Cream

BAGEL AND LOX

Bagel and lox with cream cheese.

Pricing Subject To Change And Cannot Be Guaranteed Accurate

Copyright © 2020 Thei84diner - All Rights Reserved.

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5 Incredible Food Destinations Just off of I-84

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If you're traveling east of the Hudson Valley and need something to eat, you might want to check out one of these incredible food destinations right off of I-84.

I spend lots of time visiting family in Connecticut and know just how miserable that ride on Route 84 can be. Whether it's the never ending construction in Waterbury or the unexplained traffic backups in Danbury, the trip can be unbearable.

Including one of these incredible food destinations to your itinerary, however, might make turn that boring road trip into something actually worth looking forward to.

Ted's Restaurant Named one of the best burger spots in the country, Ted's unique cheeseburgers aren't grilled or fried. Instead, they're steamed in specially made metal trays. The steamed cheeseburgers are like none other. Blocks of cheddar are melted separately and then drizzled on the burger after it's done. The sandwich just melts in your mouth and pairs perfectly with Ted's legendary home fries. Just take exit 27 on to Route 691 in Meriden and Ted's isn't too far away on Broad Street . There's also a newer location on Berlin Road in Cromwell, but it's a little further away from I-84.

Nardelli's Grinder Shoppe There are actually 13 locations of this legendary sandwich shop throughout Connecticut, but the one in Waterbury actually sits right on I-84 , convenient for a quick bite while on the road. Founded in 1922, Nardelli's isn't your average sandwich shop. With hot and cold creations sandwiched between fresh baked rolls, it's worth the stop for sure. Just make sure not to order a "sub" sandwich. When you're in this part of Connecticut they're called "grinders."

Blue Colony Diner There are tons of diners easily accessible from I-84, but one of the best is right near Danbury. The Blue Colony Diner in Newtown is a favorite for many travelers looking for a quick, solid meal. All of their baked goods are also made right in the restaurant and everything is always fresh. Easily accessible, the Blue Colony is just off of exit 10 in either direction .

Shady Glen While not technically right off of Route 84, this unique spot is well worth the short detour through East Manchester. After traveling through Hartford just jump on exit 60 and head east on 44 to Middle Turnpike. This old school ice cream shop is famous for their fried cheeseburgers. Using a specially blended cheese, the over-sized slice melts on the burger while the corners turn into a crispy kind of "cheese chip" on the fryer. It's hard to explain (and a little intimidating the first time you see it), but a trip to the Shady Glen is something everyone should experience at least once. Wash down this unique burger with a milkshake and some fries and you'll understand why it's a local landmark..

Rein's Deli You probably wouldn't expect to find a New York style deli this far into Connecticut, but Rein's is the real deal. Located right off of exit 65 in Vernon , Rein's Deli has everything you're looking for in a deli. Corned beef, pastrami, big fat pickles and all of your favorite sandwich items are piled high on each plate. Make sure to leave room for their homemade desserts like ruggalach, rice pudding and a cheese cake that gives Junior's a run for its money.

These are just five of the incredible food destinations you'll find off of Route 84 in Connecticut. Have you found any other hidden gems we should know about? Feel free to share your favorites below in the comments section.

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The best Chinese restaurant in Albuquerque, according to diners—plus, see the runners-up

Posted: May 22, 2024 | Last updated: May 22, 2024

Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Albuquerque, according to Tripadvisor

Chinese food consistently ranks at the top of favorite cuisines in the U.S. year after year (often neck and neck with Mexican food as the #1 favorite). In fact, there are more than 40,000 across all 50 states.

However, most Chinese food you find in the U.S. is really American-Chinese food, and many of the most popular Chinese dishes were created in the U.S. , including General Tso's chicken and chop suey.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Albuquerque on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Read on to see the most popular Chinese restaurants in your area.

#25. Fan Tang

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (84 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.5/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 3523 Central Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106-1433 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. 328 Chinese Cuisine

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (13 reviews) - Detailed ratings: not available - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 5617 Menaul Blvd NE Ste A, Albuquerque, NM 87110-3243 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. Fu Yuang Korean & Chinese

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (42 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 3107 Eubank Blvd NE Ste 16, Albuquerque, NM 87111-4874 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. ABC Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (27 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (2.5/5) - Price: $ - Address: 8720 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112-2226 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Buffet King

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (50 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 5410 Academy Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109-3302 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Fai Wong

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (26 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5) - Price: $ - Address: 6300 North Coors, Albuquerque, NM - Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Ho Lo MA Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (16 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 8624 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112-2224 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Rose Garden

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (14 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5) - Price: $ - Address: 6541 Paradise Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114-6158 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Joy Cuisine

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (19 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5) - Price: $ - Address: 2842 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110-2806 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Golden Chopsticks

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (30 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5) - Price: $ - Address: 12251 Academy Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111-8051 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Chen's Chinese Food Restaurant

- Rating: 3.5 / 5 (56 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 235 Juan Tabo Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87123-3042 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. China Luck Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (29 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (3.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 7900 San Pedro Dr NE Suite 81, Albuquerque, NM 87109-4672 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Dragon House

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (30 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5) - Price: $ - Address: 10200 Corrales Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114-9268 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Chopstix

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (36 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.0/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 6001 Lomas Blvd NE Ste L, Albuquerque, NM 87110-6618 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. Jade Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (30 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5) - Price: $ - Address: 8001 Wyoming Blvd NE Ste C4, Albuquerque, NM 87113-2012 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Szechwan Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (39 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 1605 Juan Tabo Blvd NE Ste M, Albuquerque, NM 87112-4459 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Eat First Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (20 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (5.0/5), Service (5.0/5), Value (5.0/5) - Price: not available - Address: 3250 Coors Blvd NW Ste B, Albuquerque, NM 87120-1270 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. East Ocean

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (33 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (3.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.0/5) - Price: $ - Address: 3601 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110-1644 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Yummi House

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (17 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.5/5) - Price: $ - Address: 1404 Eubank Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112-4111 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#6. Happy Garden

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (19 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (5.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 13170 Central Ave SE Ste D, Albuquerque, NM 87123-5549 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Tsai's Chinese Bistro

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (21 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (5.0/5), Value (5.0/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 2325 San Pedro Dr NE Suite 1E, Albuquerque, NM 87110-4120 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Ming Dynasty

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (76 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 1551 Eubank Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112-4112 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. P.F. Chang's

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (214 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (3.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 4440 The 25 Way NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109-5851 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Budai Gourmet Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0 / 5 (122 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5) - Price: $$ - $$$ - Address: 6300 San Mateo Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109-3553 - Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Rising Star Chinese Eatery

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (89 reviews) - Detailed ratings: Food (4.0/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5) - Price: $ - Address: 7001 San Antonio Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109-4873 - Read more on Tripadvisor

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of 2003 sexual assault in lawsuit

NEW YORK (AP) — A former model accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her at his New York City recording studio in 2003 in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the latest in a series of  allegations  against the embattled hip-hop mogul.

Crystal McKinney said she was a successful 22-year-old model when she met Combs at a restaurant during Men’s Fashion Week in Manhattan. Combs invited her to his recording studio later that night, according to the federal complaint filed in New York City.

The lawsuit alleges that McKinney arrived to find Combs drinking and smoking joints with several other men. She smoked some marijuana, which she “later came to understand” was laced with a narcotic or intoxicating substance, the lawsuit says. She felt as though she was floating. Combs led her to the bathroom, where the sexual assault took place, according to the lawsuit.

Combs led her back to the studio and she lost consciousness, the lawsuit says. She later awakened in a taxi and realized that she had been sexually assaulted, according to the lawsuit.

Combs’ representatives did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment.

The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as McKinney has done.

WARNING: The video is graphic and may be disturbing to some viewers.

The lawsuit was filed days  after CNN aired  a security video that shows Combs attacking singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016. Combs on Sunday  released a video  admitting he attacked Cassie in the hotel hallway, saying he was “truly sorry” and his actions were “inexcusable.”

Combs is not in danger of being criminally prosecuted for the beating because of the statute of limitations.

A lawsuit filed by Cassie in November alleging beatings and abuse  was settled  a day after it was filed. But it spurred intense scrutiny of Combs, with several more lawsuits filed in the following months, along with a federal criminal sex-trafficking investigation that led authorities to raid Combs’ mansions in Los Angeles and Miami.

The claim on Tuesday was filed under a New York City law that allows accusers to file civil litigation during a limited window even if the events allegedly happened long ago.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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PEKIN, Elektrostal - Lenina Ave. 40/8 - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

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Fast Food Forever: How McHaters Lost the Culture War

“Super Size Me” helped lead a backlash against McDonald’s. Twenty years on, the industry is bigger than ever.

Credit... Ben Wiseman

Supported by

By Brian Gallagher

• May 12, 2024

The camera zooms in on a large woman, sitting on a cooler at the beach. It cuts to a shirtless man, also quite large, his face blurred out. The next shot shows another overweight man, sitting on a beach towel with plastic grocery bags arrayed in front of him.

“America has now become the fattest nation in the world. Congratulations,” a voice narrates. “Nearly 100 million Americans are today either overweight or obese.” At the end of this soliloquy, the opening credits roll — accompanied by Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls.”

So begins “ Super Size Me ,” which was released 20 years ago this month.

Directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, the bootstrapped, lo-fi documentary was a smash hit, grossing more than $22 million on a $65,000 budget. Following Mr. Spurlock as he ate nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days — and the ill effects that diet had on his health — the film became the high-water mark in a tide of sentiment against fast food. McDonald’s, specifically, became a symbol for the glossy hegemony of American capitalism both at home and abroad.

“McJobs” became a term for low-paying, dead-end positions, “McMansions” for garish, oversize houses. In 1992, the political theorist Benjamin Barber used the term “McWorld” as shorthand for emergent neoliberal dominance; seven years later, protesters against the World Trade Organization seemed to agree, launching a newspaper box through a McDonald’s window during the “Battle of Seattle” marches.

Two years after that, Eric Schlosser’s “ Fast Food Nation ” was published. A broad indictment of the entire fast-food industry, the best seller accused the industry of being bad for the environment, rife with labor issues, culturally flattening and culinarily fattening.

That last point was the primary focus for Mr. Spurlock’s stunt. Awareness was raised, alarms were sounded and nightly news segments ensued. Six weeks after the film’s release, McDonald’s discontinued its Super Size menu, though a company spokesman said at the time that the film had “nothing to do with that whatsoever.”

It would have been easy to call the cultural moment a brand crisis for fast food.

But two decades later, not only is McDonald’s bigger than ever, with nearly 42,000 global locations, but fast food in general has boomed. There are now some 40 chains with more than 500 locations in the United States. Fast food is the second-largest private employment sector in the country, after hospitals, and 36 percent of Americans — about 84 million people — eat fast food on any given day. The three major appeals of fast food remain intact: It’s cheap, it’s convenient and people like the way it tastes.

“I used to own shares of McDonald’s,” said Jay Zagorsky , a professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business who has studied fast food in America. “Around the time of ‘Super Size Me,’ I sold off the shares, and now I’m saying to myself why? That was one of the greatest stocks.”

He’s right. The stock price of McDonald’s hit an all-time high in January, and has gone up nearly 1,000 percent since “Super Size Me” came out — nearly twice the return of the S&P 500.

While the sector’s financial performance was largely unaffected, there was a very real image problem, to the point that fast-food companies were compared to Big Tobacco . A big part of that problem had to do with children, who were seen not as informed consumers but rather as victims of their parents’ choices, the industry’s predatory advertising, or both. In fact, the inspiration for “Super Size Me” was a lawsuit filed by two New York City parents against McDonald’s, claiming that the company’s food had made their children severely obese.

In the end, the chains handled the brand crisis with the very tool — their most powerful — that had caused the problem in the first place: marketing.

‘Stop Listening to the Haters’

Historically, fast-food companies have been very astute about marketing to children, realizing decades ago that creating customers early means creating customers for life. At the peak of his fame in the 1980s, Ronald McDonald was in some countries more recognizable to children than Mickey Mouse. In 2000, 90 percent of children ages 6 to 9 visited a McDonald’s in a given month.

But as Frances Fleming-Milici, the director of marketing initiatives at the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, put it, “If it’s marketed to children, it’s probably bad for you.”

That became increasingly clear in the mid-2000s. Childhood obesity rates had nearly tripled in 25 years, and the public outcry was growing more urgent. A consortium of large food brands, including McDonald’s, Burger King, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, tried to get out in front of the problem. They formed the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative , and the participating corporations self-imposed limits on advertising to children under 13 (later 12).

In place of that marketing to children, though, the big fast-food chains have found something arguably more potent, with McDonald’s, as ever, leading the way.

“They’re hyperfocusing on what they call fan-favorite moments, trying to essentially identify how we emotionally connect to McDonald’s,” said Kaitlin Ceckowski, who researches fast-food marketing strategies at Mintel, a market research agency. “What ‘human truths’ exist around their brand?”

That “human truths” idea — essentially, the genuine emotional resonance of eating McDonald’s — originated in part from Wieden+Kennedy and the Narrative Group, the two creative agencies that the chain hired in 2019 and 2020.

As W+K New York’s co-chief creative officer, Brandon Henderson, explained to AdAge in March, “When we first started with McDonald’s, they were hesitant to be themselves and had been listening to the haters since the ‘Super Size Me’ documentary. I think the big shift we gave them was to stop listening to the haters and listen to the fans.”

For the agencies, the lodestar of that strategy was the idea that “No matter who you are, everyone has a McDonald’s order.”

A Universal Experience

It turns out that years of saturating American childhood with fast food has paid real dividends. The 6-to-9-year-olds in that 2000 statistic are now younger millennials, among the group with the highest rate of fast-food consumption today. They have a lifetime of memories that connect them to fast-food brands, and to McDonald’s in particular.

All that needed to be done was to connect the power of that comfort and nostalgia to the power of celebrity. Fast food isn’t just cheap, accessible calories; it’s a universal experience. You’re eating the same fries as your idols.

That idea animated a 2020 Super Bowl ad that showed the McDonald’s orders of famous people both real (Kim Kardashian) and not (Dracula). That spot led, in turn, to a phenomenally successful campaign designed around the preferred orders of celebrities. The first of these, the Travis Scott menu, featured the go-to meal of the Houston rapper and doubled sales of Quarter Pounders in the first week. As a result, the market capitalization of McDonald’s went up by $10 billion.

Other chains have followed suit, with partnerships between Megan Thee Stallion and Popeyes, Ice Spice and Dunkin’, Justin Bieber and Tim Hortons, and Lil Nas X and Taco Bell, which named the pop star its “chief impact officer.”

“It’s not directly targeting children, but let’s be clear: The celebrity meals are for BTS, Travis Scott, Cardi B and J Balvin,” said Ms. Ceckowski. “These are people who resonate with younger audiences.”

They are also celebrities who resonate in particular with younger audiences of color, who tend to have higher rates of fast-food consumption than white consumers.

So while the vast majority of fast-food marketing is no longer aimed at children, per se — the ad budget expressly for kids’ meals and healthy menu items represents just 2 percent of the total spending — that only means that children are now going after the menu items they are seeing advertised. According to a Rudd Center study , this means they are simply ordering from the adult menu at a younger age.

In that same study, 20 percent of parents reported buying additional items for their children, which at Wendy’s could mean an order of fries to round out a meal that comes with apple slices, or at McDonald’s a soda to accompany a Happy Meal that now features only milk.

“If you look at where they put their ad dollars, it’s really just the highest-calorie items,” Ms. Fleming-Milici said. “These healthier menu items appear to be a bit of a public relations effort.”

In the age of social media, brands don’t even have to advertise expressly to children anyway, in the way they might have in the past, by buying a slot during Saturday-morning cartoons or on Nickelodeon. On TikTok and Instagram, kids of all ages see the same content we all do.

Younger people are also making content of their own, getting in on the marketing campaigns with thousands of videos of themselves ordering, unwrapping, eating — a sort of advertising Amway .

‘A Form of Civic Participation’

We may be living in a new era of social-media-driven viral marketing in the palms of millennial hands, but what hasn’t really changed is the food.

The Wendy’s Baconator, for instance, was introduced in 2007, three years after “Super Size Me” came out, and it remains one of the chain’s most popular items. A protein conglomeration of a half-pound of beef, six pieces of bacon and two slices of cheese, each burger delivers 1,010 calories and 67 grams of fat.

Burger King offers a triple Whopper, which carries similar nutritional values, even without the optional bacon and cheese. And at Chipotle, a brand often held up as evidence of healthier fast-food tastes, a standard chicken burrito can easily contain 1,100 calories. The classic Big Mac remains basically intact, at a relatively tame 590 calories.

There are still efforts to steer Americans, particularly American children, away from these options. In April, Senators Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker and Peter Welch introduced the Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act , which would ban advertising junk food to children and require stronger health and nutrition warning labels. The law “would take on the greed of the food and beverage industry and address the growing diabetes and obesity epidemics negatively impacting millions of American children and families across the country,” according to a news release from Mr. Sanders.

Fast food may be a tough habit to legislate away, though. In 2016, 91 percent of parents reported buying lunch or dinner for their child in the past week from one of the four biggest chains — a significant increase compared with the 79 percent who did in 2010 and the 83 percent in 2013.

The problem may be that while we are often scolded for eating at these restaurants, we are more often encouraged. There is a vast network of enticement — from huge marketing budgets, to family traditions, to just the tastiness of the meals — that pushes diners toward the drive-through.

In its harsh depiction of American obesity, “Super Size Me” seemed to judge individuals for their failure to resist that machine. But according to Virgie Tovar , who has written books about weight discrimination, that’s an unfair indictment — especially when applied to consumers for whom a trip to McDonald’s might well offer the most accessible version of the American dream.

“People in my generation, and certainly Gen Z, probably aren’t going to be homeowners,” Ms. Tovar said. “Job insecurity is really high. All these markers of what it means to be a successful American are increasingly inaccessible to these younger generations. And I think about the things that are : They’re these cheaper consumer goods, and some of them are food.”

Eating McDonald’s, she said, should be seen as “a form of civic participation — whether we want to admit it or not.”

Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .

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Mads Refslund’s creative ideas at the Brooklyn restaurant ILIS can be dreamily seductive, even if the execution isn’t always as compelling , Pete Wells, our dining critic, writes .

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The Best 10 Restaurants near US-84

1 .  Maydelle Video & More Cafe

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2 .  Country Cafe

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4 .  Shellie’s Sandwich Shop

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"DON'T YOU DARE let the fact that this place is in a dumpy gas station stop you. Or the fact that it is in the middle of nowhere... Or that it might not be the cleanest looking on the outside... Or any other reason. Get off the highway. Stop the car. Go back in time to when food was great and prices were reasonable. This is THE place to go in the area. TRULY awesome food...just like Mama used to make! A MUST EAT!!!!"

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