McDonald's & Wendy's Salads (...From The Drive-Thru)

I opted for Wendy's and McDonald's (for a salad). And while fast-food salads aren't much to speak of (...no surprise there), I was pleasantly surprised with the quick service I received both times at the drive-thru window.

It's as if they're actually TRYING to get cars in and out quickly. Imagine that!

So, kudos to McDonald's and Wendy's for giving the people what they want: Fresh food... fast. (Well, okay... at least they've got the "fast" part down.)

McDonald's vs Wendy's Salads

For the record, the McDonald's salad (Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch) blew Wendy's salad (Chicken BLT) away!

However!... Maybe I should've opted for the cheeseburger instead of the salad after all. Here's why.

The Big Mac, McDonald's signature sandwich, boasts 590 calories and 34 grams of fat while the Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken and ranch dressing has 660 calories and 51 grams of fat. Source: The Exponent

...Well I de-clare!

Humor: Fast-Food vs Dog Food

Perhaps I should just resort to eating dog food the next time I'm craving fast-food. Word is, tins of pet food might actually be better for you than fast food anyway! (Don't laugh... some people actually eat pet food as part of their regular diet.)

UPDATE 3/30/06:
After enjoying the Bacon Ranch salad from McDonald's for several days in a row now, I'd have to say that I'm officially addicted! However, I've managed to try these salads from three different McDonald's locations where I live... and what a difference!!!

A review of McDonald's Salads from locations near me:

• Franklin, TN (New HWY 96) - EXCELLENT salad. Chicken was very crispy on the outside and tender and hot on the inside. FRESH salad leaves, with primarily a misture of spring greens rather than iceberg lettuce. LOTS of bacon and cheese (what gives this salad its name).
• Nashville, TN (Broadway downtown) - The "crispy chicken" I ordered turned out to be "grilled" -- which was a huge disappointment after leaving the drive-thru. Chicken was fatty and slightly undercooked with strange seasonings. There was hardly any bacon & cheese -- which made this just like any salad with spring greens.
• Nashville, TN (Metro Center) - The worst yet... Crispy chicken that was slightly undercooked. Mostly iceburg lettuce leaves, rather than spring greens. And a majority of the lettuce was brown ...a sign that it was far from fresh. Again, hardly any bacon and cheese toppings. And worse yet: No French dressing at this McDonald's! They weren't out, they just don't stock it. (The cobb dressing was just so-so.)

  So, I'm sticking with the best. Fortunately the McDonald's that serves the best salads is also the one closest to my home. I'm glad I had the best first -- otherwise, I'm fairly certain that I never would gotten a 2nd Bacon Ranch salad from McDonald's... ever!

  Since I watched them cut a whole piece of cooked chicken into slices and place it on my salad (heated) at one of the locations, I know that at least this part of the process is done manually -- as it is ordered. Whether or not all McDonald's salads are pre-packaged and shipped to the stores, or whether each store pre-makes its own salads a day or two in advance, I do not know. (I tend to think it is the latter.)

  
  UPDATE 6/19/06:
  My latest addiction?... The McDonald's Fruit & Walnut Salad! It's filling enough for a meal itself, but I often get it as a "healthy" dessert or snack (...at a cost of 310 calories). And, yes, I do realize those sugar-coated "candied walnuts" are FAR from healthy!

  The Fruit & Walnut Premium Salad includes premium fresh fruit: USDA #1 sliced apples and red seedless grapes, with a side of low-fat vanilla yogurt and candied Diamond walnuts to sprinkle on top. The new Fruit & Walnut Premium Salad is part of McDonald's on-going commitment to encourage food-energy balance. Source: Venus Williams' official website

  Here's some interesting dialogue about McDonald's salads.

  Here's a funny little "interview with a McDonald's Fruit & Walnut salad". (Say what?!)

  Are you ready to gain some weight with a fast-food salad?