Little-known stories
Which movie star annoyed customers at drive-thrus? Stories of food brands
Image: Alessandro D’Antonio
American food brands have some gifted storytellers behind them. So, naturally, many of us are familiar with the fabled facts about Coca-Cola’s secret recipe or the success story of Colonel Sanders. But do you remember stories about pizza delivered to outer space , a fictional spokesperson, or a rebranded National Monument? We’re here to explore some of the lesser-known facts behind our favorite food brands!
1
2
Jack In The Box
Image: Studbee
And speaking of outer space… Before Mark Hamill became Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, he once worked the drive-thru at Jack in the Box. He was quickly fired, though. Customers complained after he spoke to them using a clown-like voice.
Decades later, in 2022, Hamill reunited with the brand in a comeback ad promoting two revived fan favorites: Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks.
3
Taco Bell
Image: PJ Gal-Szabo
The company has pulled off some interesting marketing pranks over the years, but none as unforgettable as its 1996 April Fool’s joke announcing that it had purchased the Liberty Bell.
A full-page ad ran in major newspapers announcing the purchase of the historic bell to help reduce the national debt. The "Taco Liberty Bell" joke did not land well. It caused thousands of complaints; people contacted Taco Bell and the National Park Service demanding answers. Later that day, the company confirmed the story was a hoax, and the stunt went down as one of the most memorable marketing pranks of all time.
4
Domino’s Pizza
Image: Erick Galván
Back in the ’80s, when Domino’s expanded into Japan, the company ran into a problem: there was no Japanese word for "pepperoni." And, since it was the best-selling topping in the US, they could not risk leaving that pizza out of the menu! So, the brand had to coin a Japanese word for pepperoni. They went for ペパロニ (pronounced "peparoni").
5
Pizza Hut
Image: Joshua Hoehne
Pizza Hut has always been known for some memorable marketing stunts. When Back to the Future Part II hit theaters in 1989, the chain handed out "futuristic" sunglasses with every pie. In 1995, they recruited Donald Trump and Ivana Trump to introduce their first stuffed-crust pizza.
And who could forget the time, in 2001, when they delivered the first pizza ever sent into space, straight to the International Space Station (ISS)?
6
Starbucks
Image: Gema Saputera
Starbucks is such an iconic franchise that its presence can signal rising real-estate values. Studies show that neighborhoods with a new Starbucks often experience property-price increases above the usual rate.
Another interesting tidbit about the brand: inside its stores, employees are required to avoid wearing perfume, cologne, or other strong fragrances to prevent interfering with the aroma and taste of the coffee.
7
Coca-Cola
Image: Samuel Bryngelsson
From 1886 until 1959 (over seventy years!), a 6.5-oz glass or bottle of Coca-Cola cost exactly 5 cents. The company had strategic reasons for keeping the price so low and stable.
At the time, it was easier to get customers to insert a single nickel into vending machines rather than require multiple coins. The 5-cent price helped make Coca-Cola a simple, affordable choice.
8
McDonald’s
Image: Brett Jordan
The Golden Arches giant has had a long, sometimes on-, sometimes off-, relationship with Disney. McDonald’s began doing Happy Meal tie-ins with Disney characters in 1987 to promote Disney films.
For about ten years, the partnership was exclusive, but it fell off because Disney wanted to work with other food brands, and McDonald’s with other movie studios! Today, they still share a non-exclusive alliance.
9
Wendy’s
Image: Brian J. Tromp
Wendy’s square hamburger patties weren’t an accident; the idea reportedly came from a chain called Kewpee Hamburgers, a Kalamazoo favorite known for its square-shaped burgers. Founder Dave Thomas has said that as a child, he often ate at a Kewpee, and that those square patties inspired the look and feel of Wendy’s burgers.
Thomas had always loved those because corners poking out of the bun created the impression of a larger burger and made the meat easier to see.
10
KFC
Image: Aleks Dorohovich
KFC’s legendary "11 herbs & spices" recipe is kept under tight lock and key; the company splits the production of the spice mix between different suppliers so that no single person outside knows the full formula.
However, there was a time when Colonel Sanders offered that recipe at a very affordable price: he would license the recipe to restaurant owners for just 4 to 5 cents per chicken piece sold, giving them the right to cook and sell his secret-recipe chicken themselves.
11
Betty Crocker
Image: Lalada .
Betty Crocker was never a real person. Did you know? She was invented in 1921 by the Washburn-Crosby Company as a friendly, approachable name to respond to consumer letters.
Even though she was fictional, by 1945, Fortune magazine named "Betty Crocker" the second most famous woman in America, second only to Eleanor Roosevelt.
12
M&M
Image: Pixabay
There’s a long-standing debate about America’s favorite chocolate nuggets: Do different colors of M&M’s actually taste different? While many fans swear their favorite color has a distinct flavor, the brand consistently states that the only difference between colors is their dye; all other ingredients remain the same.
That said, some people claim that mini M&M’s taste sweeter than the regular ones. Some analyses suggest that mini M&M’s have a higher candy-shell-to-chocolate ratio, which could make them taste sweeter.
13
Heinz
Image: JEFERSON GOMES
Though ketchup is by far Heinz's flagship product, that was not the first one Henry J. Heinz sold. You probably could never guess what it was that he personally started selling back in 1869!
Horseradish! The first thing he ever sold, out of his house, under his name, was horseradish and other pickled goods like vinegar, sauerkraut, and pickles. This early business laid the groundwork for the now-famous condiments empire.
