The next time you pull up to a drive-thru window at your local fast food joint, think of this: 100-percent of the food you’re eating has been altered chemically in a corporate lab.
I’m not ranting over the subject nor am I throwing up a protest sign, on the contrary, I find R&D (Research and Development) fascinating. For instance, Wendy’s Research and Development teams use a combination of off the shelf McCormick spices and chemicals to concoct, to the minute detail and texture, the taste of everything from hamburgers to chicken tenders. Combinations are throughly tested and refined for that perfect taste that you so often hear about in marketing advertisements.
The key to this process of finding a new taste is the R&D sensory panels; handpicked ‘regular people’ who represent a specific percentage of the fast food eating public. These individuals are placed in tiny cubicles and are instructed not to talk to whomever is next to them, as to prevent any unfair criticism or biased opinions. The sensory panelists are then instructed to eat whatever item is in front of them, be it a special sauce or a potential new food item. Crackers are even provided to ‘cleanse the palette’ inbetween sessions, much like a restaurant’s use of fine wine or a mid-meal salad. Afterwards the panelists are then asked to answer a simple questionnaire.
These questions — much like those that are given to television preview panels — function as important pieces of the development puzzle. They might ask the panelist if they enjoyed the taste of the mustard sauce, or to describe the texture of the meat, and this direct input is tallied and carefully considered whether the item will be greenlighted or shelved.
Some examples of failed hamburger accessories are:
- Pepperoni
- Salami
- Canadian Bacon
- Feta Cheese
Salami on a hamburger patty? I just can’t stomach the thought.

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