Fast Food Trends: Our Predictions

Fast, Cheap & Totally Trend-Worthy

Looking for something different at the drive-thru? We've got our eye on some food trends that just might be making their way to a chicken, Mexican, or burger outpost near you. What's just over the border? Let's see...

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Mole -- Haute Chocolate

For the past few years, Americans' palates -- and pronunciation -- have been getting prepped for more authentic Mexican flavors. The success of the Chipotle restaurant chain and its title ingredient's smoky jalapeno bite in grocery store staples from ketchup to potato chips makes us think that it's time for the next bold step -- mole. Oaxaca, Mexico's signature sauce is a soulful blend of peppers, nuts or seeds, Mexican chocolate, and spices that vary from region to region, and plays equally well with chicken, pork, and beef. Our prediction: Taco Bell sauce packets in Mild, Medium & Mole

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Indian -- Curry In A Hurry

Subcontinental standards such as tikka masala, saag paneer and assorted curries have been a staple of American restaurant cuisine for decades, but have failed to make a similar inroad to home kitchens -- likely because key ingredients like ghee and cardamom aren't easily at hand. Enter convenience Indian food. At-home heat & eat frozen and shelf-stable meals are gaining a presence on grocery shelves, and acclimating our taste buds to the cuisine's idiosyncratic flavors. Fast food chains should take a tip from the enduring popularity of India's street stall snacks and introduce their own snack sides. Our prediction: Would you like a side of samosas with your Big Mac, sir?

Açai -- Berry Good

Pomegranates are sooooo 2006. This season's cure-all, antioxidant, omega-rich It-fruit is the açaí berry. Oprah and Dr. Perricone have raved about the Amazonian berry's "superfood" benefits, and it’s popping up everywhere in bottled juices and beverages like Snapple's Red Tea with Açaí Mixed Berry. Right now, the actual taste is almost as much a mystery to the American tongue as the fruit's pronunciation (ah-sigh-EE), but hey -- who ever would have thought the kiwi would catch on like it did? Our prediction: Soon, 7-11 Açaí Berry Slurpees will cure everything but brain freeze.

KFC -- Korean Fried Chicken

The Colonel has helmed the nation's army of chicken lovers since Kentucky Fried Chicken charged onto the fast food scene in 1952, but Korean fried chicken seems to be closing in quickly. The Asian alternative boasts a slightly more health-friendly batter-free skin, an option of hot or ginger-soy sauce, and a side of crunchy pickled radishes -- making the dish potentially more palatable to the nation's growing number of trans-fat phones. Right now, it's only available in Korean enclaves of major metro areas, but we're hoping for a coup. Our prediction: The KFC Famous Bowls line will have a new recruit -- Korean-Style Chicken & Kimchee on Rice

Still Hungry?

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