In Seattle, the 5 Spot restaurant recently took aim at trial lawyers who blame the food industry for consumers' expanding waistlines by requiring diners to sign a tongue-in-cheek liability waiver before ordering the Bulge, a sugarcoated, deep-fried banana with ice cream, macadamia nuts, whipped cream and chocolate and strawberry syrups.
The release form read, in part: "The 5 Spot will not be held liable in any way if the result of my eating this dessert leads to a 'Spare Tire,' 'Love Handles,' 'Saddle Bags,' or 'Junk in my Trunk.' If I have to go to 'Fat Camp' at some time in my life, I will not mail my bill to the 5 Spot."
In an ad campaign, Wienerschnitzel, part of Galardi Group Inc. of Newport Beach, urges customers to take control of their lives with its so-called Chili Dog Diet, a weight-loss plan that features no guilt or cravings. TV spots feature a self-proclaimed "tofu-intolerant" man explaining that the diet allows him to eat whatever he wants.
"People are fed up," said Doug Koegeboehn of Santa Ana-based DGWB Advertising & Communications, the firm that helped Wienerschnitzel create the campaign. "We've gotten some great responses from customers who say, 'It's about time someone said: Hey, come and enjoy the things you like to eat.' "
Hardee's wasn't trying to goad fast-food critics when it came up with the Monster Thickburger and was surprised by the frenzy it sparked, Haley said. The goal had been simply to make a burger that would match the quality of one served at a sit-down restaurant.
"It wasn't big for bigness' sake," said Haley, who declined to discuss sales figures.
During a recent lunch hour at a Carl's Jr. restaurant in Los Angeles, a handful of customers devoured the chain's 1-pound Double Six Dollar Burger.
Diner Mario Lopez Reyes said he wasn't worried about the 101 grams of fat and 1,420 calories. "It's very good," the 21-year-old painter from Los Angeles said between jaw-stretching bites.
At an adjacent table, Julio Cornejo was similarly unfazed by the 61 grams of fat and 1,060 calories in his Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger.
"It's big and it has beef in it," said the 45-year-old tile contractor from Chino. "If I was to make a burger at home, I would make it like that."
More fast fat is on the horizon. Starbucks this week is set to introduce Chantico, which a spokeswoman called "a drinkable dessert." At 6 ounces it's petite compared with the Monster Thickburger, but the steamed beverage delivers 20 grams of fat and 390 calories. The secret ingredient: cocoa butter.
