It seems like the burger chains have decided that the trend of offering lighter choices like deli sandwiches, salads and yogurt has come to an end. I noted this on the horizon when Burger King started testing the BK Stacker -- a pile of beef, cheese, bacon and sauce available from Double (fills you up), Triple (makes you skip lunch the next day) and Quad (causes your digestive system to shut down) size. It was a special item for a while but is now a part of the regular menu.

In my area, Wendy's is advertising the upcoming release of a burger called the Baconator -- which apparently has more bacon on it than beef. Again, no vegetables of any type will touch this thing, but it's not available as yet around here. Curently, Wendy's is still running a pair of Melt-type burgers, namely the Bacon Swiss Melt (more bacon) and the Steakhouse Melt. Both feature double patties with extra-big portions of cheese; the Bacon Melt obviously has bacon, and the Steakhouse Melt comes with mushrooms and sauce.

McDonalds is currently still on the health kick, more or less, since they have yet to unveil a new burger. That said, the deli sandwiches no longer have the vaunted front-of-store advertising pane in my area (it's now occupied by a giant picture of a Double Big Mac with the phrase "Big Time Burger" adornig it.)

I'm not sure if I should be pleased or not that the burger chains are finally coming back to the realization that people still eat burgers despite the healthy options. It's some ingrained desire in people that makes them want to eat a big pile of meat -- in fact, I have several strict vegetarian friends, and some of them have even commented that the look of these giant, plant-free burgers makes them hungry nonetheless. It helps that they make their burgers look wonderful in the pictures, right down to the highlights on the bun looking like a ray of light from heaven.

It just seems like every burger chain has thrown up their arms and said "Okay, screw the salads. It's time for the return of MEAT!" Even burger store ads that don't specifically mention one of the preemptive heart attacks I've mentioned is really trying to push the "burger" side instead fo the "alternative" side. Just as an example Harvey's is using "Meat. Fire. Good." as their current catchphrase. I really wonder where this new pro-meat attitude came from. I suppose it has to do with it not being the 90s anymore and society changing its attitudes, but the health kick is still strong everywhere else ...