Latest news with #Lent
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Fishy McDonald's Menu Item That Was Discontinued After Only Three Months
The Filet-o-Fish has been a McDonald's mainstay for decades, debuting nationwide in 1965 after a Cincinnati branch created it because of sales tanking on Fridays during Lent. The iconic cheese- and tartar sauce-topped fish sandwich has stood the test of time, but it isn't the only seafood menu option McDonald's has ever had. The fast food giant has tried out others over the years, including fried fish nuggets called Fish McBites that disappeared after only three months. McDonald's was looking for ways to rev up sales amid a decline when it put Fish McBites on the menu in the U.S. in February 2013, also coinciding with Lent, when Catholics can't eat meat on Fridays. It had tested the bite-sized fish in a few markets a year earlier, after the success at the time of its Chicken McBites. Small pieces of Alaska pollock (the same real fish used for the Filet-o-Fish) were breaded and fried, with a seasoned coating that included dried garlic, dried onion, and spices. You could buy a 10-McBite snack size, 15-piece regular, or 30-piece shareable, and they came in a carton that fit in a car's cupholder, with a slot on top to hold the tartar sauce mini-cup. There was also a Fish McBites Happy Meal for kids, with company research showing moms wanted more seafood from McDonald's. Fish McBites were introduced as a limited-time item, but that can always change if a product takes off. However, despite the ad campaign's catchy "Fishy Fishy!" jingle, customers didn't warm up to them, and they came off the menu in April 2013. Read more: Fast Food Chains That Serve The Highest And Lowest Quality Fish Sandwiches Despite Fish McBites never becoming popular, there are still fans who want McDonald's to bring them back. A petition launched in 2019 that called for a return of the "really delicious" fish nuggets garnered 965 signatures. Supportive comments were posted as recently as 2024, including one calling them "delicate, delectable delicacies." McDonald's never responded. McBites may be long gone in the U.S., but a close copy surfaced in the U.K. and Ireland in 2024, available only at some locations. Called Fish Bites -- minus the "Mc" -- they're very similar, if not quite identical. They're also breaded, fried fish nuggets made with Alaska pollock, however the coating appears to be plain, with no dried garlic, onion, or spices among the ingredients. A few McDonald's fans also remember a super-obscure seafood item from around the same time called Shrimp McBites. A Redditor posted about them looking for information after coming up empty in online searches. One respondent said they emailed McDonald's, and the company answered, saying they were breaded, fried whole shrimp with mild salt and pepper flavor that came with cocktail sauce. But if you blinked, you missed them. They were only sold in three Illinois McDonald's locations for less than five weeks, from March 25 to April 29, 2013. Anyone really interested in trying a McDonald's shrimp offering, however, could always hop a plane to Japan, where Mickey D's serves an unbeatable shrimp burger. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
Irish Examiner
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
In pictures: Rory Gallagher's early years - confirmation, first press shot, Taste
Cork Rocks For Rory is a citywide event that marks the 30th anniversary of Rory Gallagher's passing in June 1995. A number of exhibitions, concerts, discussions, etc, will take place in Cork over the next few weeks. Confirmation Day, South Mall, Cork, 1960: Rory Gallagher and his mother on his confirmation day at the South Mall in Cork. Picture courtesy of the Gallagher family 'Rory and his mother, Monica, on the day of his confirmation, standing on the South Mall, looking back towards Cork City Library in the background. Rory is wearing short pants, which all schoolboys would have worn at the time, a cap from his school, the North Mon, and a suit my mother bought for him, although for Rory, even in his showband days, wearing a uniform was never the done thing for him.' Competition Winner, Academy St, Cork, 1961: Rory Gallagher on the roof of the Irish Examiner building on Academy Street in 1961. Picture: Irish Examiner Archive 'Rory won a talent contest at Cork City Hall. It was part of the Ideal Homes exhibition. They had heats for it up in the balcony, which was curtained off. They built a small stage. I remember being there with him. He did two numbers, including Lonnie Donegan's The Grand Coulee Dam. The guy doing compere said he couldn't get over the fire and energy that Rory put into the performance. Somebody from the Evening Echo wanted to get a picture of Rory so he was brought to the Examiner's Academy St office. The photographer took him onto the roof because the light was better. It was Rory's first photo in the press.' Showband Days, The 32 Club, North London, 1965: Rory Gallagher, second from right, on stage with the Fontana showband in the 32 Club in London in 1965. Picture courtesy of the Gallagher family 'This is a picture of the Fontana showband. As far as I know, it was taken at the 32 Club, which was a venue for showbands in north London. Rory must have been 17 years' old at the most. Rory is on the right-hand side, behind the microphone. You can tell it's him because of the guitar – he's got this Stratocaster. The band used to go over and play gigs in England, usually at Lent, because they couldn't play in Ireland during Lent.' Cavern Club, Leitrim St, Cork, 1966: Rory Gallagher with the Taste outside the Cavern Club on Leitrim Street in Cork in 1966. Picture courtesy of the Gallagher family 'This is Taste on Leitrim St in Cork. You can see the chimney stack in the background, which is the old Murphy's brewery. Rory's on the left. The centre guy is Eric Ketteringham, the bass player, and on the right, Norman Damery, the drummer. They're outside the Cavern Club where they did a residency. Behind them is their old VW van, with its split screen. At that time, the band would have been booked around Munster, the odd gig in Dublin, and then trying to break through up to Belfast. I did travel in that VW van with them up to Belfast. It was quite fun, but cold in the winter though because of the engine being at the back.' Isle of Wight Festival (on stage), 1970: Rory Gallagher and Taste at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970. Picture courtesy of the Gallagher family 'This is a backstage shot at Taste's Isle of Wight performance, taken looking out at the audience, which no one could put a number on. I've seen figures suggesting it was 100,000 people, with people camped up on the hills. Oddly enough, it was the day the band decided to split up. Rory was unhappy with the management. There was a lot of tension. There was a very early start, getting out of London, to get down to the ferry to get out to the island. When they got there, the manager was there and there were all sorts of disputes, but it was the biggest day of their lives. They put things to one side. They said, 'OK, this will be the last one. Let's make the best of it,' which they did. The band did several encores. They stole the show.' Isle of Wight Festival (backstage), 1970: Rory Gallagher and Taste at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970. Picture by John Minihan, courtesy of the Gallagher family 'This is Rory in his check shirt. Richard McCracken is in the middle with his arms around both guys, the drummer, John Wilson, being on the right. That picture was taken by the famous photographer, John Minihan. John was there at the Isle of Wight festival covering it, probably for the Daily Mail. It's backstage after their performance. They played in the afternoon. John was so proud, being Irish. He made his way backstage. He wanted to get the picture.' The exhibition, Rory's Early Impact - Rory Gallagher's Early Years in Cork up to Taste MK2, is at the Atrium, Cork City Council offices, June 14 to July 4, as part of the Cork Rocks For Rory event. Cork Rocks for Rory Gallagher's 30th Anniversary: Five highlights Rory Gallagher's Early Years in Cork up to Taste MK2, Atrium, Cork City Council's New Civic Offices, June 14-July 4: photographic exhibition capturing images of Rory Gallagher's rise, including his showband apprenticeship, up to 1970 and his years with Taste. 'The Continental Op' – The Global Musician, Cork Public Museum, June 14 – December 2025: exhibition cataloguing Rory Gallagher's tour memorabilia, concert posters and some of his guitars, music instruments and amps. Lyrics, Vinyl & Visuals – Rory Gallagher; the Man and His Interests, Cork City Library, June 14 – August 24: exhibition examining Rory Gallagher's influences, including hand-written drafts of his songs; his private record collection, among them Buddy Holly and Muddy Waters albums, and his book collection. Taste at the Isle of Wight 1970, Triskel Arts Centre, 7pm, June 26: screening of Oscar winner Murray Lerner's iconic documentary of Taste's performance at one of the all-time great music festivals, including rare footage and interviews with Bob Geldof, The Edge and Brian May. Joe Bonamassa Plays Rory Gallagher, Live At The Marquee, 8pm, July 1-3: legendary American blues guitarist runs through the canon of one of his heroes. Promises to be three special nights. Read More Rory Gallagher and the town he loved so well: Early days in Cork
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Black church leader calls for Dollar General digital protest, Target fast successful
The Georgia pastor who led a 40-day boycott of Target is turning his attention to another major retailer: Dollar General. Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, announced a new electronic protest against the discount chain, saying it has abandoned DEI policies. Bryant says Dollar General benefits from the spending power of Black and low-income shoppers but fails to reinvest in the communities it serves. He's calling on the company to recommit to fair hiring practices, supplier diversity and community investment. The protest begins immediately. Here's what you need to know about the electronic protest against Dollar General. While it's not a boycott, Bryant urges supporters to flood Dollar General with emails, phone calls and social media posts to push for change. There is no official end date, as Bryant wants this to be a continuous effort until change is made. Bryant says that too many rural shoppers rely on the discount chain for their fresh produce and other grocer needs. According to Alabama has 975 Dollar General stores, the eighth-highest number in the country. Montgomery: 18 locations Birmingham: 7 locations Tuscaloosa: 12 locations Gadsden: 7 locations Mobile: 17 locations President Donald Trump's push to eliminate federal DEI programs has led major retailers and corporations to scale back their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. In response, consumers and activists have staged multiple economic blackouts since February. The "Target Fast," which was supposed to last until the end of Lent, has now been extended to an indefinite blackout. Since February, other separate economic blackouts have taken place, with The People's Union targeting Walmart, Nestle, and General Mills. Data collected shows that the blackout against Target has been successful. According to a USA Today report, on Jan. 31, the day before the boycott began, shares closed at $137.91. By April 8, they had dropped nearly 36% to $88.76. Foot traffic has also dipped. According to data from which tracks in-store visits using millions of mobile devices, visits were down in the weeks following the removal of DEI. In Alabama, visits were down over 2% in April. On April 17, Target CEO Brian Cornell requested a meeting with Bryant and Rev. Al Sharpton. Cornell said Target plans to renew its $2 billion commitment to support Black-owned brands and businesses. Cornell says he intends to meet the goal by July 31, but no public announcement has been made, and says it expects to reach the goal by the end of the year. Contributing: Betty Lin-Fisher Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Dollar General Alabama protest now: Pastor demands change in hiring, equity
Western Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Aldi launches Father's Day emergency gift box service
The supermarket chain has created an 'SOS Service' to help shoppers who have forgotten or don't have time to buy a gift for the big day. They are offering a limited number of exclusive 'Aldi SOS' gift boxes, designed to 'knock the socks off' any father or fatherly figure. These gift boxes will include a card to personalise, a bar of Aldi's Moser Roth Chocolate, and a pair of Aldi-themed socks. How to get the Aldi emergency Father's Day gift box To be in with a chance of receiving a gift box, shoppers simply need to email their name and email address to SOSService@ Boxes will be sent out on a first-come, first-served basis, so shoppers are encouraged to act quickly. People will have until Thursday, June 12, to apply for a box, and winners will be contacted on or before Thursday to provide their delivery address. Full terms and conditions for this can be found on the Aldi website here. Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: 'We know how much occasions like Father's Day mean to our shoppers, and we're committed to offering quality gifts at affordable prices. 'Our SOS Service means our customers can celebrate their loved ones even if they're shopping last minute, helping to make Father's Day special for everyone.' Is Father's Day the same in the UK and the USA? The date for Father's Day in the UK and the USA is always the same, taking place on the third Sunday in June. For 2025, this means it will fall on Sunday, June 15 and in 2026 it will be on Sunday, June 21. This is different to Mother's Day, which has two separate dates in the UK and the USA. Mother's Day in the UK is marked on the fourth Sunday of Lent, while Mother's Day in the United States is not associated with any religious background. Instead, it came into being in 1914, after a campaign was launched by Anna Jarvis, an American woman whose mother died in May. The Economic Times reports that President Woodrow Wilson established that it would take place on the second Sunday of May. Recommended reading: Is there an international Father's Day? While Father's Day is celebrated around the world, there isn't a set date that every country follows. Countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, France, Mexico, India and South Africa celebrate it on the third Sunday in June. Meanwhile, Brazil celebrates it on the second Sunday in August, and Australia and New Zealand do so on the first Sunday of September.
South Wales Argus
10-06-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Aldi launches Father's Day emergency gift box service
The supermarket chain has created an 'SOS Service' to help shoppers who have forgotten or don't have time to buy a gift for the big day. They are offering a limited number of exclusive 'Aldi SOS' gift boxes, designed to 'knock the socks off' any father or fatherly figure. These gift boxes will include a card to personalise, a bar of Aldi's Moser Roth Chocolate, and a pair of Aldi-themed socks. How to get the Aldi emergency Father's Day gift box To be in with a chance of receiving a gift box, shoppers simply need to email their name and email address to SOSService@ Boxes will be sent out on a first-come, first-served basis, so shoppers are encouraged to act quickly. People will have until Thursday, June 12, to apply for a box, and winners will be contacted on or before Thursday to provide their delivery address. Full terms and conditions for this can be found on the Aldi website here. Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: 'We know how much occasions like Father's Day mean to our shoppers, and we're committed to offering quality gifts at affordable prices. 'Our SOS Service means our customers can celebrate their loved ones even if they're shopping last minute, helping to make Father's Day special for everyone.' Is Father's Day the same in the UK and the USA? The date for Father's Day in the UK and the USA is always the same, taking place on the third Sunday in June. For 2025, this means it will fall on Sunday, June 15 and in 2026 it will be on Sunday, June 21. This is different to Mother's Day, which has two separate dates in the UK and the USA. Mother's Day in the UK is marked on the fourth Sunday of Lent, while Mother's Day in the United States is not associated with any religious background. Instead, it came into being in 1914, after a campaign was launched by Anna Jarvis, an American woman whose mother died in May. The Economic Times reports that President Woodrow Wilson established that it would take place on the second Sunday of May. Recommended reading: Is there an international Father's Day? While Father's Day is celebrated around the world, there isn't a set date that every country follows. Countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, France, Mexico, India and South Africa celebrate it on the third Sunday in June. Meanwhile, Brazil celebrates it on the second Sunday in August, and Australia and New Zealand do so on the first Sunday of September.
