# Spiciest Offering From a Fast Food Chain **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 28, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756 "2015-04-28T22:49:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2015, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/21 "2015-04-29T23:49:36Z")
Subway has a creamy sriracha sauce that took me by surprise. I was expecting fairly mild mannered warmth, but the stuff was right on the edge of tastebud-killing. Of course, being unable to sense the presence or absence of flavor may be useful. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/22 "2015-04-30T03:45:03Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > How is BW3’s fast-food? It’s sit-down, has a waiter, serves alcohol, and isn’t especially speedy. Pre-packaged, easy-to-cook food from a central warehouse that follows a corporate formula, and in my experience – barring big game nights that packs the house – is very speedy compared to a restaurant with a chef. > [@Folly](#): > > The ones around here all have to-go/take out counters. But calling it fast food is probably pushing it. And this. Although it doesn’t have to be takeout to call it fast food, BW3 has a pretty significant takeout business as well. It’s also on the [Wikipedia list of fast food restaurant chains](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fast_food_restaurant_chains) (and I promise, I didn’t just edit the page to add it there). I wasn’t trying to disrespect BW3’s by calling it “fast food”; it’s the only restaurant of its type that I enjoy going to. When I’m home, my particular location is my especial favorite out of all of the ones I’ve ever been to. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/23 "2015-04-30T14:49:12Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Well, if you’re considering Chipotle fast food, I’d think you’d have to consider Five Guys fast food. I personally think of both as fast food, although, technically, I guess they’re “fast casual.” I find that Chipotle is much faster than 5Guys. Once you get to the front of line, Chipotle takes 5 mins while 5Guys takes 10-15. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/24 "2015-04-30T15:17:07Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > I find that Chipotle is much faster than 5Guys. Once you get to the front of line, Chipotle takes 5 mins while 5Guys takes 10-15. It is probably cheating in this context, but I order 5 guys on-line and go pick it up and am in and out in a much faster time than ordering at McDonald’s. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/25 "2015-04-30T15:30:47Z")
I love spicy food, usually the spicier the better. A few years ago for a limited time, White Castle had these spicy chicken nuggets that I could only describe as unfair. My mouth was on fire from the very first bite. I got through them, but it was more about pride than actual enjoyment. They came off the menu very soon as they probably didn’t capture many repeat customers. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/26 "2015-04-30T15:34:08Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Maybe your Wendy’s is different, but the ones I had were definitely mild. The Jalapeño chicken sandwich had more of a kick. My brother and cousin also had them independently of me at two other Wendys, and said the only thing that appeared to be contributing any heat was the jalapenos on them. I’m guessing each store probably adjusts the heat for the local population. Ours is heavily skewed toward Hispanic. ---
**Author:** ![Sweetums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Sweetums](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sweetums)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/27 "2015-04-30T19:53:21Z")
Had the Wendy’s “ghost pepper” fries. The only way these could be called ghost pepper, is that a pepper died near them (a really mild one), and its ghost was haunting the fries. Bland cheese sauce with a few mild jalapenos cut up in it. Looking forward to the new Taco Bell diablo. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/28 "2015-04-30T21:32:38Z")
Chipotle’s isn’t fast food, it’s short order. The distinction is that, even in busy times, they don’t start preparing your order until you order it. I don’t know about Five Guys, but suspect they’re the same (especially if an order really does take 15 minutes to fulfill). And I tried Wendy’s ghost pepper fries yesterday. If there’s any ghost pepper in there at all, it’s in homeopathic concentrations. There was detectable heat from the jalapeno bits (low, for jalapenos, but detectable), but not in the sauce itself. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/29 "2015-04-30T21:41:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > . If there’s any ghost pepper in there at all, it’s in homeopathic concentrations. . I suggest the name “ghostrinos”…meaning little hot one. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/30 "2015-04-30T22:41:14Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I’m guessing each store probably adjusts the heat for the local population. Ours is heavily skewed toward Hispanic. Very Hispanic here as well (majority in my neighborhood and the surrounding one where I had the ghost pepper fries.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/31 "2015-04-30T22:43:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Chipotle’s isn’t fast food, it’s short order. The distinction is that, even in busy times, they don’t start preparing your order until you order it. I don’t know about Five Guys, but suspect they’re the same (especially if an order really does take 15 minutes to fulfill). I’ve never had an order take that long at Five Guys. Usually 5-7 minutes, in my experience, pretty much as long as you would expect any cooked-to-order burger to take. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/32 "2015-05-01T12:28:04Z")
Short order is not one of the standard names for restaurant types in the U.S. these days. The usual spectrum of types these days are fast food/fast casual/casual dining/fine dining. This part of a Wikipedia entry makes these distinctions. it adds ethnic and family, but that’s really about the type of cuisine, not the speed, casualness, or cost of the restaurant: > **[Types of restaurant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_restaurant#Types)** > > Restaurants fall into several industry classifications, based upon menu style, preparation methods and pricing, as well as the means by which the food is served to the customer. This article mainly describes the situation in the US, while categorisation differs widely around the world. > Historically, restaurant referred only to places that provided tables where one ate while seated, typically served by a waiter. Following the rise of fast food and take-out restaurants, a retronym for the olde... Chipotle is a little faster than Five Guys on average, but you exaggerate how much faster. The Chipotles I know of have lines (and sometimes long lines) before you can order. The Five Guys don’t have very long lines. Five Guys probably only averages a couple of minutes longer wait if you include the time waiting in line. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/33 "2015-05-01T13:11:58Z")
any time I see these fanciful “habanero ghost pepper” creations from any mass-market chain, I assume that their idea of “spicy” is “show the food a picture of a ghost pepper before serving.” ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/34 "2015-05-01T16:00:49Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Chipotle is a little faster than Five Guys on average, but you exaggerate how much faster. The Chipotles I know of have lines (and sometimes long lines) before you can order. The Five Guys don’t have very long lines. Five Guys probably only averages a couple of minutes longer wait if you include the time waiting in line. Well in that case the long lines at the local Chick-Fil-A at lunch time should be considered when determining if it is fast food ;). ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/35 "2015-05-02T00:18:06Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > The ones around here all have to-go/take out counters. But calling it fast food is probably pushing it. So? Most restaurants have something similar, unless you’re getting into some high end fancy shmancy fine dining. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/36 "2015-05-02T01:32:38Z")
Seems relatively unique to me in my own (admittedly not super extensive) experience. Who else? ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/37 "2015-05-02T01:38:37Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Seems relatively unique to me in my own (admittedly not super extensive) experience. > > Who else? every place which isn’t a mid- to high-end restaurant. most if not all chains have carry-out, and none of them are “fast food.” ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/38 "2015-05-02T02:43:52Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > every place which isn’t a mid- to high-end restaurant. most if not all chains have carry-out, and none of them are “fast food.” I was on the non-fast-food side. And some BW3s have their own counters with their own cash registers so people can come in and order take-out. Or order at the counter for lunch to go sit down and eat. Like [this](http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAQQjBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fs3-media2.fl.yelpassets.com%2Fbphoto%2FArhxi9TpdFsYxCxThV2Vbg%2Fl.jpg&ei=fTlEVZHIH4fEggTeoIHoCA&bvm=bv.92291466,d.eXY&psig=AFQjCNGknEgZ69GxhPcSFj_JaHnI1X4XNQ&ust=1430620886382968), with a menu built into the counter you can order from. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/39 "2016-05-19T19:48:37Z")
This iteration of Wendy’s Ghost Pepper Fries seem hotter than last year. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756/40 "2016-05-19T20:04:40Z")
White Castle’s now has Ghost Pepper Sliders. Yeah, they’re pretty damn spicy. And they burn even worse the next day. :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiciest-offering-from-a-fast-food-chain/718756.md?page=3)