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Arby's takes "super-size" to the next level

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Arby's, a unit of Triarc Companies (NYSE: TRY), has just taken first prize in its attempt to one-up the "super-size" fast-food menu with its "Pick 5 for 5.95" value meal.

If you've read Eric Buscemi's Battle of the Brands post: McDonald's vs. Burger King, you know the Big Mac and Whopper do not fall in the category of "healthy" foods. Add in fries and a drink and you've already clogged your first artery. But Arby's takes it one step further: they give you your pick of five fast-food items on a special menu -- two more than the standard value meal at McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) or Burger King (NYSE: BKC).

I went to Arby's for lunch today to pick my "5 for 5.95" and I must say it's overwhelming.

I decided upon an Arby's Melt sandwich with medium curly fries, a medium drink (sounds like the standard fast-food value meal so far but I had two more choices) mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce and a small jamocha shake.

Needless to say, I couldn't finish everything. I sat at my table staring at my unfinished meal thinking of Thomas Aquinas and what he said about gluttony in his SUMMA THEOLOGIÆ, "Gluttony denotes, not any desire of eating and drinking, but an inordinate desire ... leaving the order of reason, wherein the good of moral virtue consists."

This was just too much food, I thought. It defies all reason. How bad is this for you?

After a quick scan on their website, I nearly choked: all five items at Arby's added to 1763 calories, 78 grams of fat and 236 grams of carbs.

Take a look at the caloric intake of McDonald's and Burger King's famous "value-meals."

McDonald's: A Big Mac, medium fries and a medium drink contained 1,140 calories, 49 grams of fat and 150 grams of carbs.

Burger King: A Whopper, medium drink and fries with salt contained 1,230 calories, 59 grams of fat and 145 grams of carbs.

Burger King's marketing is more geared towards the hungry man in comparison to the healthier image McDonald's tries to show. With all three "value meals" around the same price, I'd like to see what marketing plan Burger King will counter with.

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Last updated: July 04, 2009: 10:59 AM

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