uMcDonald’s Can’t Use The Word “Artisan” To Describe Limited-Edition Burger In Irelandr

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  (McDonald’s)

  In a world where marketers are constantly trying to catch the attention of shoppers with products that are seen as fresh, wholesome and healthy, there are some words that perhaps used to mean something more to people than they used to. Like “artisan” — in the past, this would’ve meant a skilled worker spending time and great effort on making something. Now, that could just mean more premium ingredients on your fast food burger. But in Ireland, it’s not so easy to use such words lightly, as McDonald’s recently found out with its first attempt at an “artisan” Irish burger.

  McDonald’s was using the word to herald the arrival of its limited-edition special burger, the McMór, reports The Irish Times, calling it a “tribute to the best produce and finest flavours from across Ireland.” The burger is made with Ballymaloe relish, Charleville cheddar and a “potato-flaked bun” layered with shredded cabbage atop beef and bacon.

  Ireland’s food authorities have rules on what can be dubbed artisan, however: under Food Safety Authority of Ireland guidelines published earlier this summer, the term artisan only applies if the product is made in limited quantities by skilled craftspeople, the processing method isn’t totally mechanized and it should use food grown or produced locally “where seasonally available and practical.”

  McDonald’s has now agreed to not use the term in connection to the McMór.

  “The usage of the term artisan is, as we are now aware, inaccurate in so far as it is in breach of some of the recently launched, voluntary guidelines around the usage of the term in the marketing of food,” McDonald’s said in a statement. “This specific term will no longer be used in any news release around the limited-edition McMór.”

  McDonald’s ‘artisan’ burger fails to cut mustard with authority [The Irish Times]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

uLawsuit Alleges Chipotle Misleads Customers About Use Of GMOsr

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  (Josh Bassett)

  Back in April, Chipotle proudly declared that it was the only major fast food chain in the country to contain an entirely GMO-free menu. Now, just four months later, a recently filed class-action lawsuit says that proclamation isn’t exactly truthful, accusing the fast casual restaurant of false advertising and deceiving diners into paying more for their food.

  The class-action lawsuit [PDF], filed by a California woman in federal court in San Francisco, alleges that Chipotle violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act because its food labeling is false and misleading, and the company deceived diners into paying more for their food on the basis that it was GMO-free and “aligned with consumers’ ethical eating choices.”

  According to the lawsuit — which aims to cover everyone who bought Chipotle in California since the April 27 “no GMOs” announcement — Chipotle has been selling itself to health-conscious consumers since at least 2009.

  “Chipotle has carefully tailored its public image by marketing to healthy-lifestyle and environmentally conscious consumers that it knows are willing to pay premium prices for its food,” the lawsuit states.

  The plaintiffs contend that Chipotle’s recent public statements do not accurately reflect the company’s practices.

  “As Chipotle told consumers it was ‘G-M-Over it,’ the opposite was true. In fact, Chipotle’s menu has never been at any time free of GMOs,” the lawsuit states.

  Among other things, the complaint claims that Chipotle continues to serve meat products that come from animals which feed on GMOs, including corn and soy.

  The suit also asserts that the sour cream and cheese products used at the company come from dairy farms that feed animals with GMOs. Additionally, Coca-Cola and other soft drinks sold by the chain are made with corn-syrup that likely contains GMOs.

  While the company’s advertisements don’t mention that GMOs may be found in its products, its website does contain notices that some of its products – including soft drinks and meat – may include GMOs.

  In one instance, the company notes that “most animal feed in the U.S. is genetically modified, which means that the meat and dairy served at Chipotle are likely to come from animals given at least some GMO feed.”

  

  Chipotle’s GMO-dedicated page notes that some of its products may not be entirely GMO-free.

  However, the lawsuit claims these disclaimers are not good enough, noting that “Chipotle only discloses this information on its website because it knows its fast-food customers never need to visit Chipotle’s website to buy food.”

  “Chipotle knows that its menu contains ingredients with GMOs, it takes no meaningful steps to clarify consumer misconceptions in its advertisements and on its billboards, both in stores and in print, which instead say ‘all’ of the ingredients used in its Food Products are ‘non-GMO,'” the suit states. “A ‘hipotle meal was, and remains, the very definition of a GMO meal.”

  As a result of Chipotle’s conduct, the suit alleges, that customers are routinely deceived into buying the company’s food, or paying more for Chipotle products than they would have otherwise paid.

  “Consumers today are very concerned about what they eat, and restaurants know that consumers place a premium on food that is considered to be healthy or natural,” an attorney representing the proposed class-action said in a statement. “Chipotle’s advertising in its stores should have accurately informed customers about the source and quality of its ingredients and should not mislead consumers that they are serving food without GMOs when in fact they are.”

  The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for the class.

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uAmazon Prime Videos To Finally Be Downloadable On iOS, Android Devicesr

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  The latest version of the Amazon Video app for Android allows for offline viewing of Amazon Prime movies and TV shows.

  One of the selling points of Amazon Fire tablets — especially for frequent travelers and parents whose kids like to watch movies while riding in the back seat — is that Amazon Prime members can download videos for offline viewing. This option has not been available for Prime members using iOS or non-Amazon Android devices. But now Amazon is giving these members the ability to download movies and shows to watch at their convenience.

  Re/code notes that Amazon now lists iOS and Android devices as compatible for downloadable Prime Content.

  Amazon’s non-Prime rental and digital purchase content has long been available for download on iOS and Android, but when it came to the Prime video library, downloading was only allowed on Amazon-branded devices. It was a feature that set the service apart from other subscription video streamers like Netflix, but which few users could take advantage of.

  Now, instead of using downloadability as a way of selling Fire tablets, Amazon appears to be hoping that it will win over new customers to Prime.

  Of course, as Fire tablet owners can attest, not every Prime video is available for download. The e-tailer has to negotiate this feature for each of the titles it carries and some distributors either want too much or just simply say no.

  
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by Chris Morran via Consumerist

uHilton’s Partnership With Uber Allows Guests To Grab A Ride Through Hotel’s Appr

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  (Adam Fagen)

  Once upon a time, the hotel front desk was the go-to spot for guests who wanted something, whether it’s more towels or advice on the best spots in town to visit (and a cab to get there). You’ll still have to call for more towels at Hilton Hotels, but in a new partnership with Uber, hotel guests will now be able to schedule alerts through the HHonors app to remind them when they need to arrange a ride to check out the sights they’ve planned to see during their stay.

  While yes, people can just use the Uber app themselves to get a ride to or from the hotel to say, the airport or look up local spots on their own, there are those who want to get around town and see the sights during their visit but maybe don’t want to look up addresses and remember to call for a ride at the right time. Or maybe you’re the kind of person who is always running late, only to find they can’t get a car nearby at the last minute.

  As such, Hilton’s new venture with Uber lets guests set up “Ride Reminders” that notify them when they should hail an Uber within the hotel app for their next outing.

  “Ground transportation is obviously a must in the travel experience and both companies think about being innovative,” Uber travel partnerships head Jonathan DiOrio told TechCrunch. “It’s really that dialogue and that vision of how can we connect our respective platforms and use technology to seamlessly and elegantly enhance that guest experience.”

  Guests will also be able to take advantage of Uber’s local rider data: the HHonors app will have a “Local Scene” feature rolling out later this month that shows Hilton guests the most popular spots in 20 cities. If everyone is going to that “secret,” out-of-the-way BBQ place that transcends all meaning of delicious meat, Uber will know, and you’ll get to go, too.

  Checking Out? Hilton’s App Now Lets You Grab An Uber [TechCrunch]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

uComcast CFO Says Failure Of Time Warner Cable Merger Is “Blessing In Disguise”r

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• Comcast spent a year and a half, and untold millions, pushing for regulators to approve its $45 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. And then, when regulators said they would try to block the deal, the mega-merger evaporated. You might expect Comcast executives would still be stewing about their failed attempt to take over most of the cable and broadband service for both New York and Los Angeles, but at least one C-level suit at the company is trying to put it behind him.

  “In some ways, it’s a shame that Time Warner Cable did not happen and in some ways it’s a blessing in disguise,” new Comcast chief financial officer Mike Cavanagh tells the Philadelphia Inquirer.

  Of course, Cavanagh doesn’t have any real personal attachment to the failed TWC acquisition, as the former JPMorgan Chase exec only recently made the move to Kabletown.

  Regardless, the company’s new CFO says Comcast can now take the billions it would have spent acquiring and integrating TWC and use it to improve the Comcast customer experience.

  The nation’s largest cable and Internet company is also rumored to be looking into making a move in the wireless world after seeing its biggest pay-TV rival, DirecTV, get gobbled up by AT&T for $49 billion, only weeks after the collapse of the Comcast/TWC marriage.

  American service providers have mainly focused on bundling TV, Internet and home phone service because they can be carried on the same cable line. Some, including Comcast, have previously considered getting into the wireless business, acquiring spectrum for possible future use. Then in 2012, Comcast and others sold off billions of dollars of unused or barely used wireless spectrum to Verizon. In exchange, they could market Verizon services to their cable and Internet customers.

  But with consumers increasingly shifting their online use toward wireless, and with AT&T/DirecTV now able to offer wireless/pay-TV bundles, Comcast appears to be rethinking its stance on the issue.

  “In Europe, the flavor of the month is quad-play” says Cavanagh, referring to bundles of TV/broadband/landline/wireless services. He says that Comcast has the “wherewithal to go down that road,” and that “It’s something we should pay attention to, and you can count on us putting some time into the issue.”

  
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by Chris Morran via Consumerist

uSouthwest Flight Diverted After Fight Breaks Out Between “Disorderly” Group Of Passengersr

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  (David Transier)
  

  A Southwest Airlines flight from San Diego heading to Chicago last night had to make an unplanned stop in Amarillo, TX last night, after police said a fight broke out on board among a group of passengers who were traveling together.

  The flight ended up diverting to Amarillo at around 10:30 last night, Southwest said in a statement (via the Associated Press), “after several passengers traveling together became disorderly and, subsequently, refused to obey instructions from the crew.”

  Once on the ground, six passengers were detained on suspicion of interfering with the flight crew, and six others deplaned at that time as well, as Southwest told CBS Chicago: “Additionally, six other members of the group chose to deplane and remain in Amarillo.”

  The AP reports that “a handful” of others were prevented from re-boarding the plane at the request of the crew, however, citing Amarillo police. In any case, the group left the plane, and the flight went on to Chicago at around 1:30 a.m., finally landing around three hours after it was originally scheduled to arrive, at 3:22 a.m.

  A police corporal said those involved in the brawl appeared to be in their 20s and 30s and were part of a larger group of people traveling together. It’s unclear exactly what the fight or disturbance was about, however.

  “We’re taking statements from everybody,” he told reporters. “But at this point, I don’t really have a lot other than, obviously, several passengers felt like they were definitely out of line, very vocal, very obnoxious-acting. Was it a disruption of the flight? That’s going to be up to the FBI to determine.”

  Flight to Midway diverted to Texas when fight breaks out on board [Associated Press]
  Six Men Detained In Texas After Disrupting Flight From San Diego To Chicago [CBS Chicago]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

uNext Up For McDonald’s Revamped Menu: McMuffins, Biscuits & Bagels With Real Butterr

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  (Morton Fox)

  A month after McDonald’s officially beefed up its Quarter Pounder, the fast food giant is poised to makeover a few other staples: the English muffin, bagel and biscuit, adding real butter to the ingredient list.

  NBC News, citing two sources close to the matter, reports that the switch to the upgraded breakfast items would occur once locations use up their supply of liquid margarine.

  While the Golden Arches hasn’t officially confirmed its plans to change the bread items, some stores have already started posting signs about the switch.

  A location in Manhattan reads: “We’re proud to cook breakfast items on the grill with real butter and we toast our English Muffins, biscuits and bagels with real butter, too.”

  One of the sources tells NBC News that the signs are meant to both highlight the use of real dairy products and warn customers who may have dairy allergies not to consumer them.

  McDonald’s has been on a roll lately, making changes to its menu. In addition to changing its breakfast breads and beefing up its Quarter Pounder, the fast food giant announced earlier this year it would toast buns and make changes to the way it sears its beef.

  The menu revamp is part of the company’s turnaround effort under new CEO Steve Easterbrook.

  McDonald’s Continues Menu Tweaks: This Time It’s the McMuffin [NBC News]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist