Welcoming the winter season has some perks, especially when it comes to the menu changes at our favorite fast food joints. We reviewed the ones that were (and weren’t) worth your money. We want to apologize to our parents for spending their money to eat fast food, but we are just girls.

Dunkin’ Hash Brown Brisket Scramble: 9.5/10 ($5.49)

We are HUGE fans of the Dunkin’ hash browns, so we knew we had to try their new winter special. The hash browns were crispy, and the cheese was gooey akin to nacho cheese they serve in the cafeteria. The scramble was noticeable only in looks, not taste. We were scared to see what the “brisket” part was going to be, but it turned out just to be a couple pieces of bacon. Overall, this was fire. We will be purchasing this after morning practice for sure.

Dunkin’ Whoopie Pie Donut: 6/10 ($2.49)

Jordana didn’t know what a whoopie pie was, but she didn’t hate it. The whipped cream-like filling was fluffy and not too sweet, unlike the halves of chocolate donut it was layered between. Other than that, it was pretty yummy, but just too sweet for us. We fed the extra to our younger brothers. Who needs a dog, right?

Dunkin’ Iced Lemon Loaf: 10/10 ($3.39)

This Lemon Loaf from Dunkin’ Donuts definitely took the cake (haha) as our favorite treat. We only tried it to compare with the Starbucks Lemon Loaf, I mean, who would we be if we didn’t try all the options? There was the perfect lemon-flavor-and-sweetness balance, and the bread was moist, but not too wet. Plus there was lemon flavor in both the loaf and the icing, which surprised us. Dunkin’ ate this one up.

Starbucks Iced Lemon Loaf 6/10: ($4.25)

We had high hopes for the Starbucks Lemon Loaf after our encounter with Dunkin’s. Unfortunately, the Starbucks Lemon Loaf fell just short of achieving the acclaim of the Dunkin’ one. We both agreed that it was a bit too dry, and that the lemon flavor could be more present overall. A solid late night snack, but let’s not pretend to be desperate enough to choose this over a Starbucks cake pop.

Starbucks Spicy Falafel Pocket: 7.5/10 ($4.45)

Going into this one, our hopes were lower than some of our latest grades. But we faced our fears (and our academic comeback) and took tentative bites to discover that… it wasn’t bad??? While being a bit on the smaller side, the flavor was good and the spice was present. The bread outside was crispy and soft in the right places. Overall, this is a great snack and we will be returning for more.

Panera Chicken Roma Asiago Bagel Stack: 8.5/10 ($7.99)

We weren’t going to rate this one, but Peyton became absolutely obsessed with this sandwich, so we had to include it. The green goddess dressing and fresh mozzarella paired perfectly with the soft bagel. Jordana liked it, but she didn’t share the concerning obsession.

Panera Baked Potato Soup:  8/10 ($7.19)

We were surprised to find that this was our favorite soup at Panera. It was cheesy, creamy, and perfectly potato-y. There was a shocking amount of cheese on top, which really made this soup scrumptious. This is a great soup to have if you want to try something other than your classic tomato soup and grilled cheese.

We don’t encourage running your wallets empty, but if you’re going to anyway, winter menus are definitely a legitimate reason. Go to Dunkin’ if you want to eat cheap and good. Starbucks is great if you want to pair your snack with an overpriced drink. Go to Panera if you’re rich, cause it ain’t cheap. Happy eating!

Love, your favorite food reviewers <3 •