Welcome to Deep Dish, a weekly roundup of food and entertainment news. Last time we discussed restaurants across the country participating in a general strike.
Chicken nuggets topped with caviar are a lesson in contrast. High meets low. Childhood birthday party meets swanky adult soirée. New York–based Korean fried chicken spot COQODAQ famously toyed with the concept, both in their flagship restaurant and at the US Open, where tennis spectators could snag a box of six nugs (plus caviar, crème fraîche, and chives) for a casual $100. McDonald’s, now, is hopping on the trend train, offering a suspiciously free caviar set for Valentine’s Day in partnership with Paramount Caviar, which includes caviar, crème fraîche, a caviar spoon, and a $25 McDonald’s gift card. The economics of it all eludes me.
Also this week: Kalshi and Polymarket are opening free pop-up grocery stores, Costco is getting sued for including preservatives in its rotisserie chickens, and more. —Li Goldstein, associate newsletter editor
Caviar Has Jumped the Shark
For years now caviar has been something of a cheat code. A dollop of the glistening black roe automatically signified luxury, casual opulence, taste. But these days, caviar is ubiquitous and the market is deeply oversaturated. It was all fun and games when it was about cheeky, unstuffy caviar bars and the rise of California caviar, but all of a sudden Real Housewives are hawking caviar cookies and things are starting to feel more dire. Caviar has become a chef’s crutch as well, and, while delicious, it does get a bit repetitive; “Dutiful, and a little boring,” was how New York magazine food critic Matthew Schneier described a garnish of caviar at two-Michelin-star Saga in a recent review.
This week McDonald’s announced a chicken nuggets-and-caviar kit timed for Valentine’s Day, which means, I think, that it’s safe to say caviar has finally, mercifully jumped the shark. Listen, I voted for Zohran. I think everyone should have access to all the caviar they want—from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs, et cetera. But perhaps now that Mickey D’s is slinging caviar in a format that David Chang basically invented a decade ago, we can move on to the next big thing. —Sam Stone, staff writer
You Can Gamble on Your Groceries Now
Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have been equal parts lucrative, popular, and dangerous for their users. On these platforms, you can bet on nearly anything; Will Jesus Christ return before 2027? Will the Knicks beat the Pistons? What will the price of a dozen eggs be in January? According to some data, 70% of traders lose money on Polymarket, but then again some people hit the jackpot.
Now, Polymarket has announced the opening of its “free grocery store,” a five-day pop-up in New York City, and donated a million bucks to FoodBank4NYC. Not to be outdone, Kalshi announced its own “free” grocery store in which it will give shoppers $50 of free groceries, which opened earlier this week in the East Village. The marketing stunts are meant to raise awareness, but many have said that the timing is convenient as Polymarket and Kalshi both deal with respective nationwide class action lawsuits.— S.S.
Costco Faces a Lawsuit Against Its Famous Rotisserie Chickens
When I read that Costco was getting sued for the presence of preservatives in its fan-fave rotisserie chickens, my first reaction was vindication. Why, you might rightfully ask? What does that have to do with me, you might rightfully ask? Well, back in 2023, when Reddit discourse suggested that Costco’s famous and famously cheap birds had begun to taste like soap, I took it upon myself to investigate. My research—including an interview with a poultry science professor—led me to the conclusion that sodium phosphate, commonly used to make chickens extra juicy, could be a credible culprit for the soapy profile. Three years later, the ingredient is one of two preservatives cited in the lawsuit as contradicting its labeling as “preservative-free”—we’ve known this, my friends. Sorry to make this about me. —L.G.
Cape Cod Chips Are Departing Cape Cod
Campbell’s announced this week plans to move production of Cape Cod chips out of Hyannis, where they’ve been made for over 40 years. The brand and its Massachusetts origins are inextricable—the matte white bags are sentimental fixtures of the state and New England at large. Massachusetts residents are mourning the brand’s exit from its hometown. Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve wrote on X: “Cape Cod Potato Chips wasn’t just an iconic Massachusetts brand, it was part of growing up here. I remember bringing my boys to the factory when they were little, watching their faces light up, seeing how the chips were made and grabbing a fresh bag on the way out. That’s what we’re losing when companies leave.” —L.G.
