No no no no noooooo!!
I know I should be kind about this because if anyone could make my cranana hybrid fruit a reality, it's probably the Pop-Tart peeps. But I just can't hold my tongue on this story.
I'm happy to give you a couple of highlights from the article I found on the New York Times website, however make sure you take the time to read the whole article there. But here are some things that stood out to me.
To be fair, let me start with some positive remarks. :0)
1. This new Pop-Tart store is taking up residence at Times Square in New York. Prime real estate which is impressive. They aren't the first company to rent out a store front to sell their goods; M&M's and Hersey both have stores around the Time Square area. So it's not that unusual.
2. I have to say, I bet it would be fun to sit down and try to figure out all the different ways you can sell a Pop-Tart. Sort of like a Top Chef Quick Fire Challenge. The Pop-Tart people are creative in their marketing as well as their food creations and they have some interesting ideas and products to sell, sell, sell!
3. The higher ups are sort of brilliant because of course people will get sucked into the store to see what it's about and some will buy things because they think it's hilarious and wrong and some will buy because they actually think it's tasty and awesome. I'm sure they've done a good job of making the store eye popping. We are a visual society and I'm sure the look of the store will draw people in.
4. It's true one Pop-Tart isn't going to kill you. And yes, I've eaten them. When I was a teenager. For a treat now and again.
Ok, now onto the not so positive remarks!
1. Hersey and M&M's are clearly candy items and aren't masquerading as a breakfast item. Yeah, Pop-Tart, I'm talking to you. We've all seen your commercials. You think you're breakfast. Newsflash: You are a cookie! With your ingredient list and preservatives, you are worse than some cookies! Take a look at Workout Mommy's blog, she breaks the Pop-Tart down for you. You can see just how naughty these "pastries" are! Or take a look at this link, it's from the Kellogg's website. This lists all the ingredients in the Frosted Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tarts. That's an awful lot of ingredients my friends. A lot of words don't sound like food to me. And don't get me started on the high fructose corn syrup!
Now, I will admit, you did say that you were serving desserts in your cafe, so at least you are being honest there.
2. According to the article, your main focus is the cafe. I love a good sweet treat just like everyone else but some of these menu items make me nauseous. For example (and there's plenty to choose from), the Fluffer Butter. "Pop-Tarts Frosted Chocolate Fudge sandwich (so two of those pastries that we looked at the ingredient list above) with fudge frosting, marshmallow cream and peanut butter." Holy calorie and sugar overdose Batman!
Or the Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sammys. "Pop-Tarts Frosted Chocolate Fudge with rocky road ice cream, Pop-Tarts Hot Fudge Sundae with hot fudge sundae ice cream OR Pop-Tarts Frosted Cookies and Creame with cookies and cream ice cream." I think I just went into a sugar coma typing that.
Some creations just confuse me; Ants on a Log-celery (huh? Something healthy on the menu?), peanut butter topped with chunks of Pop-Tarts Frosted Wild Grape. Um, ew?! So the healthier choice is gross sounding? Awesome.
Some creations take traditional desserts that have few ingredients and aren't that bad for you and Pop-Tart them up into a Frankenstein dessert. For example, Peach Blueberry Cobbler. The description is "Fresh peaches and blueberries stirred with Pop-Tarts Frosted Blueberry Muffin and Pop-Tarts Frosted Blueberry served warm in old fashioned cobbler dough."
Ok, so Pop-Tarts (which are made of dough) inside more dough? They should call it Death of a Low Carb Diet.
There is also an option for you to build your own Pop-Tart creation where you can add onto a Pop-Tart things like coconut, drizzles of caramel and raspberry, Jimmies and sprinkles.
I could go on and on about the menu items but I will leave some for you to discover on your own!
3. The prices are a little expensive. Chocolate with Pop-Tarts Frosted Chocolate Fudge and Pop-Tarts Frosted S'mores for 4.29?? Most of the menu items hover in the 4 dollar range and I have to say a lot of these creations you can easily make at home. My husband heard about the Pop-Tart sushi and for a joke he made them and took them to work (A picture below!).
4. Perhaps they should have saved on all the rent they will have to pay for the store (apparently somewhere around 1,000 dollars per square foot) and made a "cookbook" and done a tv special and called it a day. It would have saved them money and still probably made them tons of money. Some of which perhaps they could have donated to feed the hungry?
Here's a link to Pop-Tarts website so you can peruse all the glorious starchy sugary goodness.
What do you think about the Pop-Tarts menu?
My husband's version of Pop-Tart sushi!
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