I've tested dozens of fast-food menus - here's the worst item I've ever tried
Hollis JohnsonI've tasted a lot of different foods for Business Insider.
I've tried diet foods, pumpkin-spice products, and a lot of fast-food items.
I've gained an awareness for what makes each fast-food chain's menu stand out from its competition.
I went back and took a look through a few of the most memorable taste tests. Taco Bell's breakfast tacos, Chick-fil-A's waffle fries, Dairy Queen's hot dogs - my stomach must be made of steel!
I have not been impressed by many menus, but the thing that made my stomach turn the most was Dairy Queen's menu.
I recently tested random food items on its Grill & Chill menu, and I was completely disturbed. The food lacks flavor, is soggy, and made me question the brand's identity as a whole.
Which leads me to the worst fast-food item I have ever tried: Dairy Queen's chili cheese dog.
Hollis Johnson
I thought that the chili dog would be the least of my worries. I was more concerned about eating a fish sandwich or a mushroom burger.
But I was immediately disappointed when I took a look at the chili dog.
The cheese was barely melted. It was crusty and sat on top of a measly amount of chili.
I picked up the hot dog, took a bite, and could not hold back my reaction.
"That is not a hot dog," I said out loud.
I feel like I would know - this was right after I finished taste-testing hot dogs from typical burger joints.
I know hot dogs have questionable ingredients - and I choose not to think about that! - but I couldn't stop thinking about that when I ate Dairy Queen's dog.
As one of my fellow taste testers described it: "This tastes like it's three weeks old."
Perfect description, awful taste test. That "chili cheese dog" will haunt me for the rest of my life.