Fast Times

Jack in the Box's Late-Night "Munchie Meal" Ignores Entire Population of Wake-and-Bakers

In theory, you really can't go wrong with the new Jack in the Box "Munchie Meal." It's a box full of junk food, available between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., that is designed to crush even the most heinous case of the munchies. The ad campaign is pretty clearly targeting giant potheads -- the commercials always feature a bleary-eyed dude who looks like he just stashed his roach. Dude's hungry, Jack in the Box has the answer. AND! It's in a box!

Or is it?

Well, our JITB Munchie Meals did not come in special purple boxes with games printed inside. They came in regular old paper bags, and that was just the beginning of the disappointments. So, here's the deal about Munchie Meals: You choose from four main "entrées," and you get three standard sides along with each. The "sides" are two tacos, a 20 oz. fountain drink and "halfsies," which is a half order each of french fries and curly fries. Now, get a load of the "main entrée" options:

• The Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger is grilled cheese on sourdough stacked on top of a cheeseburger. That meal comes in at just over 1,600 calories (not including a drink). • The Exploding Cheesy Chicken sandwich is "exploding with mozzarella cheese sticks and gooey white cheese sauce." This is aside from the fried chicken, of course. 1,594 calories for the whole meal. • The Loaded Nuggets is a basket full of chicken nuggets, smothered in ranch, two kinds of cheese and bacon -- all for just 1,592 calories. • The Brunch Burger Munchie Meal features a burger with a "fried egg" on top (looks like one of those breakfast eggs), plus a hash brown thrown on there for good measure. The Brunch menu breaks the calorie bank at 1,708.

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Christina Uticone