Wendy's "Moonlight Meal Deal," aimed at "Millennial males." | Image via

Having properly mourned the passing of the classic Wendy's dollar menu, Gut Check's former favorite grab-bag of fast-food bargains, we decided it was time to check out the chain's latest innovation in low-price, high-value fast food: the "Moonlight Meal Deal," described in a company press release as targeted at "millennial males."

Released earlier this month, the deal is available at Wendy's locations across St. Louis.

After finding a designated driver to swing through our neighborhood Wendy's (2130 Hampton Avenue; 314-781-4569) drive-thru, Gut Check completed the first phase of our Moonlight Meal Deal, um, research.

See also:
- Wendy's Ditches Dollar Menu For New "Right Price, Right Size" Menu

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Liz Miller

The Cheesy Garlic Bread chips somehow won.

Is it too late to demand a recount?

In February, Frito-Lay launched "Do Us A Flavor," a social-media contest pitting three fan-submitted, limited-time potato-chip flavors against one another. The contenders included Chicken and Waffles, Sriracha and Cheesy Garlic Bread. Through Facebook, fans could vote for their favorite flavor, with a winner chosen to join the "Lay's chip family" permanently this week.

That winner is none other than Cheesy Garlic Bread, which in Gut Check's professional junk-food appraisal, ranks last of the three in flavor.

See also:
- Taste Test: Lay's New Sriracha, Chicken and Waffles and Cheesy Garlic Bread Chips
- Lay's New, Limited-Time Sriracha, Chicken & Waffles and Cheesy Garlic Bread Chips Now Available In Some St. Louis Grocery Stores
- Are Lay's Limited-Time "Do Us A Flavor" Potato Chips Sold Out in St. Louis?

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Are these chips sold out throughout the St. Louis area?

In February Gut Check fell in love. The object of our affection: Lay's new, limited-time chicken-and-waffles potato chips, one of three flavor finalists in its "Do Us A Flavor" contest. It was love-at-first-bite.

But as is the fate of most missed connections, we hesitated too long in reconnecting after that first blissful encounter. Lay's contest only runs through May, and we're afraid we'll never find them again...

Because rumor has it that all three potato chip flavors are sold out in St. Louis.

See also:
-Lay's New, Limited-Time Sriracha, Chicken & Waffles and Cheesy Garlic Bread Chips Now Available In Some St. Louis Grocery Stores
-Taste Test: Lay's New Sriracha, Chicken and Waffles and Cheesy Garlic Bread Chips

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Another Easter has come and gone. We've gorged ourselves with festive, pastel-colored candy (only the best kind though), we've found most of the eggs that we hid in the yard (that'll be a nasty surprise next year) and we've enjoyed spending time with family and friends (now we don't have to again 'till the Fourth of July). And what do we have to show for all of this holiday spirit?

Peeps. A shit ton of Marshmallow Peeps.

Sure, they're cute and they're an Easter icon, but what are they really good for anyway? Gut Check has rounded up our favorite Peep projects in hope that we can inspire you to greatness.

Here are the top six things to do with leftover Peeps...

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Wrap your mind around this, world.

When Gut Check heard Frito-Lay was planning to create a new strain of Doritos tortilla chips to match the taste of Taco Bell's Doritos Locos Tacos in Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese flavors, our mind all but caved in on itself from confusion.

What's happening?

There was only one way to make sense of this meta madness: We drew a flowchart, to explain to our brain just what the hell was happening. And, hey, it worked! We submit, for your neurological pleasure the following piece of information art to convey what words simply cannot:

See also:
-Taste Test: Taco Bell Regular and Supreme Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos
-Taco Bell Cool Ranch-Flavored Doritos Locos Tacos Available March 7

More »

Liz Miller

Taco Bell's Regular and Supreme Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos.

On January 29, Taco Bell chief executive officer Greg Creed officially spilled the beans about the fast-food chain's forthcoming Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos. Originally the Cool Ranch-flavored tacos were to descend on the masses today, but earlier this week Taco Bell announced via its Facebook page that the tacos were arriving in restaurants a day early, on Wednesday, March 6.

Apparently Taco Bell forgot to share this bit of news with stores across the country, resulting in scads of disappointed customers unable to collect Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos yesterday.

Despite the national snafu Gut Check had no problem procuring a sack of Taco Bell's latest Dorito-flavored innovation yesterday evening.

See also:
-Taco Bell Cool Ranch-Flavored Doritos Locos Tacos Available March 7
-Taste Test: Taco Bell's Regular and Supreme Doritos Nacho Cheese Locos Tacos
-Taco Bell Tests Dorito-Flavored Taco Shells: Five Repurposed Junk Foods

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Earlier this month, when Gut Check got wind of the impending arrival of the three new limited-time-only Lay's potato-chip flavors, our first thought was: Where can we get us some Chicken & Waffle?!

BBQ Pork Steak Flavor chips. We didn't have to make this one up.

See also:
- Lay's New Limited-Time Flavors Now Available in St. Louis Grocery Stores
- Taste Test: Lay's New Sriracha, Chicken and Waffles and Cheesy Garlic Bread Chips

Our second thought, upon brief reflection, was: St. Louis has its very own potato-chip company, Fenton-based Old Vienna (345 South Old Highway 141; 636-343-3050), whose Red Hot Riplets (and pork rinds!) are a vending-machine staple in the break room at Gut Check International Headquarters....

HOW AWESOME WOULD IT BE IF OLD VIENNA CAME UP WITH A ST. LOUIS-SPECIFIC LINE OF POTATO CHIP (& pork rind!!) FLAVORS?! Heck, they already make one fabulous example of the species: Pork Steak Flavor BBQ Chips.

See also:
- The Ultimate St. Louis Snack: Old Vienna Pork Steak Potato Chips

As a public service, a shout-out to a local company and a call to action, here are six more flavors Gut Check would love to see...

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Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos are coming for us all.

When Taco Bell partnered with Frito-Lay last year to create nacho cheese Doritos-flavored Doritos Locos Tacos, the Internet all but collapsed in on itself like a dying star. While we've already forgotten the name of the 2012 Republican Party presidential candidate, we might never forget the first time we heard tell of Doritos Locos Tacos.

Welp, time to gird your e-loins once again, world wide web: Cool Ranch-flavored Doritos Locos Tacos arrive at Taco Bell restaurants across the country on Thursday, March 7.

See also:
-Taco Bell's Latest Innovation: The Doritos Locos Regular and Supreme Tacos
-Taco Bell Tests Dorito-Flavored Taco Shells: Five Repurposed Junk Foods
-[VIDEO] Cardinals Lose, So Today is Free Doritos Locos Tacos Day

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One of these new potato chip flavors will become a Lay's regular.

Three new flavors of Lay's potato chips enter grocery stores across the country this week, but only one will earn a permanent place on chip aisle shelves.

In late 2012 Frito-Lay launched its "Do Us a Flavor" contest, encouraging potato-chip fans to dream up a new flavor for Lay's chips. The three finalist flavors were announced in early February: Cheesy Garlic Bread, Chicken & Waffles and Sriracha. The contest continues as Frito-Lay asks consumers to vote for their favorite of the three via a Facebook app (and you gotta be logged in to do so). The winning chip flavor will join Lay's line of potato chips, while the losers, we imagine, will end up on eBay.

Curious to taste these limited-time snacks, Gut Check called a few local grocers in search of 'em. And wouldn't you know it, all three flavors are now available in a few St. Louis grocery stores!

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image via statigr.am

To the initiated, the square beyond compare is more than a pizza. It's a...it's a muse.

See also:
- Top 10 Booze Brands From Luxco, St. Louis-Based Maker of Everclear
- Top 10 Most Boinkable Fast-Food Mascots

Herewith, to get your weekend started on the right note, the fifteen best Imo's shots on Instagram.

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