Fast-food freebie failures, slithery surprises, and the feds attack U.S. food-labelling law

Fast-food freebie failures, slithery surprises, and the feds attack U.S. food-labelling law

Vast concern: Wal-Mart takes up space (Photo by James Moore)

• Wal-Mart is spending $115 million to build a 400,000-square-foot grocery distribution centre near Calgary; it will be one of the largest refrigerated buildings in the country. We would prefer to see the space used as an indoor rink, frankly. [CP]

• A man eating at a TGI Friday’s in upstate New York found a severed snake head in his broccoli, making it the third most unappetizing dish on the restaurant’s menu. [AP]

• Oprah’s not alone in the fast-food giveaway category. Nymag.com has compiled a short history of failed promotions that includes Quiznos, Starbucks and Red Lobster. Many of the promos resulted in the company president losing her job and the streets overflowing with blood and cocktail sauce. [New York]

• Le Clos Jordanne’s Claystone Terrace 2005, a Niagara chardonnay, beat out the world’s best wines at the Judgment of Montreal last Thursday. The victory was extra-sweet because the judges thought they were judging only French and Californian wines. [Toronto Star]

• The feds want the World Health Organization to force the U.S. to change its country-of-origin food-labelling law because it’s having a “negative impact” on Canada’s livestock industry. [CBC]