Vault: Are fast food restaurants overdoing it?

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Bert Show – Vault: Are Fast Food Restaurants Overdoing It?

Date: July 23, 2026
Cast in This Episode: Host (Male), Wendy, Jen, Katie, Amber, Callers

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Episode Overview

In this episode, The Bert Show team dives into the evolution and excesses of fast food, questioning whether restaurants have gone too far with outrageous menu creations. The hosts swap personal stories, dissect new high-calorie menu items, and discuss the psychological and social pressures around food choices—especially for women. The conversation also addresses new laws about displaying nutritional information, the myth of “healthy” fast food, and body image issues tied to eating in public.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Fast Food Pendulum: Indulgence, Health, and Back Again

• Early Mindset: Fast food was once all about indulgence; no one cared about calories or health.
  • Host (Male), 01:01: “Forget about your diet. Forget about counting calories... If you're going to Mickey D's, you go to get your Big Mac on, man.”
  • Wendy, 01:24: "You gotta throw that all out the window. Out the drive through window."
• Shift to Health: As healthy eating trends grew, chains added lighter options (salads, grilled chicken) and kid-friendly fruit packs.
• Recent Rebellion: Now, brands seem to be rebelling, releasing over-the-top, high-calorie items with a wink at their unhealthy roots.

2. Latest Fast Food Indulgences

• KFC Double Down:
  • Host (Male), 02:28: “It has two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets, two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper Jack cheese and kernel sauce... literally can't put a bun on it.”
  • Nutrition Facts: 540 calories (fried), 460 (grilled), both high sodium (up to 1400mg).
  • Amber, 03:19: “I bet I can save some now. I can go get it. Let’s go grab one.”
• IHOP Pancake Stackers:
  • Host (Male), 03:35: “Crustless cheesecake filling surrounded by two pancakes topped with strawberry, blueberry or cinnamon apple and whipped topping. When all is said and done... 1250 calories.”
  • Wendy, 03:56: “Oh, man.”

3. Calorie Counts & New Laws

• Mandatory Display: New regulations require chains (30+ locations) to display nutrition info prominently.
  • Katie, 04:09: “It’s a law now.”
  • Caller, 06:47: "The new law applies to all restaurants with 30 locations or more nationally."
• Impact on Dining Choices, Especially for Women:
  • Amber, 05:20: “I sat there and was so conscious about what I was picking. ... The people around me are gonna judge me on what I have on my plate.”
  • Wendy, 05:35: “It would depend on if I was in the drive thru by myself... or whether I was going in with other friends and had to see it.”
  • Katie, 06:15: “Out of sight, out of mind... but if I see the calorie count... damn, do I really want to do that?”

4. Social Pressures, Gender, and Body Image

• Public vs. Private Eating: Women discuss feeling judged eating high-calorie foods in public.
• Men vs. Women: Host suggests calorie info wouldn’t affect guys as much (Host, 05:49), but women feel pressure and self-consciousness.
  • Katie, 06:33: “If it’s the summertime and I have to put a bathing suit on, yeah, not worth it.”
  • Wendy, 06:38: “I’ll just lie to myself in the car and go, okay, well, I’m going to eat this now, but I’m going to work out extra hard later.”
• Caller Amber, 10:28: “I was amazed that the three women that are in your studio right now as thin as they are, are that self conscious about when they eat something... When we order anything other than a salad, we always think people are looking at us.”
  • Jen, 11:17: “You’re wearing a spandex bodysuit. Nobody’s going to be looking at what shorts you have on. Just so you know.”

5. The "Healthy" Fast Food Myth

• Surprising Nutrition: Salads can be just as unhealthy as burgers, often due to added fats, dressings, and extras.
  • Caller Stephanie, 08:29: “I had this most incredible salmon salad ... 68 grams of fat.”
  • Host (Male), 09:13: “The fattening part comes from, like... they put three times as much dressing on as you would at your own kitchen table.”
  • Jen, 09:21: “The reason that steak is so good at restaurants is because... there’s a quarter stick of butter cooked on it.”
• Restaurants Should Be Pressured: Katie argues there should be more pressure on restaurants to offer truly healthier food (Katie, 07:48).

6. Personal Confessions: Food, Guilt, and Concealment

• Secret Indulgences: Hosts admit to hiding fast food evidence and feeling shame.
  • Wendy, 12:03: “I hid the garbage... from anybody that would be in my house to see it.”
  • Katie, 12:19: “I’ve had Katie see fast food bags in my car that I left in the car and make a comment to me.”
• Desire for Guilt-Free Eating:
  • Katie, 11:52: “I wish there was a way for me to be able to eat one meal stress free... it’s gonna be impossible the rest of my life and not think about...”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fast Food’s Shift:
  • “It used to be that fast food was branded... forget about your diet... If you’re going to Mickey D’s, you go to get your Big Mac on, man.” — Host (Male), [01:01]
• On Public Guilt:
  • “The people around me are gonna judge me on what I have on my plate.” — Amber, [05:20]
  • “If I was in the drive thru by myself or whether I was going in with other friends...” — Wendy, [05:35]
• On 'Healthy' Menu Illusions:
  • “The word salad is deceiving because even at other fast food restaurants, the salad can be just as fattening as the sandwiches.” — Katie, [09:07]
  • “I almost peed my pants when I saw how much fat was in it... 68 grams of fat.” — Caller Stephanie, [08:59]
• On Body Image Universality:
  • “I was amazed that the three women that are in your studio right now as thin as they are, are that self conscious...” — Caller Amber, [10:28]
  • “I wish there was a way for me to be able to eat one meal stress free...” — Katie, [11:52]
• On Fast Food Law:
  • “The new law applies to all restaurants with 30 locations or more nationally.” — Caller, [06:47]
  • “I think restaurants should have pressure to make better food. Absolutely.” — Katie, [07:48]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Fast food’s shift: from indulgence to health and back | 01:01–02:02| | KFC Double Down breakdown | 02:02–03:23| | IHOP Pancake Stackers and calorie shock | 03:23–03:58| | Influence of menu calorie displays | 04:07–06:38| | New calorie law and public reaction | 06:47–07:24| | The “healthy” salad myth | 08:29–09:56| | Body image and public eating pressures (women’s panel) | 10:28–12:16| | Personal confessions, food guilt and concealment | 12:03–12:41|

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Conclusion

The episode highlights fast food’s renewed focus on indulgence—even as calorie counts glare from menus. The hosts candidly examine gendered food shame, diet culture, and the surprising truths behind “healthy” options. Ultimately, they reveal the psychological tug-of-war many face just trying to enjoy a meal—making for a funny, frank, and relatable discussion, true to The Bert Show’s authentic style.

Transcript

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[Host (Male)]

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[Bluff]

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[Host (Male)]

I don't know if I should laugh or cry at some of restaurants and fast foods that are coming out with some of their new sandwiches. You know, like it used to be that fast food was branded. You knew when you were going to a fast food joint, forget about your diet. Forget about counting calories and food and sodium and all that. If you're going to Mickey D's, you go to get your Big Mac on, man.

[Wendy]

Totally. Yeah. You gotta throw that all out the window. Out the drive through window.

[Jen]

Totally.

[Host (Male)]

Right. That was the mentality a while ago. But then we started getting politically correct and the fast food restaurants also realized that they needed to put some healthy stuff on the menu. So then you started dealing with salads and grilled chicken sandwiches and they were more health conscious.

[Wendy]

Right? Right. They've got those little packets of fruit for the kids and that kind of thing. Because I think, because back in the day, it was a once in a while thing if you went to McDonald's.

[Host (Male)]

Right.

[Wendy]

So you could splurge and have all the fatty stuff. But now parents are feeding their kids that every day.

[Host (Male)]

Right.

[Wendy]

So then they get in trouble because kids are obese. Well, guess why? Because you're going to McDonald's every day or wherever every day.

[Host (Male)]

Well, it seems like some these fast food restaurants and restaurants are like rebelling again and they're going the other way because they're creating these sandwiches that are so bad for you. It's like f you. We're back, people. Have you guys heard about the KFC's double down sandwich? You heard about this?

[Amber]

I've seen it. It's. It just looks disgusting.

[Jen]

Have you seen it in person?

[Katie]

No. Have you? Did you eat it?

[Jen]

Ugh.

[Wendy]

What's on this thing?

[Host (Male)]

Let me say exactly. First of all, it's got to be good for you because they're taking the carbs out of it because there's no bunny, there's no bun. No bun on the thing because the sandwich is too big. Here it is. It has two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets, two pieces of bacon.

[Wendy]

Are those fried?

[Host (Male)]

It comes either fried or grilled. If you get it grilled, you save yourself 80 calories. But I'll tell you what the calorie count is. All right, so you've got two pieces of chicken, you got two pieces of bacon, you got two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper Jack cheese and kernel sauce. It actually sounds pretty good, but it's so big that you literally can't put a bun on it because you can't put it in your mouth. It's 540 calories, 1300 milligrams of sodium, and 32 grams of fat. Now, if you go with the grilled, it's 460 calories.

[Amber]

I bet I can save some now. I can go get it. Let's go grab one.

[Host (Male)]

But if you go grilled, then you get more sodium, and nobody's really concerned about that, even though you should be 1400 calories right now. IHOP comes out yesterday with a brand new dessert. You guys hear about this?

[Katie]

No.

[Host (Male)]

All right, here's your dessert. It's called the pancake Pancake stackers, and it consists of crustless cheesecake filling surrounded by two pancakes topped with strawberry, blueberry or cinnamon, apple and whipped topping. When all is said and done, eggs, bacon, and/Browns, 1250 calories.

[Wendy]

Oh, man.

[Amber]

And they display that on their menu. By the way, I bo hot ihop because if I'm gonna go grab it and I want it and it looks tasty. Don't tell me the calories. I just want to go eat it.

[Host (Male)]

Well, they're starting to make that mandatory.

[Katie]

It's a law now.

[Jen]

We're sending law professional food restaurants.

[Amber]

Right.

[Jen]

But I don't think, like, I don't think it would apply to a sit down.

[Katie]

It eventually will, though, because, I mean. Yeah. And that way they can't be that way because most everything. Most. Most everybody in every company and everything, if you get punished for it, then you'll do something. You'll react if you have to be liable for something. And there's so many people now, which I agree with, Jen, is stupid to you. Can't sue McDonald's. You can't sue the restaurant for making you fat. But people are starting to do that. And so in order to keep every, you know, like, it's not our fault. Look, we showed you exactly what's in this. We showed you exactly what the calorie count is. It is your responsibility to eat a 1200 calorie meal.

[Host (Male)]

I was wondering if you're a woman, from a woman's perspective, right. If you go to McDonald's and. And they have. Cause up behind them now will be like, whatever, McDonald's french fries. And it'll tell you how many calories are in it. Or it'll say, give me a sandwich from McDonald's. Big Mac, Big Mac with cheese, Right. And it'll tell you how many calories it's gonna be over the top, you know, like 400. As a woman, would you be sort of pressured into not ordering that? Because you would?

[Katie]

Yeah.

[Amber]

I mean, even at a, even looking on the menu at ihop, I sat there and was so conscious about what I was picking. Because that has too many calories. That has too many calories. And the people around me are gonna judge me on what I have on my plate. Cause they can see it on their menu. So they're judging me on how much I'm eating.

[Wendy]

I was gonna say. Cause it would depend on if I was in the drive thru by myself

[Katie]

and gonna get it in the car

[Wendy]

by myself or whether I was going in with other friends and had to see it.

[Host (Male)]

So if it would play.

[Wendy]

Yeah. If it was in front of other people, it would definitely influence my choices.

[Host (Male)]

Now, for a guy, it wouldn't matter, Right. You go in there, you don't care

[Jen]

if you're going to a fast food restaurant, you know? Yeah, Like, I don't think it would. I wouldn't even look at it. I think you know what you're getting when you're there.

[Katie]

Yeah, but women count calories all the time. I mean, this is. It is. I mean, yeah, it is. Just because I go into McDonald's and I see a calorie thing that. That's not the first time I've looked at a calorie count that day.

[Host (Male)]

But now others know what you're ordering and how much is in it. So that would definitely put added pressure on you.

[Katie]

Well, unlike. I mean, I. It would put pressure on me just to see it. Like, to me, out of sight, out of mind. Like, oh, well, I'm going to e that. And I don't even think about the effects it's going to have on me. But if I see the calorie count, I don't need other people around me to think, oh, really? Damn, do I really want to do that? So, especially depending on the time of year, if it's the wintertime, who cares?

[Wendy]

I need.

[Katie]

I need some insulation. But if it's the summertime and I have to put a bathing suit on, yeah, not worth it.

[Wendy]

I'll just lie to myself in the car and go, okay, well, I'm going to eat this now, but I'm going to work out extra hard later.

[Host (Male)]

Right. Hey, Katie, good morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Good morning. I just wanted to let you guys know that the new law applies to all restaurants with 30 locations or more nationally.

[Host (Male)]

Okay, and what is that law that the calorie count has to be posted next to the food item?

[Caller]

I don't know that they specified calories yet. The FDA is still working on it. But maybe calories, it may be sodium, maybe fat. Not quite sure yet. But yeah, as of now, certain local laws have it that it needs to be as large as the price of the menu and it needs to be next to the item.

[Host (Male)]

And that's where the gut comes in,

[Katie]

right there next to the item. I think some restaurants get away with that because they have it available on a counter somewhere. And when you pull out the slip, you can see there's the item and there's the calorie count. They don't necessarily put it on the menu behind the server.

[Host (Male)]

That's what the new law says. That's why I was asking you guys if you were going to feel guilty because it'll be there, posted right next to your sandwich.

[Katie]

I think it should be because I think it should be. The pressure should be on restaurants because I know that when I had diet restrictions, I was frustrated because nobody prepared good food. You cannot get healthy fast food. You just can't. I mean, you can't. Honestly, you cannot. Based on. If you. If you make a meal at home and you get a fast food meal, the food at home is always going to be healthier. And so I think it should be. I think restaurants should have pressure to make better food. Absolutely.

[Host (Male)]

I just still have, I guess, the old school mentality that that's not a healthy alternative for me. If I'm going to go fast food, I'm going to go home and get a Whopper. I'm going to get my fries, fully knowing I'm getting my fat on and my salt on. Totally. Here's Stephanie, good morning. You're on Q100.

[Caller]

Good morning. I was calling because I went to Bahama Breeze a few months ago, and I had this most incredible salmon salad. It was delicious. So I got to thinking, well, man, this is a new dish that I'm going to start eating. So I got to thinking, well, if it's that good, I wonder how much fat it has in it. So I go to their website and I look it up, and I almost peed my pants when I saw how much fat was in it.

[Host (Male)]

How many grams?

[Caller]

68 grams of fat.

[Host (Male)]

In a salmon salad?

[Caller]

In a salmon salad.

[Wendy]

Wow.

[Katie]

The word salad is deceiving because even at other fast food restaurants, the salad can be just as fattening as the sandwiches.

[Host (Male)]

But the fattening part comes from, like, the. Like, if you're having a taco salad, isn't the fat mostly in the tor. The fried.

[Jen]

But the reason is salads are so good at restaurants is because they put three times as much dressing on as you would at your own kitchen table. It's like, the reason that steak is so good at restaurants is because, guess what? There's a quarter stick of butter cooked on it when it's cooked.

[Host (Male)]

Is that what they're doing, Stephanie, at Bahama Breeze, it's all the fat is in the butter that they're cooking the salmon in.

[Caller]

That's what I was thinking, because the dressing itself is listed separately, and it's 4 grams just by itself for the dressing.

[Host (Male)]

It has to be, because salmon by itself isn't. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. 68 grams of fat in the Bahama Brie salmon salad.

[Wendy]

Wow.

[Katie]

I think some. I think some places with all the cheese and with all the croutons, with all the meat and with, you know, and the dressing, they think if you throw a couple leaves of lettuce in there, people gonna think they're healthy. That's healthy.

[Host (Male)]

Hey, Amber. Good morning.

[Jen]

That's right. You ever see somebody go to, like, a fast food restaurant and take the top bun off the sandwich? Like, they get a Big Mac, but then they take the top bun off and they're like, yeah, yeah, I'm doing the Atkins thing.

[Host (Male)]

Yeah, I'm saving myself five stars.

[Jen]

Really? But guess what? That's not the issue. It's the four slices of cheese and the special sauce.

[Host (Male)]

Hey, Amber. Good morning. You're part of the Burt show.

[Caller]

Hey, I was just calling. Joanna, answer the phone. And I am. I am. I'm five four and right at probably 195. Wait, wait. You know, probably 40 pounds overweight. But I was amazed that the three women that are in your studio right now as thin as they are, are that self conscious about when they eat something. Because everyone never would have thought that. People always think, oh my God, I can't order that because someone's gonna think I'm thin. I'm fat. Lord have mercy. I mean, estate girls, we, you know, when we order anything other than a salad, we always think people are looking at us.

[Wendy]

We do too. We do the same thing.

[Caller]

Yeah, I never would have thought that.

[Katie]

And you think that we're not freaked out about this morph suit? I mean, you're crazy. Like, I think I have different pairs

[Wendy]

of shorts in my bag right now to figure out which ones will look better.

[Jen]

Yeah, you're wearing a spandex bodysuit. Nobody's going to be looking at what shorts you have on. Just so you know.

[Katie]

Yeah, the women are far. And I have not spoken with Wendy or Jen about it, but we're far more self conscious about that morphsuit bet than you guys are.

[Amber]

Oh, absolutely.

[Host (Male)]

I think that's a pretty interesting observation there, that heavier women think that skinny women don't think about food or body image at all. And I'm assuming that thin women assume that heavier women don't worry about that kind of thing and that's why they're heavy. Is that true?

[Wendy]

No, I think, I mean, I just assume that all women think about it

[Host (Male)]

same way all the time.

[Katie]

Yeah. Yeah. I just. Yeah. I wish that. I wish there was a way for me to be able to eat one meal stress free and it's gonna be

[Host (Male)]

impossible the rest of my life and not think about. Not think about it fat or anything about it.

[Wendy]

I went to Chick fil a this week, which is like my favoritest thing in the world to eat. And it was like a total indulgent. And I hid the garbage. I was like, I did the garbage from myself and from anybody that would be in my house to see it.

[Host (Male)]

Really?

[Katie]

Yes.

[Jen]

You hid the garbage?

[Host (Male)]

I've never seriously.

[Katie]

I've had Katie see fast food bags in my car that I left in the car and make a comment to me because she's. Because with two women in the house, we're constantly talking. That's why I got a damn pedometer on.

[Host (Male)]

This is a fight you and I will never understand. Never understand. The Birch Show.

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