Transitions
John’s/Tacker’s Shake Shack in Marion, Lindsey’s Hospitality House in North Little Rock, Honey Pies in Little Rock, Miss Anna’s on Towson and Ed Walker’s Drive-In in Fort Smith, Sweet Treats Sandwich & Pie Shop in Lamar, Hillbilly Hideout in Ozark, PattiCakes Bakery in Conway, Shangri-La Resort in Mount Ida, Mr. & Mrs. Chef in Hot Springs, Skillet Restaurant in Mountain View, Batten’s Donuts & Bakery in Paragould, Rhoda’s Famous Hot Tamales & Pies in Lake Village, Backyard B-B-Q Co. in Magnolia, Grandma’s House Cafe in Winslow and the Wooden Spoon in Gentry. In-studio guests for the premiere will include Patti Stobaugh of PattiCakes, Sharon Woodson of Honey Pies and Charlotte Bowls of Charlotte’s Eats & Sweets. Make a donation to the AETN Foundation and get a copy of Robinson’s new book, Another Slice of Arkansas Pie: A Guide to the Best Restaurants, Bakeries, Truck Stops and Food Trucks for Delectable Bites in The Natural State (Tonti Press, 2018). And check out the film’s companion website, aetn.org/makeroomforpie.
And McDonald’s is taking cheeseburgers and chocolate
milk off its Happy Meal menu by June to cut down on the calories, sodium, saturated fat and sugar that children consume at its restaurants. Hamburgers and Chicken McNuggets will remain the main entrees on the Happy Meal menu. The idea is to cut Happy Meal options to 600 calories or fewer with less than 650 milligrams of sodium. It also wants less than 10 percent of the meal’s calories to come from saturated fat and the same percentage from added sugar. If you actually want a cheeseburger or chocolate milk for your youngster, you can still ask specifically for them, but the company says not listing them will reduce how often they’re ordered. The company says orders for soda with Happy Meals have fallen 14 percent since the company took it off the Happy Meal menu four years ago. Health advocates and parents frequently link Happy Meals to childhood obesity; in response, McDonald’s has made tweaks over the years, including cutting the portion size of fries and adding fruit and, most recently, swapping out its apple juice for one with less sugar. Bottled water will be an option but will cost extra.
Has a restaurant opened — or closed — near you in the last week or so? Does your favorite eatery have a new menu? Is there a new chef in charge? Drop us a line. Call (501) 399-3667 or (501) 378-3513, or send a note to Restaurants, Weekend Section, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Send email to: eharrison@arkansasonline.com