This week, Wendy’s announced a nationwide rollout of its new natural-cut fries with sea salt. After 41 years of their classic fries, which taste great dipped in a Frosty, Wendy’s decided it was time to give them a makeover.

Hmm…an attempt at a makeover after 41 years? Sounds like a particular French fry is having a mid-life crisis.

The fries are made using Russet potatoes that are sliced “natural-style” with the skins left on for additional texture and taste. Then they are cooked in a proprietary oil that contains no allergens and has 0 grams of trans fat. Sea salt is sprinkled to enhance the flavor. The fries are designed to be hotter, crispier and tastier than the original version.

Wendy’s Natural-Cut Fries with Sea Salt will be priced the same as their current French fries and offered in the same sizes. The nationwide rollout begins November 11th.

Image via Wendy’s

Update: This is a post for the 2010 Purple for the People, which was grape flavored.

I’ve never thought of a Slurpee as a peace pipe, nor have I thought of it as a way to unite people, but the folks at Slurpee hope their Purple for the People flavor (a.k.a Grape) brings people together during their Slurpee Unity Tour 2010.

What’s the Slurpee Unity Tour 2010? I don’t know. It sounds slightly political, but it also sounds completely like a sly marketing campaign to sell Slurpees.

The number of beverages that have the power to bring people together is extremely small. The only two I know of are a bottle of Coca-Cola and a keg of beer. If only the Purple for the People Slurpee had a catchy song that encouraged people to come together like Coca-Cola had in the 1970s.

According to the website, Purple for the People is only available on stops during the official Slurpee Unity Tour 2010. Eight ounces of it contains 67 calories, 0 grams of fat, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of sugar, 14 milligrams of sodium and 29 milligrams of potassium.

The bite-sized Cinnabon Center of the Roll sounds like the cinnamon roll equivalent of donut holes. But its name sounds like it took 20 seconds to come up with because it’s so literal. Where’s the marketing pixie dust or marketing cream cheese frosting to give it a catchy name?

Well I’ve got some marketing pixie dust right here and in 30 seconds I’m going to come up with a better name for the Cinnabon Center of the Roll. Ready?

…

BOOM! I got it!

Cinna-Centers.

Did it in 25 seconds. Feel free to use it.

The Cinnabon Center of the Roll takes the sticky, gooey middle of their classic cinnamon roll, stick it in a cup and cover it with their signature and equally sticky, gooey cream cheese frosting. They’re currently available at participating locations until November 6th.

On September 22, Panda Express will release Kobari Beef from their gigantic woks.

It’s the first quasi-Korean dish available from the quasi-Chinese fast food joint.

The Korean-style barbeque beef dish is being described as sweet, smoky and spicy. It combines slices of marinated tri-tip beef, seared mushrooms, freshly cut leeks, onions, and red bell peppers with a “Kobari sauce.”

Kobari Beef will be available for a limited time.

To come up with the latest flavor, 5 React Fruit, it seems like the folks at Slurpee were inspired by what they saw on the gum shelves at 7-Eleven.

Thankfully, they weren’t inspired by the chip aisle, because Cool Ranch Doritos Slurpee doesn’t sound very refreshing, even if it does have the word “cool” in it.

I enjoy the gum version of Wrigley’s 5 React Fruit, but I hope the Slurpee version doesn’t look like the gum, which is gray in color and comes in a black wrapper. (Read Gigi’s review of the gum)

An 8 ounce serving has 66 calories, 0 grams of fat, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of sugar, 6 milligrams of sodium and 8 milligrams of sweet, sweet caffeine.