Welcome to Deep Dish, a weekly roundup of food and entertainment news. Last week we discussed how there might be lead in your protein powder.
Grocery behemoth Trader Joe’s and jam giant Smucker are beefing right now. The subject of their tiff? PB&Js. More specifically, Smucker is suing Trader Joe’s for allegedly copying their trademarked Uncrustables by launching their own Crustless Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Sandwiches.
Also this week, Panera, which came under fire not too long ago for its dangerously potent energy drinks, is back with a bold second try. Bird flu is back again, and it’s impacting turkey supplies ahead of Thanksgiving. And, apparently it’s not just impolite to leave your phone on the dinner table—it’s a little bit gross.
The battle of the crustless sandwiches has commenced. Smucker, for one, is alleging trademark infringement not on the basis of the sandwich recipe, but its shape, characterized in legalese as round and pie-like, ”with distinct peripheral undulated crimping.” The Washington Post conducted a blind side-by-side analysis, finding that “The TJ’s sandwich had a slightly squared-off shape, but it could pass for a circle if you didn’t look too closely.” Crucially, they also only identified that textbook undulated crimping on one side of the TJs dupe, compared to crimping on the top and bottom of the OG Uncrustables. It’s not the first time Trader Joe’s has been tangled up in such a dispute, most recently and notoriously fielding allegations from Brooklyn Delhi that they’d copied their achaar after a potential partnership between the brand and the grocery chain fizzled. We’ll be curious how this one shakes out.
Late in 2023, Panera got slammed with multiple lawsuits surrounding its Charged Lemonade, a highly caffeinated drink (containing up to 236 milligrams of caffeine, over half of the safe daily consumption recommendation) that allegedly led to two fatal cardiac arrests and one plaintiff’s permanent heart issues. Panera eventually retired the item, though not immediately (a legal expert posited to CNN that doing so promptly would have read as an admission of guilt, and in turn spur reputational damage). The chain seems keen to return to this concept and is testing new “energy refreshers” in select markets over the course of 12 weeks, according to USA Today. Hopefully these will have a less lethal buzz.
One of the very first stories I wrote for Bon Appétit, back in November 2022, was about bird flu impacting turkey farms ahead of the holiday rush. Every year since, that headline has reappeared like clockwork. The New York Times reports that the issue is only compounded by the government shutdown and short-staffed federal agencies, such as the CDC and the Department of Agriculture. As in past years, the limited supply will likely catapult turkey prices throughout the Thanksgiving season. “This is going to continue to be the new norm,” influenza expert Richard Webby told the Times.
Some believe there’s a spectrum of acceptable phone-at-the-dinner table habits. Scrolling on TikTok across from a dining mate? Actively rude. Leaving it screen side up at the table? Better, but invites distracted glances with every notification. Screen side down? Even better! But frankly, still not ideal. According to etiquette expert and writer Maggie Hennessey, having your phone out in any capacity suggests to a dining partner that they don’t have your full attention. “Once you’ve finished scrolling and decided what to order, snapped a quick pic of your cocktail, or anytime a server approaches the table to check in,” she writes, “think of it like entering a new space, and put your phone away.” Even more, our phones are also little petri dishes, “carrying 10 times more bacteria than toilet seats,” she writes. Not what you want near your dinner.
