Jack in the Box - The Rise and Fall...And Rise Again

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Episode Description: Jack in the Box is a major chain of fast food restaurants, mainly found in the western United States. This video details their more significant rises and falls over the years.
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Company Declines:
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RadioShack: • The Decline of RadioSh...
Solo Cups: • The Decline of Solo......
Toys "R" Us: • The Decline of Toys R ...
hhgregg: • The Decline of hhgregg...
Pan Am: • The Decline of Pan Am....
ESPN: • The Decline of ESPN......
Gibson: • The Decline of Gibson....
iHeartMedia: • The Decline of iHeartM...
Bon-Ton: • The Decline of Bon-Ton...
Kodak: • The Decline of Kodak.....
General Electric: • The Decline of General...
Woolworth: • The Decline of Woolwor...
Dell: • The Decline of Dell......
Sears: • The Decline of Sears.....
Payless: • The Decline of Payless...
Hostess: • The Decline of Hostess...
Redbox: • The Decline of Redbox....
Nokia: • The Decline of Nokia.....
JCPenney: • The Decline of JCPenne...
Quiznos: • The Decline of Quiznos...
GameStop: • The Decline of GameSto...
NASCAR: • The Decline of NASCAR....
Shopko: • The Decline of Shopko....
MoviePass: • The Decline of MoviePa...
Reebok: • The Decline of Reebok....
The Gap: • The Decline of The Gap...
Pier 1 Imports: • The Decline of Pier 1 ...
Sbarro: • The Decline of Sbarro....
AOL: • The Decline of AOL...W...
Long John Silver's: • The Decline of Long Jo...
Chuck E. Cheese's: • The Decline of Chuck E...
GNC: • The Decline of GNC...W...
Hertz: • The Decline of Hertz.....
Steak 'n Shake: • The Decline of Steak '...
CiCi's Pizza: • The Decline of CiCi's ...
Boston Market: • The Decline of Boston ...
Yahoo: • The Decline of Yahoo!....
Montgomery Ward: • The Decline of Montgom...
Fry's Electronics: • The Decline of Fry's E...
Souplantation: • The Decline of Souplan...
Gateway: • The Decline of Gateway...
BlackBerry: • The Decline of BlackBe...
Sports Authority: • The Decline of Sports ...
Atari: • The Decline of Atari.....
KB Toys: • The Decline of KB Toys...
Pizza Hut: • The Decline of Pizza H...
MGM: • The Decline of MGM...W...
FYE: • The Decline of FYE...W...
HP: • The Decline of HP...Wh...
Forever 21: • The Decline of Forever...
Guitar Center: • The Decline of Guitar ...
WCW: • The Decline of WCW...W...
Sega: • The Decline of Sega......
KFC: • The Decline of KFC...W...
Macy's: • The Decline of Macy's....
Circuit City: • The Decline of Circuit...
Bed Bath & Beyond: • The Decline of Bed Bat...
Carvana: • The Decline of Carvana...
Fuddruckers: • The Decline of Fuddruc...
Borders: • The Decline of Borders...
Friendly's: • The Decline of Friendl...
Sprint: • The Decline of Sprint....
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[@TheHEROFamily]

That time Jack pulled up in front of the Burger King headquarters and said "do something about it" will forever live in my head.

[@danielgonzalez1565]

and thats where the erotic fan art was born lol

[@richardpaz8035]

@@charlesandrews2513are you sure it would’ve been Ronald?

[@Solnoric]

The best ad of theirs was when they implied McDonald's was making burgers from cow assholes.

[@aimwell8813]

@@Solnoric do you mind if you can link the "cow asses" jack in the box commercial?

[@ARedMotorcycle]

@aimwell8813 Just look up, "Jack in the Box Sirloin Burger Angus".

[@probablycoop6694]

A lot of those funny commercials really stuck with me. I can still remember busting a gut at the one where Jack rips his sleeves off and is RIPPED beyond belief lol

[@Paramount531]

I liked the one where he burst in the room where a focus group was evaluating one of his burgers.

[@patricknguyen7530]

Also another advantage I feel Jack in the Box has had is the fact they still serve breakfast 24/7 where other fast foods haven’t or completely stopped

[@SmokeyChipOatley]

Their Extreme Sausage breakfast sandwich is borderline orgasmic when drunk and/or high. A buddy of mine once had to tell me to stop moaning mid sandwich. I hadn’t noticed I was even doing it. He was really uncomfortable.

[@benjaminwatt2436]

They jumped on the breakfast bandwagon along with, almost every fast food place in the early 2000s, i wouldn't say that gives them an advantage

[@1Guason3]

@@benjaminwatt2436 iirc they had breakfast all day before the other big players

[@joewilson3393]

@@benjaminwatt2436 I only go to Jack for Breakfast because they are the only one here with their full menu all day. I can get my Ultimate cheeseburger and the wife can get an egg sandwich at 10 AM.

[@Rockin_Ross]

100%! So many places just won’t play the all-day breakfast game so my money is going to Jack.

[@TexasDragon]

I took several college classes in marketing and Jack in the Box was one of the discussed topics. I can’t stress how much this chain was on the ropes after the E. coli incident. A lot of people genuinely thought they were done for. After studying and researching this company while time certainly was a factor, this is definitely one of the biggest cases on how effective advertising can save a company. Introducing CEO Jack as their head mascot was an absolute stroke of genius along with putting him in precarious yet relatable scenarios in those commercials from the 90s. There’s a montage of these on KZbin that’s definitely worth watching and they still hold up today. And the last thing I’ll mention is don’t ever underestimate in trying to grab that stoner crowd 😂

[@bondservant4jesus]

.Yeah the stoner thing is so obvious.

[@dark-ghost5455]

is marketing a good major cause i chose it already..

[@sugamai]

​@@dark-ghost5455do you even like marketing?

[@oakfan52]

3 tacos for a buck. I remember that.

[@bondservant4jesus]

@@dark-ghost5455 I think so. As long as there stuff to sale, people gonna need marketing.

[@kriscynical]

I wish you would have talked about HOW they introduced the modern Jack mascot. They literally blew up the old mascot with TNT back in the day, and when the new Jack was introduced he blew up the corporate boardroom that had all of the people in it who had supposedly blown up the old mascot. It was VERY funny at the time for everyone who remembered the first ad campaign for the mascot change.

[@twulff7060]

Jack in the Box will always have a special place in my heart, because as a kid, when my dad was on a business trip and my mom would take me to school, we would stop at Jack in the Box and I would get a Supreme Croissant for breakfast. And till this day I think of that when I eat one. And now that my mom has passed, it is even more memorable to me. Love you mom!

[@EinhanderPilotSantos]

Man how did I not notice Company Man hasn’t covered Jack in the Box yet? I love those antenna balls from back in the day!

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

Another channel covered Jack in the Box but not Company Man yet.

[@benjaminwatt2436]

@@runrafarunthebestintheworld yeah why didn't you notice...you have got to put more attention. what kind of society do we live in where people don't know what Company man has covered...disgusting

[@emacias1473]

Mines always gets stolen whenever they sell them again I buy one and it gets stolen 😢

[@Omar-em7rl]

@@emacias1473 yup, i bought 3 in 2018 someone stole 2 of them from my vehicle's antenna within a year in 2019, i have one left still in it's packaging in a bookshelf to this day, wishing i could use it.

[@ryanconnell9206]

Someone stole mine while I was stationed in Louisiana. What a bummer.

[@twindrill2852]

I think one of the main reasons why the new (and current) Jack mascot stuck was because he’s the perfect mix of being edgy, classy, and snarky most other fast food mascots at the time didn’t have (and this was LONG before Wendy’s found out what Twitter was). So his unique personality stuck and made him remarkable.

[@GifMaker-n8r]

He's basically the 'Deadpool' of fast food mascots

[@Toontastic_Juju]

Jack Box is one of my favorite mascots. Their commercials give me a good laugh as a kid and I still enjoy them now!

[@pleasedontwatchthese9593]

Idk but they creeped me out as a kid

[@Dj.D25]

I think their commercials lately haven’t been as funny as they used to be.

[@porsche180]

Jack is pretty much the only fast food in my area that’s still open 24 hours. They always satisfy my late night munchies

[@aquillawhingate3248]

White Castle is that east of the Mississippi, only closing for Christmas

[@nahor88]

Honestly had no idea there were no JitBs on the east coast... we have them everywhere in Texas. Whataburger puts them to shame though, and is ACTUALLY open 24 hours EVERYWHERE.

[@neverbackdown1918]

Especially the churros

[@craigd1275]

Before COVID they had the $6 midnight munchie meal. I bought a lot of them. It was geared to all the late night pot smokers. (I don't use drugs) Now they cost $11. Not worth it. I miss the original hamburger with secret sauce and the bacon cheese burger with poppy seed bun, that would cause you to fail a workplace piss test because the early tests couldn't tell the difference between heroin and poppy seeds.

[@eduardoaguilar8032]

@@craigd1275that chikn tater one is good as well hash brown with the 🐓 patty and bacon if I’m not mistaken

[@scottnotpilgrim]

Their advertising definitely played a role in all of this

[@saininj]

They seriously have the best commercials.

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

They have awesome commercials just like Carl's Jr and 7 eleven they just stand out.

[@SmokeyChipOatley]

I just think it’s commendable that most of their advertising featured their founder Jack. You don’t see much representation from clown-Americans in modern media. Glad he made it through the bus accident without major health issues

[@TheProtagonistDies]

those 2 tacos for $1 played the biggest part of their rise again

[@CheeseMiser]

The fact they had their mascot blew up the board in his first commercial. Pure gold

[@Star_sweeper]

Jack in the Box is stoner food, knows it, and leans into it. It’s great.

[@mattr2626]

100%. They found their niche

[@BladeEdge86]

I remember that one commercial they aired years ago advertising this deal for 2 tacos for 99cents. This stoner pulls up to the drive through window and tries to buy 99 tacos for 2 cents.

[@JuanSilva-ym9pf]

@@BladeEdge86if I remember correctly, he asks the Jack bobble head on his dash how many to buy and bobble head Jack tells him to buy 30 tacos.

[@marcohavokkhaos]

They know their audience. Their pokestop on Pokemon Go says It's Food

[@frankofudrucker2201]

The flavor of Jack's tacos is addictive. The sourdough Jack lends itself well to reheating to eat later at home. Take it out of fridge, 4 minutes in the toaster oven to crisp the bread and 30 seconds in the microwave. Beef patty, bacon, Swiss cheese, onion and tomato.

[@coyotelong4349]

The shakes are great too, as are the all-day breakfast sandwiches 🫶

[@neetpride5919]

Mmm mmm mmm Jack in the Box so good

[@NuggetEternal]

$0.99 tacos on the mobile app 😋

[@frankofudrucker2201]

@cinnamonowl I think they're $1.69 for two.

[@NuggetEternal]

@@frankofudrucker2201 There is a $0.99 deal on the app. Not only that but there's a deal for free tacos on taco Tuesdays.

[@ClaymoreClay101]

The food poisoning incident of Jack in the Box was such a big deal it not only affected Jack in the Box, but the fast food industry. Apparently, it caused the public to lose trust fast food and avoid not just Jack in the Box but other fast food chains to a less extent. The food safety program Jack in the Box implemented ended up setting the bar for food safety at fast food establishments and helped move the entire industry towards better food safety practices. I great source that cover's this is the book Fast Food Nation. I high recommend it.

[@DCI226]

What a coincidence! Just before this video was posted my son told me he wanted to go to Jack in the Box because he had never been there, so we went and talked all about it. He loved it and wants to go again. Then we get home and turn the TV on to YT and this video pops up. Gave us both a laugh.

[@companyman114]

Crazy timing haha.

[@CodMemories]

Not a coincidence. Your phone listens to everything you say and suggests content and ads based on what you said

[@jamesdayton2598]

I've had things like that happen to me and I love it.

[@Beybleyder101]

that ain't a coincidence it is big companies using your data and preferences and then to feed you content accordingly to keep you hooked

[@legochickenguy4938]

I love Jack because they have such a random eclectic menu that you can get 24 hours a day and can’t really get anywhere else

[@kittyprydex]

A burger joint with tacos, egg rolls, salads, chicken, and churros. If you can't find something to eat at Jack in a road trip, you're too picky lol

[@marcohavokkhaos]

False. That's called a Whataburger

[@saininj]

I may be the minority, but Jack in the Box is my go to, reliable fast food place. The Munchies Meal was the best thing they ever made.

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

Yep the Munchy meal is amazing.

[@lostfan5054]

I'm with ya. Their tacos are the only drug to cure my bad days

[@jeffer7181]

Too bad they got rid of the og munchie meal sandwiches and increased the price from just $6 to $10

[@adr9513]

you are not the only one....

[@CrusaderZade]

Yeah and then they fucking got rid of them and replaced it with overpriced regular menu items

[@NikateeN]

My mom didn’t let me go as a kid, she always remembered that outbreak and was freaked out by the place. I went for the first time in my teens and became addicted due to the diverse menu. By the time I hit my 20s though I was sort of burnt out on Jack, and have been only a handful of times in the past 15 years.

[@EmeraldEyesEsoteric]

But what if there was one just a block away from where you lived, and what if you could eat there for free at least once a week?

[@TotallyAHumanNotADog]

Jack in the Box is easily one of my top 5 favorite fast food restaurants. Their tacos are my guilty pleasure.

[@mariateresamondragon5850]

I've loved those tacos for over 50 years. I also enjoy being able to get tacos and egg rolls at the same place.

[@genaroayala8100]

One of the most American videos i've seen is about this redneck guy that move up north and couldn't sleep because he was craving Jack in the Box tacos. So he was trying figure out how to make them and uploaded a tutorial on KZbin. lol

[@dalededen]

Try a BK taco. Shockingly better.

[@wannabesteve777]

Their ad campaign has been one of the greatest things they have ever done! So many memorable commercials over the years. Also their variety and willingness to experiment with various menu items that have NOTHING to do with burgers and fries is a strong point. Californian born and raised and can't picture myself ever hating Jack in the Box!

[@kittyprydex]

Mispronouncing Chipotle is still a thing my husband and I laugh about when we pass an actual Chipotle. CHIPOTAHBLE

[@wannabesteve777]

@@kittyprydex Chipoodle. Just go. 🤣

[@kittyprydex]

@@wannabesteve777 That commercial set a tone for me. I'd never been there. (Only one location in a small town but I wasn't driving yet) But when I started working and getting out hella late, it became my go-to drive thru for dinner. I mean, it wasn't healthy, but I could afford it haha. Marketing at its finest lol

[@MrMeatHook]

I’m originally from California. I grew up with Jack in the Box in my life. I was around for the outbreak. If you’re looking for a good, cheap burger, you can’t go wrong with Jack in the Box. Their fries are pretty bad though. Also, if you’re under the influence of any substances, their tacos are AMAZING. Plus, they’re probably the only fast food place still offering all day breakfast. I live in Michigan now, so I’m nowhere near a Jack, but when I go visit my parents, I always make sure to grab Jack in the Box and Bakers Drive-Thru

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

Yep same I remember that outbreak made national news too. I'm glad they no longer use the same meat and they're pretty good now.

[@emacias1473]

From the IE?

[@MrMeatHook]

@@emacias1473 Bakers gave it away, didn’t it? 😂 Yeah, I’m originally from Riverside

[@nunyabusiness776]

they’re not so cheap anymore ☹️ down here in texas it’s like $11 for a combo. i’m not saying that’s insaneeee but i’m saying i can get wingstop for $10 too

[@MrMeatHook]

@@nunyabusiness776 sure I can get wingstop instead… but when I’m ordering a burger, it’s because I want a burger, not chicken. Also, I don’t get meals from JitB, because their fries are awful. I just get a burger and a drink

[@artman2oo3]

I am very surprised that you didn’t mention the $1 Jumbo jack and 2-for-$1 tacos in the mid to late 1990s (I’m not sure when the prices went up, in the 00s?) because when I was in college in the mid to late 90s, and there was one near campus, I had those Jumbo Jacks and Tacos SO MANY TIMES. That had to be a big reason for their late 90s comeback.

[@emmettturner9452]

A couple things to note: I went to visit family in San Diego back in 1994 when the E.Coli incident was still the first thing to come to mind with Jack in the Box. My family there pointed out that Jack in the Box no longer had burgers. Sure enough, all their commercials were about loaded fries or salads or chicken or whatever so it seems they focused on just about everything else immediately after the E.Coli scare. They stopped being a “burger place” for some time, though they were serving burgers again when I came back over a decade later. In the mean time I went back to my state of Georgia where there were no Jack in the Box restaurants and over that decade I witnessed at least two more E.Coli outbreaks that affected fast food chains like Burger King… but they somehow never got blamed for it like Jack in the Box did. They always blamed the beef supplier and suffered no consequences themselves. As I understood it, Jack in the Box was letting customers order their burgers rare and the outbreak put an end to that industry-wide except for fancy sit-down places. Seems weird to blame them for that one when every other outbreak gets blamed on beef suppliers and customers who order rare.

[@MultiAbstrak]

I remember (this was in LA) that the e.coli outbreak was not at (or not just at) jack in the box, but places like burger king and wendy's. I remember this because we would still go to jack in the box, and avoided places like mcDonalds, burger king, etc.

[@planescaped]

I totally forgot it happened, but the moment he mentioned the outbreak everything came back to me. It's always funny when that happens.

[@johnr797]

I know in the case of the 1993 outbreak, they were following federal standards supposedly but not Washington state standards. Which begs the question of why the federal standards allowed cooking to below temps that could kill e. coli, but alas...

[@clvrswine]

How is your comment a "couple things to note"?

[@emmettturner9452]

@@clvrswine 1-They stopped being a burger place for a bit 2-They were blamed instead of beef suppliers I don’t think serving it the way people asked for it makes the difference since it still would’ve had to be contaminated to begin with. Neither distancing themselves from beef nor taking the blame instead of beef suppliers were mentioned in the video and I felt it was worth noting. I wrapped them in a personal anecdote, but it’s not like the video is supposed to note my personal experience.

[@georgeflores3552]

An old college roommate of mine from Africa loved to get breakfast jacks at late hours, as he was so impressed with Americans being able to get food 24 hours a day.😋

[@hardlyb]

One of my sisters-in-law worked for JitB at corporate. The test kitchen would try out new recipes, and pretty often at the end of the day, she took home LOTS of food. Their grocery bill went down quite a bit. Eventually the closed the kitchen, moving it somewhere else, and then they outsourced whatever she was doing (I can't remember), so she went somewhere else. Apparently the cooks in the test kitchens were really good, so the food was better than the restaurants.

[@hamzahhashmi9151]

As someone who lives in Vancouver, Jack in the Box is my go to whenever I go down to Washington state. Especially love their tiny tacos

[@charlesallen2306]

You missed mentioning they were one of the first fast food restaurants to open 24 hours, also their "tacos" are amazing!

[@benjaminwatt2436]

Yeah, they jumped on that bandwagon along with almost everyone in the early 2000s, just follwed the trend

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

I ate at a few Seattle WA area Jacks 🍔 in 2012. The chain was nothing great. I ate 2x then said: ummmm no!

[@albertesquivel7620]

The issue with Jack is They don't pay their employees well and that shows with their customer service and wait time.

[@JK_Rosser_LV]

Born and raised in SD County they are pretty much part of our DNA. They were also the first mass fast food joint to offer 24hr drive thru(I think) and JBX parking lots would be the kick it spot after the club or beach bonfire PS:Jack's head is located on the top of the RF Foul Pole at Petco Park in San Diego

[@SmokeyChipOatley]

They were also one of the first to unapologetically target the late night stoner crowd with their Munchee Menu or whatever it’s called. Even the tv ads were pretty open about it.

[@ThisOldSkater]

JBX was actually its own thing, remember? The upscale versions, like the one in PB had (may still have) a fire place, a kind of a lounge eating area.

[@DebitAdams]

​@@ThisOldSkaterI remember that PB one

[@alejandroramirez4470]

that's one of the best parts at petco park. they still do promotional giveaways if the padres win, right? Last time I went I think it was mentioned that fans can get a jumbo jack or something.

[@DebitAdams]

@alejandroramirez4470 all teams do similar Jumbo Jack giveaways. Mariners give Jumbo Jacks away 😆

[@Rashnak66]

Jack is a price leader with continuously changing variety of items at the lower end of the price scale. For instance, they still offer a $5 meal (small burger/taco/fries/drink) at a time when $5 won't buy any meal at McD's. They also have the high end meals to compete too.

[@EmeraldEyesEsoteric]

I think Jack is the best place around. The Tacos are great, the burgers are pretty good, and collecting receipts to get free food has allowed me to get a free ultimate cheeseburger pretty much every week. One time I found a receipt for a $60 order. That receipt alone got me a free bacon ultimate. I remember back in the day Burger king tried to copy the jack in the box tacos. I thought they were even better, but they were discontinued. In this age of inflation Jack is my hero.

[@PricefieldPunk]

The Jack in the Box mascot is probably the most successful fast food burger one considering he's still used in like every one of their commercials

[@Jerorawr_XD]

I worked as a manager at McD's for a few years and during our training for food safety we were told the story of jack and why its so important to maintain proper food safety procedures... because a mistake like that, made from laziness can destroy everything.

[@ronin7997]

San Diego native here. The quality of the food took a significant jump after the e-coli outbreak, so the chain was my go-to fast food restaurant for years afterwards. They would often collaborate with the San Diego Padres on free taco / Jumbo Jack promotions as well, keeping them relevant in our market. Until the rise of Popeyes and Chick-fil-A, they were my favorite location to get a chicken sandwich. The Jack mascot antennae balls were so popular here they kept getting stolen from cars that had them too.

[@TheTyscion]

I still fondly remember my first Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich!

[@reidbronson6358]

I have great memories working the 9 to 5 shift at the Jack's in St. Charles, MO. during the summer of 1973. Then, I would walk next door to work the 5 to 2 shift at a Pizza Hut Red Roof restaurant. I was working two jobs to get money to buy an engagement ring for my high school and college sweetheart. While working those two jobs, I didn't have time to visit my girlfriend who was attending the summer session at Missouri. Big mistake. She fell for an Education Major. After we separated, I used the cash for a used Dodge Dart. Loved that car. My girlfriend? She was engaged to the new guy in 6 months. To be married only six months after their engagement. A few days before her huge wedding, he drops her. Her Dad took a bath. Two years after her non wedding, she called me. She talks like we're just old friends. I go to end the call, and she interrupts me to ask me to Midnight Mass. I'm dumbfounded and go silent. She asks again. Then again. Finally, I say yes. When I saw her and her beautiful smile, I realized that I was still in love with her. Married 2 years later. Married for 42 years. One great son. Lost her in 2019. God, I miss her.

[@bach2458]

i will always be a massive fan of jack in the box, in high school we would go several times a week for their tacos. You cant beat 2 tacos for .99. and the best part is still to this day on the app you can get 2 tacos for $.99. A blessing

[@sethrandal]

In the early 2000s, they converted some locations in Boise and other markets into “JBX Grill,” a more upscale restaurant with gas fireplaces and patios. The food was higher-end with things like ciabatta buns and sauce bars. It only lasted a couple of years before they were converted back into Jack in the Box restaurants.

[@Paramount531]

They did this in San Diego, too. I think I have seen one of the old JBX stores in the Boise area, I just can't remember where.

[@WillTheUndeadSmore]

I've only eaten at Jack in a box a couple times, but thought the food was better than most other fast food places around me.

[@Killermike2178]

I'll never forget the time while we were in the middle of the recession when Jack in the Box actually had the gall to sell glorified Hot Pockets, which they called "Gourmet Stuffed Sandwiches", for $5 a pop. Those were some wild times...

[@Swamphunter]

Jack in the Crack was my go-to when I was stuck on night shift back around 2008. These days it's still one of my favorite options, and the Jack commercials were definitely a major part in getting me to root for them. I was there when they reintroduced Jack as the suit wearing businessman, and I also remember the tons of antenna toppers they gave away.

[@MultiAbstrak]

Ok here is a question... Was it Jack in the Crack, or Crack in the Box. Could never figure that out.

[@MrRoda8143]

​@@MultiAbstrakIt's always been Crack in the Box, at least for me lol

[@chebochevato8336]

Jack in the box is way better quality than McDonald's And have the greatest variety on their menu than anyone. They cost a little more in some areas, but at the same time, manage to have some of the best meal and snack deals. Not to mention the Oreo cookie shake is the bomb! And the secret to why their shake machines always work? Real ice cream.

[@kaniahankston4310]

Even though their burgers are great, I definitely always go there for the breakfast!! They have great breakfast options compared to most fast food places, and it’s available 24 hours!

[@kittyprydex]

The only place whose hash browns don't taste like they were fried in earwax.

[@applessisnine2801]

I remember the ecoli thing. I felt so bad. I loved JIB. About a month into it, they were struggling and trying hard to hang in there. I said screw public perception and risked my life (I'm joking) to go in. My logic was that in the immediate aftermath, it was probably the safest time ever. The place was barren but the employees tried super extra hard to be friendly and make the food well. Maybe I was the first person they had seen in a while, idk. Whatever it was, it worked. I was impressed and rooted passionately for them to pull through. Then they came out with obnoxious Jack and the rest was history. Long live Jack in the Box! ❤👍🤟

[@MrMagnaFarce]

When I was a little kid growing up in California I thought Jack in the Box was a taco joint for YEARS because after doing yard work on Saturday my dad would often take us all to Jack in the Box and then ask us how many tacos we wanted. I ate Jack in the Box for three or four years before I realized it was primarily a burger joint. In my teen years Jack in the Box was a huge favorite because they were the only fast food joint open 24 hours in my area and they were cheap and tasted good. I also remember Jack in the Box being the first fast food chain in the area to start accepting credit cards. Now I live in the Midwest and Jack in the Box is one of the things I miss the most from living in California, as lame as that sounds.

[@TheWedabest]

Jack in the box is in some Midwest states.

[@enigmawyoming5201]

Sounds like you were eating Jack tacos when they were 2 for $1. I know my dad took us there for “tacos” and just order them by the dozen, nobody complained! They were really crappy tacos, but REALLY GOOD…. and as a kid, I enjoyed them and will remember those trips for a ‘special dinner’ for the rest of my life. I still eat those crappy tacos and remember my childhood every time.

[@sultanofsick]

sounds perfectly reasonable to me, I can't think of anything else to miss about california.

[@PerceptionVsReality333]

​@@enigmawyoming5201 They were much better back then.

[@edwardmerriam6970]

As a California native I'll say some things about why the West Coast loves Jack in the Box. 1) Quality. Granted, it varies on location and quality can be very spotty, but overall the food is good and it's made to order, ensuring that you're always getting it fresh. It's better than Burger King (which has fallen off) and McDonald's. 2) Customer service. 95% of the time I've had a pleasant experience with Jack in the Box, so I'd say having good customer service goes a long way especially in an era where competitors are slacking. Check out is faster than say In-n-Out too. 3) Variety. There's a little bit of everything. What makes Jack in the Box so awesome is that they have a ton of sides you can add on to your regular meal and they're all really good. Tacos are the bomb and the chocolate cake is so good. Chicken strips are amazing too. Where others have chased trends or cut back, Jack in the Box has kept the same philosophy yet will adjust as necessary. The Munchie Meals, collabs with Snoop Dogg, or other unique promo items. Easily my favorite fast-food chain at this point.

[@WSendam]

Jack is the Patrick Bateman of food mascots

[@SKMP]

Jack Box 30 years ago when marketing told him he can’t be their mascot: kzbin.info/www/bejne/maC8Y3x3YtR1rNksi=FdRYVEgkvd6vSL5r

[@MultiAbstrak]

i do not disagree

[@MultiAbstrak]

wait... then is The burger king mascot Dexter? Cause one is Dexter and the other is Bateman.

[@TheMRBLACKop12]

I’m literally the jack in the box guy then

[@SirBlackReeds]

He's a yuppie who talks a big game but never really accomplishes anything?

[@bobkilla430]

One of my marketing profs when I went to college in San diego said he used to manage the marketing for a higher end jack in the box; Jbx grill, which I guess didn't last long. Jack's shakes were pretty good. After a hard night of partying in tj, there was/is a jack first thing at the trolly station right over the border. curly fires and jalapeño poppers with ranch.

[@RaynmanPlays]

McDonald's tried to put their clown mascot in a suit. It didn't work. At all. Jack in the Box put their clown mascot in a suit, and he's been iconic for decades now. Jack in the Box's advertising department really is next-level.

[@ZuperZocker]

jack box has become a go-to staple in our household after specific late night events. Pick someone up from the airport at like midnight? Jack box. Come home from a late concert? Jack box. Work super late? Jack box. The one by us is consistently good and surprisingly busy all night.

[@jackbuschbaum]

Jack in the Box used to have amazing deals on their app a couple years back as well as that $6 munchie meal that was full of food. I could spend $6 and get a whole munchie meal as well as free egg rolls or a shake or a free extra fry carton on the app, it could not be beaten when you had those late night munchies. These days that stuff would ring me up to over twice as much due to the legendary deals and cheap munchie meals no longer existing. Hence, I don’t stop by there anymore unfortunately. But I’ll never forget when you could be fed for over a whole day for $6.

[@__1201]

It's been mentioned in the comments a couple of times but it has to be reitterated: Their tacos are amazing, and they're 2 for a buck. They did get rid of the teriyaki bowl (at least in my area) though. That was a good menu item as well.

[@alejandroramirez4470]

they're 2 for a buck on the app/online but not in person/drive-thru ordering.

[@__1201]

@@alejandroramirez4470 I only ever use the apps when ordering fast food now. You save so much money in the long run. Pretty much everyone has a smart phone now. No excuse really not to use the App.

[@kittyprydex]

The price of the tacos went up but they're still absolutely worth it. You could tell me they had cardboard in them and I'd still want to eat them. It's my one drive thru guilty pleasure. I can't have them often, but I never regret getting them.

[@__1201]

@@kittyprydex Still $.99 on my app

[@sivart54]

I love Jack in the Box. They are one of the few fast food choices that are even available to me where I live, but I'm glad since the food is quite different from the usual.

[@duffstephens258]

Moving from Arizona to Florida I really miss Jack-in-the-Box

[@MisterJonesification]

I know it's never going to be #1, but I never thought they would be low enough to have ever reached 'fall' status. They are middle of the pack, with an occasional funny tv commercial advertisement.

[@MultiDhays]

They still do breakfast 24/7 which I feel has been great for them, and they've definitely been targeting more towards a late teens/early 20s crowd with the whole Munchie Meal deal and bundles of snack items which I think has helped really cement them as a prominent late night fast food option. I see so many of the just popping with long lines around 9pm-1am while other places either have a considerably shorter line or are closed

[@joewilson3393]

Jack is great, and I love the humor in the advertising. The subtle nod to their customers with the "late night munchies" box featuring one made by Snoop. I do miss the original three patty ultimate cheeseburger, but the new one is ok. They also recently purchased another one of my faves, Del Taco.

[@RobertHarridge]

I can only hope they open locations here in Florida. We need more options. Whataburger left most of the state 15 years ago with the exception of North Florida, and I think most of us was a new experience, and I think Jack can fill that roll.

[@brewcider]

My dad loaded up on JITB stock during the e.coli period knowing they would recover. He was right and made a fortune and covered my college education from his gains. I might not be where I am today if it weren't for that stock.

[@arbington]

Another small town not far from my own closed their Jack in the Box a year or so ago, and with it ended also most of my reasons for going to that town.

[@MiggyMeista]

Those Jack in the Box commercials are top tier. And their food is decent too, the tacos are great for if you're broke or high, or both

[@ExtremeMedium]

I remember when I was a kid, JitB was like this forbidden mystical place. My parents didn't want to go there because of the whole ecoli thing When I got to be an adult and Jack came back, I got to try them out for the first time and I think they're one of the most unique fast food joints out there. I love how they've embraced the stoner culture as their main clientele They have the best breakfast burritos in the game and their tacos are simultaneously horrendous and fantastic. They're slabs of cheap grease, but one heck of a tasty slab of cheap grease

[@SirRichardHardenThicke]

My fondest memories with my dad is going to Jack in the Box after sunday morning church service, him buying an unhealthy amount of tacos, then heading home to watch football and pig out the rest of the day.

[@AnontheGOAT]

For us it was their $1 chicken sandwich and jumbo Jack in Kent, WA. In my teenage years I figured out that you could get a big cheeseburger and add veggies for free essentially getting a Jumbo Jack with cheese for $1. Ahh the good ‘ol days.

[@Wilkie2000]

I really like their iced coffee, the only fast food coffee that's better than "good enough," in my opinion, and it's reasonably priced. That and the proximity to my house means I go there practically daily. I like the breakfast anytime, the eggrolls, and they recently added chicken wraps which are great, if a bit expensive. I'm surprised you didn't mention their fairly recent merger with Del Taco...I actually think from a business prospective that's the real growth opportunity.

[@Mrpartyallnight101]

I like the variety their menu has. Breakfast all day is a huge plus. Never really had a bad experience with them. Also great food for them beer/weed munchies lol.

[@ACoolKidsProduction]

There were so many JitB locations here in NC in the early 2000s, including in my hometown. They showed up mostly at the same time, even had special TV ads that said things like "I've been getting to know you...uh...y'all." They were there for several years, then I blinked and suddenly they had all closed without me noticing. Today there's 18 in the entire state, almost entirely around Charlotte and Hickory. I'm pretty sure there were some around Raleigh just a year or so ago that have also closed. Wife and I usually make a point to hit up the two that are along highways we use. Her because her friend worked at one once and going to them at every chance has become a thing for her, and me more for the novelty.

[@riden1234567]

I've never been to a jack in the box, but I remember how absolutely savage the mascot was at taking shots at McDonald's and Burger King, sometimes even outright saying they are awful

[@Baynewsvideo]

How many people remember the "Taco Jack" experiment in the early 1980's? They used an old (2nd gen) JIB store in San Diego (Convoy St. and Balboa Ave.) and rebranded it is Taco Jack. Meanwhile they built a 3rd generation store across the street. Both stores were just about 2 miles from JIB-HQ. Taco Jack lasted about 16 months. The location was sold and turned into a "berto's" style Mexican Drive-Thru. Finally both locations at Balboa and Convoy were torn down and replaced by used car lots. A lot of in-field experiments happed at those 2 stores. Both are now gone forever.

[@rossjohnstone4689]

I went to jack in the box for the first time in 2018 for breakfast and i gotta say, it was pretty good. Also who could forget that mascot? I thought he was cool and had a good vibe to him :3

[@twoodbeats]

That e. coli outbreak back in the 90s at jack in the box was the first major news story I remembered as a kid, it was everywhere, for a long time it was synonymous with jack in the box for me being that was how I was introduced to it

[@averagejoe2933]

Love your videos man keep doing what you do Best

[@animatsuri]

I think it's ironic that back in the day Jack in the Box was one of the pioneers of drive thru ordering. At least here in Hawaii they are the slowest when it comes to ordering while driving through.

[@albear972]

This is crazy! I was just an hour ago reading up on Jack in the Box and found out it was owned by a vulture capital company.

[@kysmarcy]

Oh god

[@dannydeleto607]

Classic jack W

[@kysmarcy]

@@dannydeleto607 I can tell you live in Texas

[@benjaminwatt2436]

@@kysmarcy don't be jealous, we can't all be from Texas

[@kysmarcy]

@@benjaminwatt2436 i didn’t mean it in a bad way I just saw his comment history and he said he like whataburger patty melts 😋 I like their breakfast burger

[@69FOSTER]

What I love about Jack in the Box is the drive-thru, the hours, the Breakfast Jack, the Bonus Jack when it is available and the biggest reason I go to Jack in the Box. the TACO! The new Smash Burger is the real deal, very tasty! Their fries and egg rolls aren't bad either.

[@psychobillynumbnuts1]

I always thought Jack in the Crack was popular all over the country. Crazy that it's really a western thing

[@mikeh9956]

Living up to your name, Billy.

[@robloxvids2233]

Same. Grew up in Missouri and we had them but there were not a lot of locations. If I ate there it was just a few times. I moved to Texas and they were all over the place and I started eating there a lot. Looking at the list Missouri actually has a decent number of locations for how east it is. I always assumed they were everywhere. It literally blows my mind looking at that chart how few there are east of the Mississippi. That's hard to believe. Anyway, Jack has a great spicy chicken sandwich, outstanding monster tacos, and great bacon cheddar potato wedges (though they recently discontinued these, wtf). They also are typically open 24 hours and serve really good breakfast 24 hours a day. Can't believe easterners don't know JITB. Their ad campaign in the late '90s was so good. They used to give away little jack heads you could put on your car antenna. My girlfriend used to put these on her Z71. There was a time when I was a teenager I would stay up real late in summer and drive there every night around 3am to get an order of potato wedges and 2 tacos. Good times.

[@ralphadrianbautista5849]

The Ultimate Cheeseburger will forever be my favorite fast food burger. We werent that well off growing up and fast food was always a treat. Jacks was always first choice. Im 31 now and still get that great burger till this day.

[@noferblatz]

Back in the 80s when I was in L.A., they used to have a fried shrimp box. I ate it a lot for dinner when I worked down in the Wilshire district. They had a location a couple of blocks away. They had some sort of secret sauce for their burgers which they probably don't have any more. Decent food. We had a nickname for them: "Jack in the Crack". Like McDonalds, which was "MacDougals", and Burger King, which was "Booger King".

[@ronin7997]

Had the same nickname for our Jack-in-the-Boxes here in San Diego. We liked calling our MickeyD's McBitches LOL.

[@leonardticsay8046]

Lol. MacDougal’s like in the Eddie Murphy movie “Coming to America”.

[@MarcyTheKindaCoolWizard]

Jack is probably the only company with ads you might not skip because they are entretaining If they can keep pumping those fun ads consistently and not lose their touch i think they will be a-okay

[@kineticstar]

Jack in the Box is still not sobber food in my part of the world. Sad employees and unclean restaurants always gives off the old 50/50 vibe!

[@lara031303]

Most of the jack in the box in my area are clean

[@charliesandoval9277]

Growing up in SoCal in the 70’s meant that JIB was everywhere and my mom’s favorite fast food restaurant because of the drive-thru. The clown, Rodney Allen Rippy, blowing up the clown, the balloons that we got at the drive thru, and those bad tacos that were so good after a late night of drinking - who wouldn’t love a place that had always been there through one’s growing years? I commend JIB for their on-going attempts to be relevant. Now that I live in NC, I still have two of their restaurants close by to enjoy the nostalgia, along with those awfully good tacos! PS - I still recall their jingle from the 80’s: “The food is better at the Box, Jack-In-The Box 🎶 “.

[@amd892008]

Jack in the Box was a staple for us growing up… now a days it sucks it’s lost it’s touch food is always cold. Burgers aren’t as good, we just live with nostalgia of the good ole glory days when you could get a Jumbo Jack, fries two tacos a drink for under $5 bucks

[@gabrielbenitez9257]

The commercials is what I always remember from Jack In The Box especially in the 90's and my favorites where the Colossus Burger.

[@КГБКолДжорджКостанца]

We never gonna see his face though

[@RoomDesignInABox]

As someone from the east, who lives back in the east but spent 12 years in AZ, Jack in the Box is so missed! I hope they open back up here. I cannot explain how amazing them cheap little tacos taste at 3am when you're leaving the club! Those burgers with the buttered top on the bun... and those fries? Yummm!

[@iwanttocomplain]

I think Jack is slightly more menacing than Ronald or even The King. He just looks more sinister and calculating.

[@kenmore01]

It's the business suit lol.

[@kriscynical]

I think it's the suit. lol

[@thrusttheconehead5369]

He it is canonically beefy and can actually snap your arm like a twig.

[@RatedRMario21]

There was a Jack in the Box next to my favorite bar in Indianapolis. I still gave fond memories of saving "2 Free Tacos with Any Purchase" receipts and getting 4 tacos for $1 at 2:30 in the morning

[@itsnotme07]

I saw my first Jack in the Box in the 1970's in Boston. Of course, I never went because my parents didn't do fast food. By the time I was an adult in the 80's, Jack in the Box was history, as you mentioned. So fast forward to 1987, when I took my first trip west to California....no shortage of Jack's place there. Over the years, I've tried a lot of their menu, most of it isn't healthy for any of us...and I'm fixing those dumb choice now. Anyways, I've actually found their breakfast sandwiches to be the best offering for me. I used to like their hamburgers/spicy chicken, but when compared to the other chains...they don't stack up even today. More bad food isn't a good thing. Do I go to Jack in the Box? Not really anymore. If it's 2 am and I need a sandwich, I'll stop at one for breakfast, and that's worth noting, they do their entire menu 24/7. No "I'm sorry, we're on to lunch/dinner". Cool video, I didn't know about the e Coli outbreak. Doesn't really matter much now to me.

[@angryagain3801]

I tried to get Jack last year (St Louis) it was always closed due to manpower shortages. Used to love their sourdough burger and tacos

[@PepperTreeVilla]

We do like their food. The Spicy Chicken Sandwich is one of my faves, and of course their Ultimate Cheeseburger is quite good. Well done on this video, Mike.

[@oldbittercraig3513]

Jack in the Box had the best commercials when they brought him back. During the Boy Band craze of the late 90s, they even had a JitB commercial with their own "Meaty Cheesy Boys". Was watching at a friend's place, had been drinking watching college football. Commercial comes on, drops a website addy (this was early mass use of websites era) - we looked it up and the whole thing was built out with each of the Meaty Cheesy Boys having their own absurd bio page, favorite menu item, etc. Was hilarious and so well thought out/built out. You can guess where we got dinner from. I'd call 'em mid-range in the whole fast food burger thing, great when in college. Now if back in the US and looking for a fast food place, I'll spend up for Five Guys. But back in college days, especially late night, probably 3 times a month.

[@jonbenoit333]

I remember going there back in the day and their burgers were pretty fire. I didn't even know they were still around.

[@EmeraldEyesEsoteric]

I think Jack is the best place around. The Tacos are great, the burgers are pretty good, and collecting receipts to get free food has allowed me to get a free ultimate cheeseburger pretty much every week. One time I found a receipt for a $60 order. That receipt alone got me a free bacon ultimate.

[@BrakRulesAll]

Jack in the Box has 2 things going for it IMHO - 1) they still prepare food when you order it, which NONE of the other big fast food chains do any more (other than In-N-Out and maybe some other smaller outfits) and 2) they have, and have always had, THE best fast food onion rings anywhere.

[@CivRev10]

Jack-in-the-Box was my brothers and eyes favorite fast food chain we are growing up. we had those jack head antenna balls just hanging out everywhere over our cars and in our house

[@mikewozawski1634]

Jack really stressed the past food problems in training and they were always testing new products to get people to come.

[@syu_ra]

i live in one of the states in the eastern part of the US that only has single digit number of locations, and i feel like they're completely forgotten over here. and what i mean by that is that they don't care about their remaining restaurants here at all. both locations we have here seem to randomly close, sometimes for months at a time, then reopen, with no announcement on either side. the food is great so i really hope for the best for the company so that things can be more consistent over here

[@hemichanga8939]

My mom and I lived down the street from one of the Jack on the Box locations that got people sick. It was in Denver, CO in the early 90s. As a result, my mom became so paranoid about E. Coli that she cooked everything well done forever. I grew up thinking all food had to be burnt to a crisp, and any red meant death. Now I'm grown and I like my steaks medium rare, and I love Jack in the Box, I might go there tonight.

[@jons.6216]

We grew up with it on our Friday night fast food nights a couple of times a month as an alternative. In the 70s it was the only one where you could get onion rings! Didn't have it for a number of years after that and I do remember the radio program jokes about it in the early 90s! Tried to have it again during night school days and was unimpressed with once trying to get just a shake and having to wait what felt like a ridiculous amount of time for them to make it! It wasn't until I was riding around with my newly married niece and her husband that they introduced me to the Sourdough Jack that you could get seasoned curly fries with and now I like them more and will add them to my occasional fast food meals! Oh, and the Jack "jerk" mascot character?! "Good holiday spirit, Jack..!" And a merry ef**ng Christmas right back at you! Haha!

[@Sig_P229]

How? How are they “rising” again? Their food is significantly worse than the 90s and early 2000s

[@duitk]

He just means money and revenue probably.

[@NuggetEternal]

In the past, we had a Jack in The Box near where we lived. I was never that impressed with them, though the $0.99 tacos were pretty tasty. However, I didn't realize what a good thing we had until they got rid of the store and replaced it with a Shell gas station. I guess not too many people were too impressed with them either. After years without Jack In The Box, I eventually started seeking them out again. Although our old location is gone, I've been highly impressed with other locations I've visited lately. A strong menu, decent tasting burgers, always hot and fresh off the grill. Delicious curly fries. The Munchie Meal: Customizable and a lot of food but for not a lot of $$$. Indulgently good all-day breakfast. And the tacos are still dirt cheap yet still taste as good as ever with an addictively satisfying crunch. In general, this place is just a shameless guilty pleasure and I absolutely love it. And all that on top of great service. Jack In The Box is honestly killing it right now.

[@outfctrl]

We used to to Jack in the Box really late at night, early morning to pig out after the bars closed. Great memories. Jacksonville, FL (1979-1981)

[@crollwtide9452]

7:03 Jack in the Box turned out to be the first fast-food business to implement a comprehensive food-safety program in 1994, and as of the late 90s, they were considered to be a leader in fast-food safety practices. I'd say that was a great way to turn around a completely disastrous situation such as the E. Coli outbreak of 1992-93.