Consumer Reports, after a survey of some 36,000 consumers, has evaluated the fast food industry in America. They asked people about 53 different chain restaurants. The results? Not so great, especially for some of the larger chains. The winner, both of the hamburger category and the overall best-of-show, was In-N-Out Burger, which we sadly don't have in Chicago. But Five Guys, which we do, was the second-best burger chain. more ›

Although it may not feel like it, at some point summer will (allegedly) kick in and children will once again take up ye olde pastimes like stickball, frolicking in sprinklers, and drinking from garden hoses. Pesky science, however, has once again reared its ugly head to mar said pastimes. Parents are becoming alarmed by labels on garden hoses warning of the risk of lead leaching into the hose water, making it unsafe for those who drink water straight from the hose. more ›

OK, so our football team can't defend short passes in the flat and said team's quarterback likes to force passes into double coverage and trips over his own feet. We still brew killer coffee. We already know that, as far as coffee is concerned, Chicago (via Intelligentsia and Metropolis) has it hands down over Seattle. However, when experts prefer McDonald's coffee over Starbucks, that's rubbing salt into an open wound. But it's true. According to... more ›