You’ll Have to Settle for Old, Stale Necco Sweethearts This Valentine’s Day

Iconic Valentine’s Day candy leaves a heart-shaped void

The most ubiquitous Valentine’s Day candies of them all, Necco Sweethearts, aren’t being produced this year due to the company going under. Reasonable people will recognize this is fine, because those chalky little things are gross anyway — but for those who just can’t do without, they’re available for less than a dollar a box via Amazon Prime (provided you’re willing to pony up for 36 of them). Bear in mind they’ll be at least a year old, though, and probably taste even worse than usual.

And in other news...

• McDonald’s franchisees don’t want to pay for the wall either. In this case, it’s a wall behind the cashiers hiding the kitchen from sight that corporate wants to be constructed as part of store remodels — but franchisees say it’s a pointless waste of money. [Bloomberg]

• Thailand’s first Taco Bell, which serves spicier food to appeal to local tastes, opened to a line stretching around the block. “I think it may taste better than Thai food,” said one eager diner. [France24]

• Big brands are testing refillable, reusable containers for everything from cereal to deodorant to reduce environmental impact. A select group of consumers will soon be able to get products such as Tropicana orange juice in glass jars and Haagen Dazs ice cream in metal pints via home delivery; they can then return the containers by mail to be cleaned and refilled. [WSJ]

• Rising potato prices due to a rough European growing season may mean all those dollar french fry deals at fast-food chains could disappear. [Nation’s Restaurant News]

• Just in time for fancy Valentine’s Day dinners, Heinz is launching ketchup caviar — which is basically exactly what it sounds like, encapsulated pearls of ketchup. Only 150 jars of this rather niche product are being produced; tweet at them if you want one. [Mirror]

• Earning Michelin stars is great and all, but the flood of business and attention that results from such accolades can also irreparably damage a restaurant. [The Guardian]