A Fun, Fast and Fresh Dinner at PDQ – Who Knew?

As the Clueless Chick I often get calls from people who want me to check out their products or stop by a store opening and let me tell you, this is one of the most fun parts of my job.  It is always thrilling to be part of the exciting surrounding something new opening or a new product being released.  So when my whole family was invited to an event at the Raleigh PDQ I was thrilled!

To be honest I had never heard of PDQ before receiving my invitation, and let me tell you, we have been missing out.  Since I have recently had to drastically change my eating habits, finding fresh and healthy options for a meal on the go has become my new mission.

So here is the low down about our trip to PDQ, which I will start by telling you gets two thumbs up!  And not just because they fed us for free or gave the boys cool PDQ t-shirts ;-)

Many fast food restaurants have recently receive facelifts to make them seem more inviting and less ‘fast foody’ so I wasn’t surprised to see the beautiful PDQ building on FALLS OF NEUSE, but the moment we walked in I knew we were not walking into your run of the mill fast food joint.

The Restaurant.

PDQ has the feel of a hometown diner, complete with bar stools at the counter and personalized wall art.  You can also see all the way through the kitchen a prep area to the drive-thru window – they aren't hiding anything.  And, you can sit at the bar and watch the managers put the finishing touches on every meal that is served.  There is a hand washing station.  Yes, a hand washing station.  After you order your food, you and the kiddos can all wash your hands without even stepping foot in the restroom.  I love the idea of making hand washing so fun and convenient, especially for the little ones.

The Food.

The kids meals can be ordered with a side of fresh apple slices, which are served with a toffee dip that my hubby went crazy over.  It is always nice when a kids meal has a healthy side option and it is even better when that healthy option is freshly sliced apples.  My boys loved the chicken tenders, french fries and apples.  The kids meal was nearly big enough for the two of the to share.

I had a grilled chicken lettuce wrap (you can get any sandwich wrapped in lettuce in lieu of on a bun) which was both Gluten and Dairy Free and absolutely delicious.  It is so nice to find a quick and inexpensive restaurant that is so sensitive to food allergies.  I was even able to enjoy their french fries because they have a dedicated fryer.  Then there was the honey mustard.  The honey mustard (which is made fresh, contains no preservatives or high fructose corn syrup) was so good I dipped my french fries in it.  I even thought about asking if I could buy a bottle to take home ;-)

We all tried the fresh squeezed lemonade (you can literally watch them squeeze the lemons) and it too got two thumbs up.  The boys also gave their handmade milkshakes a try after dinner.  Not only were the milkshakes a hit, the straws were quite the conversation piece.  I don’t believe I’ve ever seen such big straws and boy were they perfect for a milkshake.

The Community.

PDQ is very active in our community at large.  Carolina Parent Magazine recently released a announcement that the PDQ in Cary will be hosting a fundraiser for Porter Richardson, a six month old Cary boy who is awaiting a heart transplant - excuse me while I grab a box of tissues :-(

On a much cheerier note, PDQ in Raleigh even has a separate room that you can reserve for community events or fundraisers. 

Long story short, stop by your local PDQ, it is sooooo worth it :-)

Until next time,

Jennifer

aka Chick #1

p.s. A BIG Clueless Chick thank you to our hostesses from Clairemont Communications and the wonderful Amy Bristow, Operating Director!