Michael Palan
Expertise
Food History, Fountain Drinks, Anything Fried
- Michael ate his way through every kind of potato chip that Utz sells and not only lived to tell about it, but he ranked them all for Today Meal.
- As one who believes that sharing is caring, Michael is a Level 8 contributor to Google Maps: as a Master Photographer and Expert Reviewer of restaurants and points of general and specific interests.
- He once won a White Castle eating contest, and another time celebrated Valentine's Day at that fine dining establishment (that relationship didn't last).
Experience
Michael was born weighing 10 pounds and thus has been a lover of eating since birth. His amazing cook of a mother always indulged him, making many traditional favorites like noodle kugel and squash soufflé, but also enjoyed dining out at greasy spoon establishments with a bit of history. While he was a former Sandwich Artist at Subway, he chose to channel his talents into the arts of film, video, photography, and writing. For the past 25 years, he has worked on Academy Award winning films, Emmy Award winning television shows, had photographs published by New York Magazine, and has written for Decider, Looper, Explore and Today Meal. He also is an unofficial brand ambassador for Popeyes Fried Chicken.
Education
Michael has a bachelor's degree in telecommunications from Indiana University Bloomington.
Today Meal’s content comes from an authoritative editorial staff that is dedicated to current and comprehensive coverage. With an aim to provide only informative and engaging content, our writers, editors, and experts take care to craft clear and concise copy on all things food-related, from news in the food service industry to in-depth explainers about what’s found in readers’ refrigerators, original recipes from experienced chefs, and more.
Our team also regularly reviews and updates articles as necessary to ensure they are accurate. For more information on our editorial process, view our full policies page.
Stories By Michael Palan
-
Dunkin's late summer menu is all set to bring the heat, but are its new drinks and food items hot choices? Here's our review of all their latest offerings.
-
Popeyes' menu now features new Boneless Wings made from white meat chicken. We tried them and compared to the other recent add, Popeyes' bone-in chicken wings.
-
Starbucks has a range of sunny new offerings for the summer months, both to eat and drink. We got a sneak preview, and here's our review of which are best.
-
For over 50 years, Long John SIlver's seafood dishes have have come and gone. Here are 10 forgotten menu items from the 1980s that are no longer on the menu.
-
We tried the three new Dippers on Subway's Sidekicks menu to find out whether or not these footlong snacks are worth their bargain price. Here's out take.
-
Does Pepsi and Bobby's Flay's one-of-a-kind fragrance capture the essence of summer grilling, or is it all smoke and no fire? We took a whiff to find out.
-
After testing six new sauce flavors, Heinz made the most popular two available for a limited time nationwide. We gave them a try before they disappear again.
-
A quesadilla made with KFC's fried chicken, gravy, and cheese sounds like it could be a winner, but is it? We gave it a taste to find out for ourselves.
-
Goldfish finally listened to fans and launched a new dill pickle flavor with a spicy kick. We decided to try it to see if it's the heat we've been hoping for.
-
Wendy's new summer Frosty is a triple threat with strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. But is it worth ordering? We decided to find out.
-
Here are the best deals available for summer 2024. The following may be offered for a limited time, are subject to availability, and their prices may vary.
-
This year's Crabfest menu features four new dishes. We tried all of them to find out if they're totally claw-some, or if they'd leave us feeling rather crabby.
-
Chili's is now an iconic casual dining chain, but had humble origins in Dallas, Texas. Here's the story of the restaurant that started it all.
-
You can now order Taco Bell’s Tostada and Crunchwrap with the addition of a giant Cheez-It for more cheesy crunch. So, obviously we did. Here are our thoughts.
-
This year, a handful of restaurants across the U.S. are marking the 100th anniversary of their first opening. Here's where to go to enjoy a slice of history.
-
Just in time for summers at Grandma's house, McDonald's has released the limited-time-only butterscotch-flavored Grandma McFlurry, and it delivers on taste.
-
Banana Puddin' Pie, Dolly Dazzler, Chocolate Crème Pie, and Peachy Keen Cobbler doughnuts all sound pretty delicious, but are they? We simply had to find out.
-
Kit Kat's newest flavor is tapping the taste of a popular drink and hoping it'll be quite the refreshing change of pace this summer. So is it?
-
To mark its upcoming 70th birthday, Burger King has released the limited-time-only Birthday Pie Slice, and we tried it to see if it's worth celebrating.
-
Many of these Wendy's menu items from the '90s are long gone and forgotten. Grab a napkin and let's take a walk down this mouthwatering memory lane.
-
Are Oscar Mayer's new Stuffed Dogs filled with awesome flavor, or should the company stick to regular hot dogs? I got cooking with a pack of each to find out.
-
Popeyes' latest contenders in the chicken sandwich wars feature a Golden BBQ sauce. We ordered both the crispy and blackened versions; here's our thoughts.
-
Starbucks' highly-anticipated summer treats are finally available, but are they any good? We tasted and sipped them all to see if they're worth the hype.
-
Some items introduced during the last decade of the 20th century have proved to have staying power, while many have collected dust as distant memories.
-
Taco Bell has served a variety of menu items over the years that didn't stick around. Here's a nostalgic collection of their forgotten foods from the '80s.
-
Arby's three new Chicken Wraps are thrifty, varied, and filling -- but which are truly delicious? All are tasty, but only one truly blew our socks off.
-
Pepsi launched new peach and lime versions of the popular cola for a limited time. We took some sips to find out if they're the perfect summer sodas or not.