Month: July 2025

In 2008, former New Yorker Jonas Bernstrein opened a new pizzeria in California with an “iconic” name.

Rotten City Pizza was a reference to the notorious Earl Warren quote about Emeryville in the 1920s as he battled the city during Prohibition. While not exactly embraced at the time, the “Rotten City” moniker became celebrated as the new restaurant gained acclaim.

“I took a bit of a gamble naming a pizza place ‘Rotten City.’” Bernstein previously told the E’Ville Eye. “It ended up working out OK though.” While the name stuck and patrons enjoyed the pizza, Bernstein initially considered closing up for good during the Pandemic but decided to keep it going for his employees and hope for a comeback.

That comeback never materialized as the pizzeria closed its doors in June.

“I’m done with this side of the industry,” Bernstein revealed after considering a sale of the building before changing his mind. “We rode the wave and it was good for a long time, but it eventually crashed.”

He lamented the failing economics of attempting to run a restaurant, but expressed his appreciation for the employees who helped the beloved pizzeria over nearly 20 years of business.

Despite Bernstein’s decision to close, two longtime employees created a GoFundMe account in an attempt to keep the restaurant alive.

“This GoFundMe will cover the first 2–3 months of operating costs—rent, ingredients, equipment, and permits—just enough runway to give their concept a real shot. The goal? Keep great pizza in Emeryville and give the next generation of pizza makers a fighting chance,” the GoFundMe stated.

The fund had a goal of $10,000, but sits at just $675 as of July 1.

Related: Beloved Pizza Chain Closing in June After 54 Years

A 31-year-old man held a bank employee hostage during a failed bank robbery in Sagniaw, MI., and the hours-long standoff came to a bizarre end thanks to a tactic that you’d swear only works in cartoons.

According to multiple reports, Quinton M. Allen of Detroit is accused of entering the Mercantile Saginaw Virtual Branch and Lending Office on Friday at approximately 5:30 p.m. The location had already been closed for about a half hour but he somehow managed to get inside. Police have not shared how he was able to get inside.

Allen tried cashing a fraudulent check, but even if the check was legit the bank doesn’t carry cash on the premises, and appointments are required to visit the branch for services. Allen reportedly grew furious and demanded cash, but the lone female bank employee, 40, reminded Allen there was no cash in the building. 

Police were called and an hours-long standoff ensued. During discussions with police negotiators, Allen told them he craved a Faygo Red Pop soda.

All you need is love, love. Love (and Faygo) is all you need. #BeatlesDay #TheBeatles #Faygo #AbbeyRoad pic.twitter.com/ujLbFOV1dB

— Faygo Beverages (@Faygo) June 25, 2025

Related: Disturbing Details Emerge in Shooting Deaths of Firefighters in Idaho

Nearly three hours into the standoff, police decided enough was enough. Their strategy? Police decided to dangle a bottle of Faygo Red Pop soda from a drone.

This prompted Allen to step in front of the bank’s window to retrieve it, and when he extended his body to reach for the soda a trooper — perched on the roof of an AutoZone Auto Parts store across the street from the bank — fired a single shot, fatally striking Allen.

Police rushed in to retrieve the bank employee, who was unharmed. Allen, who has had run-ins with the law and was on probation following breaking and entering and first-degree retail fraud convictions, died at the scene.

“Our hearts are with Mercantile Bank, its employees, and everyone affected by Friday’s events,” shared the nearby Health Advantage Credit Union. “This is a difficult time for our community, and we’re thankful for those who worked to keep others safe.”

At least one TikTok user is doing everything in her power to help people save money while eating at McDonald’s. 

A few days ago, a woman with the TikTok username “Danisaidyes” revealed there’s a way to get a McDonald’s Cheeseburger meal for roughly $3 less than it’s listed price. As of July 2025, a small Cheeseburger meal at McDonald’s costs $8.85. 

Interestingly enough, a Cheeseburger Happy Meal from the iconic fast-food restaurant costs $5.95. This hack was on full display in Dani’s latest TikTok video. 

“It’s exactly the same thing but you get a toy with the Happy Meal,” she said in the TikTok video. “The math ain’t mathing.”

Dani proved she wasn’t lying by recording her experience at the McDonald’s drive-through. She asked the employee how much a small Cheeseburger meal costs as opposed to a Cheeseburger Happy Meal.

“But they’re like exactly the same thing but the Happy Meal comes with a toy,” she told the McDonald’s employee. 

Not only did the employee agree with Dani, she admit that she “dies inside” when customers don’t take advantage of this hack. 

@danisaidyes

Lucky you don’t have to be 12 years old to order the kids meal #maccasrun #exposed #snackseries

♬ original sound – danisaidyes

Dani’s initial video went viral on TikTok, receiving over 324,000 views and countless comments. 

“It’s a loss leader,” one person said. “A Happy Meal usually has an adult meal sold at the same time, and that kid becomes a future adult customer.”

“A cheeseburger by itself is 4.85, I was going to just get a cheeseburger yesterday but for 1.10 cents more I got a small fries drink and toy,” another user commented. 

We’ll see if people take advantage of this Happy Meal hack at McDonald’s. 

Chick-fil-A has built a great deal of goodwill with customers over the last few decades, and they’re getting ahead of a rumored change to their restaurants that has some fans worried.

The fast-food retailer issued a statement after a Reddit user claimed to spot a company-wide change in a recent post.

“I ordered a drink today from my local cfa and noticed they gave me a paper straw,” one Reddit user said in a post titled “Cfa now switching to paper straws from plastic” in the retailer’s forum.

“When I asked the owner-operator about this, he said that all the cfa’s are also switching to paper straws,” the user said.

In a statement to FOX News Digital, Chick-fil-A denied the company-wide switch to paper straws.

“Chick-fil-A is not transitioning its restaurants nationwide to the use of paper straws,” the company said.

“Chick-fil-A abides by local regulation in the communities we serve, so some locations may carry paper straws where required.”

Commenters on the Reddit post seemed to corroborate this stance from the company.

“They’re required to follow local laws and ordinances. This is why some stores (ex: NYC) have paper cups while many stores still have the OG styrofoam cups,” one comment read.

“It depends on where you live,” said another person.

Many commenters were adamant about refusing to switch from plastic straws to paper straws, even if it presented a potential positive outcome for the environment.

One even said that they would resort to carrying disposable plastic straws in their cars to avoid the awkwardness of dealing with the paper ones.

“Paper straws suck. Glad I invested in a 5-pack of reusable metal straws,” yet another comment read. “They make that drink hit even COLDER.”

Several cities and states have bans or moratoriums on single-use plastic utensils. There’s no outright federal ban on them, but places like New York City and Los Angeles are only able to give them to customers who request them.

“Plastic straws are often replaced by paper straws, which are nonfunctional, use chemicals that may carry risks to human health, are more expensive to produce than plastic straws, and often force users to use multiple straws,” President Donald Trump said in an executive order earlier this year. 

No trip to Costco is complete without a casual stroll through the warehouse’s bakery. And if you happen to find yourself in the Costco bakery this month, you might just spot a returning fan-favorite item.

According to Laura Lamb of @costcohotfinds, the store has just brought back its chocolate muffins. A real treat among chocolate lovers, the miniature muffins are chocolate and are also topped with chocolate chips.

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“The chocolate muffins are back in the Costco bakery and these are minis. I think so many people requested them that they finally brought them back. These are rich, fudgy and super chocolatey,” Lamb shared in her video.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laura Jayne Lamb (@costcohotfinds)

While some shoppers in the comments section of Lamb’s post declared that they missed the muffins “so much,” others aren’t as enthusiastic. A lot of them claim that the muffins now taste different from the original muffins.

Related: Carnival Cruise Line Just Made a Massive Change to Its Beverage Program

“I miss the big ones. These taste different. I don’t like them and stopped buying them. Wish they would bring the big ones back,” read one comment.

“The smaller muffins taste horrible.. nothing like the original bigger ones .. it’s a shame they should bring them back,” someone else chimed in.

Not only are customers upset about the taste, they’re also concerned that “shrinkflation,” the practice of making grocery items smaller while increasing the price, has made its way to Costco.

“Shrinkflation is at Costco. What’s next the toilet paper,” one person pointed out.

“They’re tiny compared to what they used to be,” another added.

A Costco employee did chime in to share some insight on the controversial new muffins.

“They spent a lot of time working on the recipe for chocolate muffin. I guess the first batch they did (of the new muffin recipes) didn’t test well. My warehouse hasn’t started them yet. We’re waiting on ingredients. The new muffins are more “scratch” than the old muffins,” they wrote.

If you are interested in trying out the chocolate muffins for yourself, they can be purchased for $6.99 for an 8-pack.

Related: Beloved Hot Sauce Brand Just Invented a Straw That Makes Any Drink Spicy

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You have the tent, the hiking shoes, the sleeping bag and sleeping pad. What else do you need in your camp gear lineup? A light. A handy light will help you unwind after sundown and make all kinds of tasks, from cooking to reading to cleanup, way easier. If you don’t have one already, head over to REI today: The retailer is in the midst of its massive 4th of July sale, and a highly rated Black Diamond camp lantern is over half off until July 3.

The Black Diamond Apollo Lantern is on sale for $34, a 51% discount from its normal price of $70. This lantern is designed specifically for camping, and it’s perfect for lighting up a tent or picnic table at your campsite. It’s available in two colors at the $34 price point (the sale ends July 3), and shoppers say it’s “fantastic” and “really well designed.”

Black Diamond Apollo Lantern, $34 (was $70) at REI

The Apollo runs off either its own rechargeable lithium-ion battery, or you can use 3 AA batteries to power it (though you’ll need to purchase those separately). A power meter helps you track the charge level regardless of which power source you use. The lantern can generate up to 250 lumens on its max setting, and the light passes through a diffuser globe, giving you clear illumination without harsh glare. The globe is also positioned so the light spreads outward and down, so it won’t cast a big shadow—it’s ideal for placing on a picnic table, for example.

The Apollo has a strobe setting (helpful in emergencies) and is dimmable, so you can get exactly the amount of light you want. A convenient hook on the top allows you to hang it inside a tent, or you can extend the folding legs to prop it up on a table. Added bonus: A built-in USB port lets you use some of its battery power to charge other devices. Finally, the Apollo weighs just 9.9 ounces, so it’s easy to tote around.

REI shoppers are calling the Apollo “light and bright” and “small but powerful,” and they also appreciate its “durable” design.

Black Diamond Apollo Lantern, $34 (was $70) at REI

“It’s so compact and light, but very bright,” said one shopper. Multiple reviewers praised its globe design, which reduces dark spots.

“It casts a nice soft light on the ground without much shadow,” said one.

With its lightweight, well-thought-out design, the Black Diamond Apollo will help you keep the party going at your campsite long after the sun goes down. And at just $34, it might be the best bang-for-your-buck piece of camping gear you get all season. Don’t snooze on this one: The deal ends July 3, so head over to REI and snag yours today.

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