Restaurant companies employ chefs, nutritionists, and food scientists by the dozens to constantly refine their offerings and develop new ones. Today’s menus at, say, McDonald’s or Taco Bell, Applebee’s or TGI Fridays, will almost definitely look different from those three or five or seven years ago, and not just because prices have inevitably risen. Even a chain’s defining specialties might have been altered (and theoretically improved) in subtle ways.
24/7 Tempo has assembled a list of items that have recently appeared on menus at some of the nation’s favorite chain restaurants. Some are seasonal, especially geared toward summer eating. Others are experiments, rolled out initially only in some parts of the country, their future place on nationwide menus dependent on their local performance. (The experiments don’t always work, and quickly disappear. These are some fast-food dishes we’d like to see back on the menu.
Click here to see 22 new menu items at these popular restaurant chains
Some new menu items are responses to perceived food trends. Burrata is showing up on independent restaurant menus? Sweetgreen will meet the demand with a berry and burrata salad. Avocado toast still hanging on? California Pizza Kitchen offers a smashed avocado focaccia. And if anybody needs reminding what America’s favorite form of protein is, more than a quarter of the items listed here involve chicken. Speaking of that, here are30 best fried chicken places in America.
24/7 Tempo assembled this list of new menu items at your favorite restaurant chains based on the Menu Tracker column published regularly by the leading national restaurant trade publication Nation’s Restaurant News. Preference was given to items from chains that are the best-known and/or largest across the country.
Source: J. Michael Jones / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Buffalo Chicken Wedge Salad
> Chain: Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar
> Availability: Through summer at all locations
> Price: Varies
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Source: mizoula / Getty Images
Smashed Avocado California Focaccia
> Chain: California Pizza Kitchen
> Availability: Unspecified limited time at company-owned restaurants (not franchises)
> Price: 9.99
Source: RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images
Hand-Breaded Chicken & Waffle Breakfast Sandwich
> Chain: Carl’s Jr. / Hardee’s
> Availability: Permanently at all locations
> Price: 4.99
Source: jetcityimage / Getty Images
Bourbon Black Pepper Smokehouse Chicken
> Chain: Church’s Chicken
> Availability: Through Aug. 29 at all locations
> Price: 5
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Pretzel Haus Pub Burger
> Chain: Culver’s
> Availability: Through Aug. 29 at all locations
> Price: 6.59
Source: MattGush / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Epic Honey Mango Crispy Chicken & Bacon Burrito
> Chain: Del Taco
> Availability: Through Aug. 25 at all locations
> Price: 5
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Source: Tim Boyle / Getty Images
Berry Powdered Donuts
> Chain: Dunkin’
> Availability: Through summer at all locations
> Price: 1.09
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Source: anderm / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
King’s Hawaiian Grilled Pineapple Burger
> Chain: Fatburger
> Availability: Through Labor Day (Sept. 6) at all locations
> Price: Varies
Source: drserg / Getty Images
Lobster & Shrimp Quesadllla
> Chain: Friendly’s
> Availability: Through Sept. 10 at all locations
> Price: 16.5
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Source: krblokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Watermelon Breeze Smoothie
> Chain: Jamba
> Availability: Unspecified limited time at all locations
> Price: $6.29 (small)
Impossible Burger with dairy-free cheese
> Chain: Johnny Rockets
> Availability: Permanently at all locations
> Price: Varies
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Source: KathyDewar / Getty Images
Piña Colada Doughnut
> Chain: Krispy Kreme
> Availability: Unspecified limited time at all locations
> Price: 1.89
Source: Ildar Sagdejev / Wikimedia Commons
Parmesan Crusted Papadia (folded flatbread sandwich)
> Chain: Papa John’s
> Availability: Unspecified limited time at all locations
> Price: 7
Source: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images
The Edge pizza (four varieties)
> Chain: Pizza Hut
> Availability: Unspecified limited time at all locations
> Price: 12.99
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Source: Matt Howry / Wikimedia Commons
Ancho Po-Boy Shrimp Tacos
> Chain: Rubio’s Coastal Grill
> Availability: Through Oct. 5 at all locations
> Price: 10.99
Source: photobyphm / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
The Pride Shake
> Chain: Shake Shack
> Availability: Through June 30 at all locations
> Price: 6.29
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Source: Wolterk / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Strawberry Cheesecake Blast
> Chain: Sonic Drive-In
> Availability: Through June 27 at all locations
> Price: $5.20 (medium)
Source: DKart / Getty Images
Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino
> Chain: Starbucks
> Availability: While supplies last at all locations
> Price: $5.25-$5.75 (grande)
Source: Melissa Kopka / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Berry & Burrata Salad
> Chain: Sweetgreen
> Availability: Through Aug. 4 at Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. area
> Price: 11.95
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Source: Joshua Blanchard / Getty Images
Naked Chicken Chalupa
> Chain: Taco Bell
> Availability: Unspecified limited time at all locations
> Price: 3.49
Source: AWSeebaran / Getty Images
Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger
> Chain: Wendy’s
> Availability: Permanently at all locations
> Price: 5.39
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Source: Courtesy of Wing Zone via Facebook
Colossal Chicken Sandwich
> Chain: Wing Zone
> Availability: Unspecified limited time at all locations
> Price: 7
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