The Big Shack is Shake Shack’s new triple decker burger. | Photos courtesy of the brands.
Thanksgiving menu items are still trickling in, but for the most part, chain restaurants are focusing on beverage and burger innovation this week. Holiday drinks both hot and cold lead the charge, but patty melts and big burgers are seeing some action, too. There’s also activity on the pizza, taco and dessert fronts. Here’s a look at what’s trending on menus now.
The Big Shack launched at Shake Shack, looking like a fast-casual version of the Big Mac. This stacked burger features two Angus beef patties, layers of melted American cheese, green-leaf lettuce, tomatoes, onions, thick-cut dill pickles and a new secret sauce with a bonus bun in the middle. The limited-time burger is priced at $9.99, and on Veteran’s Day Tuesday, all active and retired military can score a free Big Shack while supplies last.
The Patty Melt returns to Habit Burger & Grill for a limited run. Two chargrilled beef patties are layered between toasted rye bread with caramelized onions, melted white and yellow American cheese and Thousand Island dressing. Two additional LTOs are also available: Cheesy Cauliflower Tots, a combo of crispy cauliflower and white cheddar cheese tots, and a Peppermint Bark Shake.
An expanded Patty Melt lineup has arrived at Krystal. To begin, the chain upgraded its Classic Patty Melt with a larger 3-ounce patty, caramelized onions and melted American cheese on toasted bread, plus added a Chipotle Patty Melt with jalapeños and mayo. For breakfast fans, there’s a Chipotle Bacon & Egg Patty Melt and Bacon & Egg Patty Melt, available all day.
The Mountain Dew Baja Blast Pie launches at Taco Bell.
Taco Bell has reimagined its popular Baja Blast as a dessert, available for a limited time. The tropical lime-flavored Mountain Dew Baja Blast Pie has a graham cracker crumb crust and a creamy Key lime-style filling piped with whipped cream on top. Taco Bell is promoting it as the perfect Friendsgiving dessert; a whole pie sells for $19.99. Also on hand at select Live Más Cafés in Southern California and Texas is the Mountain Dew Baja Blast Pie Chiller Beverage, a creamy frozen drink with pieces of the pie blended with vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream and churro crunch.
Holiday lattes launch at HTeaO Tuesday and are available through Dec. 31. Both are crafted with Free Rein Homestead espresso and come hot or iced. The Snickerdoodle Latte is accented with cinnamon and cookie butter flavor and topped with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon, while the Peppermint Mocha Latte offers a mix of dark chocolate and peppermint syrups, topped with whipped cream and candy cane crumbles. The beverage chain is also introducing holiday cups for the first time, decorated with snowflakes, ornaments and festive greens.
HTeaO’s holiday beverage lineup.
A free Coke, Diet Coke or Coke Zero, plus unlimited free customizations, is new at Sonic. The drinks must be ordered through the Sonic app, where featured artists offer their favorites. Jessie Murph recommends Coca-Cola with strawberries and cream, while Benny Blanco’s jam is Coca-Cola with cherry and pickles.
The core menu at Krispy Kreme has grown from 10 full-sized everyday doughnuts to 16 and now boasts nine new flavors. Among those newcomers are New York Cheesecake, Oreo Cookies and Kreme, Original Glazed Cake, Cinnamon Apple Filled, Original Glazed Kreme Filled Doughnut and four seasonal selections: Biscoff Cookie Butter Kreme, Maple Iced, Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Original Glazed Pumpkin Spice. The seasonal flavors will rotate in five times a year.
Krispy Kreme expanded its core menu of doughnuts from 10 to 16.
The Dubai chocolate trend has hit Peet’s, with the debut of Dubai Style Chocolate Matcha. Other holiday drinks include a Holiday Spice Latte with cinnamon ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg; Peppermint Mocha; Pistachio Cold Brew Oat Latte; and Ginger Spritz—a ginger beer with turmeric-ginger and chai spices. On the food side, there’s a new Turkey Cranberry Ciabatta and Gingerbread Loaf.
Philz Coffee launched a new featured beverage: Tiramisu. It starts with the chain’s flagship Philtered Soul Cold Brew with notes of hazelnut, maple and caramel, and is completed with a tiramisu swirl and a dusting of cocoa powder. It’s also available hot. Seasonal favorites return, too, including Winter Bliss, a creamy mocha drink; the Gratitude blend that gives back to coffee farming communities; and Spiced Gratitude Cold Brew.
Crisp & Green’s cold beverage collection.
A new Signature Iced Beverage collection made its debut at wellness concept Crisp & Green. It includes plain Cold Brew; Vanilla Cold Brew with almond milk, vanilla and agave; Salted Maple Cold Brew sweetened with maple syrup; Iced Matcha Latte; purple-hued Iced Ube Matcha Latte; and Iced Chai Latte pairing chai tea with almond milk.
Cocktails are making a splash over at Hard Rock Café, with five new choices joining the list. The Lucky Penny combines whiskey, lemon and honey syrup, while the Tiki Royale blends gin and tequila with pineapple juice, lemon and simple syrup. Rounding out the selection is Jalapeño Peach Mexarita made with tequila and mezcal, a Yuzu Lychee Martini and Coconut Guava Margarita. On the food side, the chain is offering an Upgraded Legendary Burger made with two smashed patties; Gochujang Wings; and Enhanced Fajitas with cotija cheese, pickled onions, corn and a queso option.
The November Taco of the Month at Torchy’s Tacos is The Space Cowboy. It features crispy fried chicken topped with red chile sauce, cilantro lime rice, avocado, cotija cheese and cilantro in a flour tortilla. Also on offer is a new Drink of the Month created by Corporate Bro, an Instagrammer. Called “Out of Office,” it’s made with habanero-infused tequila, a Tajin rim and serrano pepper coins for garnish.
The Space Cowboy is Torchy’s newest taco.
The new Micro Meal at Del Taco is geared to smaller appetites and snackers at a value price of $2.99. The limited-time offer includes a Micro Beef & Cheddar Burrito, seven to 10 fries and one Donut Bite. A number of chains have downsized portions in step with lighter eating trends from GLP-1 users, mindful diners and the increase in snacking.
Papa Johns goes big with its latest pizza. The Grand Papa is topped with a new deli-style pepperoni, three-cheese blend and Italian seasoning, hand-stretched into eight extra-large slices ($14.99). Launching along with The Grand Papa is a Salted Caramel Brownie for dessert. It’s made with brown sugar and salted caramel chips, finished with a sprinkle of sea salt and sells for $6.99 when paired with another menu item.
It’s all about bacon at Huddle House. The chain’s new Smokey BBQ Bacon Lineup includes a Smashed Burger topped with applewood smoked bacon, onion tanglers, American cheese, pickle chips and Smokey BBQ sauce on a toasted potato bun. There’s also a Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Fried Chicken Sandwich with the same ingredients minus the beef patties and onions, and a Smokey BBQ Fried Chicken Salad or Grilled Chicken Salad with mixed greens, carrots, red cabbage, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, bacon, croutons and onion tanglers, drizzled with Smokey BBQ sauce and ranch dressing.
A Smothered Steak Biscuit joins the menu at Bojangles as an LTO. The chain’s scratch-made buttermilk biscuit is split and filled with country fried steak and Southern sausage gravy to create the item, which can be ordered for breakfast, lunch or snacking.
Thanksgiving-to-go is ready at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill with a feast that feeds four to six people for $159.95. It includes a 4-pound turkey with cranberry gravy, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, asparagus, green beans, bread and butter and bread pudding for dessert. Customers can sub a 4-pound ham for the turkey or order a turkey and ham combo with 2 pounds of each meat.
&pizza is offering a pizza topped with traditional Thanksgiving leftovers.
The &’sGiving Pie from &pizza combines Turkey Day favorites baked on pizza dough. It starts with a turkey gravy base followed by roast turkey breast, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mozzarella, cranberry drizzle and crispy onions. The holiday-themed pizza is available for a limited time at all East Coast &pizza locations.
Also tying into Thanksgiving flavors is Bruster’s Real Ice Cream. The chain’s limited-time flavor for November is Sweet Potato Pie, showcasing a base of spiced sweet potato ice cream combined with mini marshmallows, pecans and vanilla wafer pieces.
At Chicago-based Giordano’s, the newest pie in the Chi-Town Flavors collection is Millennium Pork Deep Dish Pizza. It features pulled pork, barbecue sauce, banana peppers and crispy fried onions in a buttery crust. Giordano’s partnered with Crust Fund Pizza to donate $2 from every pizza sold to Share our Spare, a nonprofit dedicated to providing essential items, such as diapers, to families in the Chicagoland area.
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