Jersey Mike’s rolled out a hot grilled Italian meats sub. | Photo courtesy of Jersey Mike’s
With temperatures dipping across the country, restaurants are aiming to keep customers warm with hot sandwiches, soups, quesadillas and burritos. But health and wellness is still a January theme, with protein continuing as a major player and winter vegetables in the spotlight. Here’s what’s trending on chain menus now.
Mike’s Hot Italian debuted at Jersey Mike’s, the first time the sandwich chain is featuring chopped Italian meats in a hot sub. The limited-time item features ham, salami and pepperoni chopped by hand on the grill and covered in melted provolone. It’s then piled on a sub roll and topped with grilled onions, lettuce, tomato and Jersey Mike’s signature Chopped Pepper Relish, often called “CPR” by fans. The LTO sells for $8.95.
Arby’s introduced a new Italian Beef Dip, a riff on Chicago’s famous Italian Beef sandwich. Arby’s version combines slow-roasted beef, melted Swiss, pickled giardiniera and au jus. Arby’s signature roast beef is slow roasted in-house for four hours until tender and juicy. New Yorkers can try the sandwich firsthand at The House of Italian Beef, a pop-up coordinated by Arby’s and Chain, an interactive project that reimagines signature dishes from chain restaurants.
Arby’s new Italian Beef Dip. | Photo courtesy of Arby’s
Asiago Bagel Stacks are back at Panera Bread, with two guest favorites—Chicken Roma and Spicy Steak Asiago Bagel Stack—joining the permanent menu at lunch and dinner at $7.99 each. New this go-around are three Bagel Breakfast Stacks—breakfast sandwiches made on either an Asiago Bagel or Asiago Everything Bagel. There’s the Wake-Up BLT Asiago Everything Bagel Stack with bacon, scrambled egg, tomato, arugula and cheesy Benedict sauce; Farmhouse Duo Asiago Bagel Stack filled with both bacon and sausage in addition to scrambled egg and Benedict sauce; and Sausage & Egg Asiago Bagel Stack with sausage, scrambled egg, melted American cheese and garlic aioli drizzle. Also new are Asiago Croissant Twists.
Breakfast sandwiches are also trending at 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes, all priced at $3. The Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich is the latest addition to the lineup; it’s layered with eggs, sausage and cheese between Belgian waffles enhanced with pearl sugar. Crispy Waffle Tots can be purchased as a side for $1, and for those with bigger appetites, there are El Gran Tocino Breakfast Tacos at two for $5.
In celebration of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Chipotle Mexican Grill is teaming up with five American athletes to launch limited-edition digital menu items. There’s the Matthew Tkachuk Bowl with double chicken and tomatillo-red chili salsa; the Brady Tkachuk Bowl with half chicken and half steak; the Hilary Knight Burrito with rice and pinto beans; the Taylor Heise Tacos filled with chicken and two salsas; and The Red Gerard Bowl with chicken, rice, cheese and salsa. Protein content ranges from 48 to 67 grams per item. Starting Feb. 6 when the Olympics kick off and for a limited time, U.S. locations of Chipotle will wrap their burritos in gold foil.
Steak Stroganoff returns for a limited time to Noodles & Company, a fan favorite and welcome winter comfort food. The dish features wavy egg noodles in a rich mushroom-sherry cream sauce finished with marinated steak, Parmesan cheese and fresh Italian parsley. To tie into the comeback, Noodles is searching for its first Chief StroganOff-icer spanning the weeks between Feb. 10 and Feb. 25. Details will be posted on @noodlescompany on Instagram.
Build-your-own burger bars are now available from Five Guys, thanks to a new partnership with ezCater. The catering menu, geared to office lunches, gives employees the option to customize burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches, with fresh-cut fries available as a side. Also on offer are small group bundles and individual lunches.
One of TGI Fridays’ Treat Yourself Trios. | Photo courtesy of TGI Fridays
Treat Yourself Trios launched at TGI Fridays with the choice of two different appetizer combos. There’s the Warm-Up Trio ($10.99) with a half portion of spinach artichoke dip, four mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce and eight pretzel bites with poblano sauce, and the Level Up Trio ($14.99) featuring eight boneless wings with ranch, two sliders with fries and loaded tots. Three new mocktails are also available: The Pal-noma with agave nectar and club soda, Pink Lagoon with dragon fruit syrup for color, and Spring in Bloom with a lemonade-tea base and strawberry puree.
Cava is innovating on the beverage side of the menu with the launch of Tangerine Aleppo. Made in-house like all the fast casual’s juices, the drink’s flavor profile balances citrus with spice. Cava is positioning the beverage as an alcohol-free option for those observing Dry January.
Zero-proof cocktails for Dry January are also on offer at North Italia. There’s the Pina No-Lada with coconut, pineapple, fresh lime and bubbles, and the 00 Spritz with Mionetto NA aperitivo, crushed lemons and bubbles. The casual-dining chain is promoting the drinks as game-day partners for pizza specials through Feb. 9. The pies include a Jalapeño Popper Pizza with bacon, jalapeño and garlic cream cheese, smoked mozzarella, herb breadcrumbs and agrodolce, and a Loaded Potato Skin Pizza with fingerling potatoes, mashed potatoes, bacon, chives, crème fraiche and Grana Padano; both sell for $22.
A bowl of comfort at Chicken Salad Chick. | Photo courtesy of Chicken Salad Chick
Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is new on the menu at Chicken Salad Chick. The soup’s seasonal debut comes along with the return of Greek Goddess chicken salad, available through Feb. 28. The popular salad is composed of kalamata olives, feta cheese and a blend of Greek-style herbs. It’s available as a scoop or sandwich.
California Pizza Kitchen’s new Smart Swaps menu is targeted to those pursuing health goals. Protein-Packed Smart Swaps include Avocado Club Egg Rolls revamped as Lettuce Wraps with 64 grams protein, the West Coast Burger made over into a Bowl with 40 grams protein, and Cedar Plank Salmon with Piccata Sauce for 73 grams protein. Plant-Forward Smart Swaps sub cauliflower steak for chicken in Piccata, use a Cauliflower Crust for California Veggie Pizza and turn Lettuce Wraps vegetarian, all of which boost fiber. Lastly, Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower, Tostada Pizza and Kung Pao Spaghetti all are slimmed down with fewer calories.
CPK’s Smart Swaps. | Photo courtesy of California Pizza Kitchen
Double Protein can now be specified in all custom bowls at Teriyaki Madness. Customers can build bowls with up to 16 ounces of salmon, chicken, steak or tofu. From January through March, the chain is bringing back Mad Dash Mondays, offering $2 off orders for curbside pickup that are over $10. And for the week of Jan. 19-25, Teriyaki Madness is offering zero delivery fees.
Protein is also the focus at TheBig Biscuit with the launch of Protein Packed, a promotion that highlights the nutrient in the brand’s breakfast dishes. The menu is calling out protein content in items like Kansas City Omelet (56 grams) with smoked ham, bacon, sausage and cheddar cheese; Rand Hand Scram-bowl layered with grilled steak, jalapeños, tomatoes and cheese (56 grams); and Veggie Omelet with mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, onions and Monterey Jack cheese (32 grams). More protein-rich dishes will be featured throughout the first half of 2026.
Southern Fried Shrimp and Giant Quesadillas are menu specials at Zaxbys this winter. In the former category are Zaxbys Southern Fried Shrimp Meal or Side, as well as ZaxSeas Surf & Turf Meal that pairs eight fried shrimp and three chicken fingers with Zax sauce, Texas toast, crinkle fries and a small drink. The Giant Quesadilla menu items are each filled with three chicken fingers and include the Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla with Cheddar Jack cheese, bacon and ranch dressing in a warm flour tortilla and the Chicken Fajita Quesadilla with cheese, grilled onions and peppers and Southwest ranch.
Giant quesadillas and fried shrimp are new on Zaxbys menu. | Photo courtesy of Zaxbys
Root vegetables are in the spotlight at Tender Greens with two seasonal dishes. Carrot Hummus Toast blends slow-roasted carrots with hummus and adds whipped feta, shaved carrots, fresh herbs, za’atar and golden balsamic on grilled sourdough. The Beet-and-Burrata Salad stars roasted red and yellow beets, burrata, lettuce, radishes, toasted pistachios, potato crisps and parsnip puree.
Customers at Juice It Up! can mix and match new bowl bases such as coconut, acai, passion fruit and dragon fruit. The chain is also adding chia seed pudding and strawberry chia seed pudding toppings and two granola varieties: Dark Chocolate & Berries and Dark Chocolate & Peanut Butter. High-protein Zone Smoothies are back on the menu in several varieties, each delivering 32 grams protein in a medium size.
Two new Stuffed Grilled Tacos have joined the Taco John’s menu, both with the signature soft-on-the-outside and crunchy-on-the-inside build. The Spicy Chicken Stuffed Grilled Taco features a grilled softshell and crunch corn shell filled with grilled chicken breast, Chipotle Lime and Super Hot sauces, a four-cheese blend, nacho chips, sour cream and pickled jalapeños, while Guacamole Ranch Stuffed Grilled Taco features chicken breast, ranch, a four-cheese blend, nacho chips, sour cream, lettuce and guacamole.
Tijuana Flats rolled out a limited-time Hot Honey Chicken that can be added to any entrée, including bowls, tacos, burritos and flautas. The blackened chicken is fired up with sweet and hot sauces. Back for a return engagement are fried, cinnamon-sugar-coated Sopapilla Chips drizzled with honey and served with chocolate dipping sauce and a Pomegranate Agua Fresca to sip.
Slammin’ Meal Deals at Denny’s, all starting at $5.99, include a new Fish Sandwich with Fries, Grand Slam Burrito, Breakfast Quesadilla, and Two Meat Scrambler. Also included in the value lineup are tried-and-true favorites, such as the Super Slam, Chicken Tenders & Fries and Classic Burger with Fries.
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