Fast Food Week: Quick Service Restaurant And Snacks News!

It’s back to business as usual in the Fast Food Sector this week! Lots of Mains, Sides and Snacks on tap… Plus new Value Meals menus, and a special hot-wings nod to New Orleans as the venue for the 2025 Super Bowl…

Kickin' Ranch - © 2025 Jimmy John's

The rundown

Once again… It’s almost as if there’s a Mob-like ‘commission’ that meets in secret and decides what the Fast Food sector is going to be doing from week to week. The coordination in the activities of the major players is almost seems choreographed!

Mains

Jimmy John’s adds Kickin’ Ranch Chicken Wrap

JJ’s was so pleased by the response to its Kickin’ Ranch Soup as a limited-time offering that it’s bringing the side back (see below), and adding a companion Chicken Wrap. The new wrap features features chicken, provolone cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato, Jimmy Peppers, and Kickin’ Ranch Sauce.

Subway unveils new Value Meals menu

The sub slingers are shooting back at McDonald’s latest volley in the Value Wars with a new Value Menu concept of their own. The Subway Meal of the Day value menu offers a different Subway sandwich each day of the week, bundled with 2 cookies or a bag of chips and a small drink.

Meal of the Day - © 2025 Subway

With a 6 in. sandwich, the deal starts t $6.99. And it’s it’s just $9.99 for the foot-long version. Slightly higher in California and Alaska.

Jack In The Box rolls out $5 All-Day deal

Perhaps in response to other major players’ recently-announced ‘Box’ meal Value deals, JITB is now offering a mix and match $5 All Day Big Meal giving diners a tantalizing selection of options to choose from. Choose an entrée, two sides and a drink for just $5. The new deal (at least in its premiere configuration) features the chain’s Breakfast menu. Available now through February 19. Prices may be slightly higher, depending on where you live…

Del Taco expands Del’s Real Deals menu

Del Taco expands it’s entry on the Value Meal Deals front adding 2  new Burritos. Try either (or both): the Bean, Rice, and Cheese Burrito and the Chipotle Chicken Burrito. They join the existing (and persisting) Bundles Deal Meal menu, as the leading players in three new bundles: Big, Bigger, and Mega. Starting at under$3.

Popeye’s débuts new Super Bowl Wings

Popeye’s is adding another new Wings flavour to its roster: Louisiana Garlic. And it’s game day-themed, honouring the appointment of New Orleans as this year’s super Bowl venue.

Louisiana Garlic Wings - © 2025 Popeye's

The option is billed as ‘marinated and tossed in a garlic-infused buttery sauce’ perfect for couch surfing or tailgating.

Chick-Fil-A’s Grilled Spicy Chicken Sandwich returns

The marinated, grilled chicken breast sandwich which débuted in 2021 is back. It’s topped with Colby Jack cheese, leaf lettuce, and tomato on a toasted multigrain brioche bun. With zesty Cilantro Lime Sauce on the side. Ideal for the chicken lover who’s tired of the gazillion competing deep-fried, ‘crispy’ chicken breast options out there…

Sides

Jimmy John’s pours Kickin’ Ranch Soup

Enough folks report eating Ranch Dressing as a dip or just by itself that you might say it’s become an unofficial soup option. But now it’s official! Jimmy John’s is offering what it calls Kickin’ Ranch Soup. The menu item was tested as a limited-time option, but proved so popular, it’s coming back probably permanently.

RAGÚ and Hot Ones collab on spicy Sauces

The RAGÚ x Hot Ones project brings you three new sauces based on original RAGÚ Tomato Sauce, each amped-up with a shot of Hot Ones band signature hot sauce. Try Fiery Garlic, Chipotle Blaze and Chile Inferno.

Ragu x Hot Ones - © 2025 Ragu

Though sold in familiar RAGÚ 14 fl/ oz. / 385 g Pasta Sauce jars, the makers stress they’re not just for pasta. Try them on wings, dips, pizzas, and more. For your curiosity’s convenience, get a special tri-pack sampler with all three flavours for  just $9.99. For a limited time only.

Beverages

Chick-Fil-A re-pours Key Lime bevs

CFA is bringing back it’s fan-fave Key Lime beverages – for a limited time. Choose from summer-stalgic Key lime Lemonade or Key Lime Frosted Lemonade. The latter featuring a unique recipe which blends Lemonade with Icedream soft serve and a shot of natural key lime flavor. In regular or diet versions. At part6icipating locations.

Del Taco adds new Dragon Fruit Poppers drinks

The new Dragon Fruit Poppers flavours include Blueberry Sprite, Blueberry Lemonade and Blueberry Shake. For a limited time. And allow me to use this opportunity to wish a Happy Retirement to one of my beloved Culinary School Instructors, Chef Scott Warrick – World’s Foremost Dragon Fruit Fan!

Desserts & Snacks

Krispy Kreme x Pop-Tarts collab

Krispy Kreme is averaging more than 2 new flavour launches a month over the past 60 days! The latest ‘drop’ is the Krispy Kreme x Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Donuts Collection.

Krispy Kreme x Pop-Tarts - © 2025 Krispy Kreme

It spotlights three new Frosted Pop-Tarts-inspired sinkers including:  Strawberry, Chocolatey Fudge and Brown Sugar Cinnamon. At participating locations chain-wide. Also in 6-packs at selected retail stores across the US.

New Kickin’ Ranch Jimmy Chips

For a limited time, you can add new Kickin’ Ranch Jimmy Chips to any sandwich or wrap on the menu for free. It’s not clear whether you can purchase the new chips by themselves, but I’m guessing so… More proof that, by the time ‘Ranch’ gets old enough to qualify for a ‘Newstalgia’ come-back, it may still be a current ‘thing’!

Events

Starbuck’s updates it’s Winter Menu

In spite of an impending streamlining and updating slash-and-burn operation on Starbuck’s menu by new CEO Brian Niccols… The chain has just announced a slew of  change-ups to it’s winter menu and some new permanent-menu items. How permanent? We’ll see…

BYO Bucket to Natl. Popcorn Day

Cinemark is making popcorn lovers an opportunity they can’t refuse. Bring your own container – up to 400 fl. oz. / 11 litres capacity – and their concession stand will fill it to the brim for $5.

BYO Bucket - 640 - © 2025 Cinemark

But only on National Popcorn Day, January 19. The best part about this deal may be that no ticket purchase is necessary!

Dunkin’s unveils January Deals

The monthly Rewards deals calendar is out at Dunkins. It’s a little on the thin side, but that’s not unusual following a mammoth Holiday Deals season…

Novelties

Pringle’s embraces ‘Hot Chicken’ fad

Pringle’s has joined the Hot Chicken parade with Blazin’ Fried Chicken chips. Alas for ‘Hot’ fans, they’re only in the UK (at least for now).

Blazin' Fried Chicken - © Pringle's UK

Seanáin McGuigan, Pringle’s brand anager UK&I, says: “With January being the perfect time to turn up the heat, we’re confident Blazin’ Fried Chicken will become an immediate hit with spice-seekers.”

And that’s the skinny…

… On what’s going to be making some of us wish we weren’t hard-wirerd to crave sugar, salt and fat over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next instantly addictive edition of Fast Food Week!

~ Maggie J.