Back to business as usual at Fast Food Week! MAINS dominate the Fast Food news, with a record 8 entries. And many of those are New Year’s bow-shots in the re-kindling Value Meals War… Hold onto your hat!
Subway’s new Protein Pockets – Jumping on the Protein bandwagon…
The rundown…
The new US Dietary Guidelines are out. Added Protein hogs the Fast Food Spotlight. And Tim Horton’s ‘joins’ Team Canada at the Winter Olympics!
MAINS
Subway powers up with Protein…
Subway is rolling out a new wraps menu, billed as the ultimate, “grab-and-go solution.” Each protein Pocket, as the wraps are called, is ‘packed with more than 20 g of protein, fresh veggies and fan-fave sauce in a soft tortilla’. Starting gate options include: Baja Chicken, Peppercorn Ranch Chicken, Italian Chicken and Turkey & Ham. Protein Pockets are priced at an affordable $3.99.
… Launches Sub of the Day!
Subway is making a new year statement with it’s new Sub of the Day program. Under the deal, you can get a different 6 in. sub each day of the week for just $4.99. It’ll be a rotating menu, with different subs every week. The deal pays homage to last year’s high-profile Value Menu craze.
Blaze Pizza enters ‘protein sweepstakes’
Blaze has launched a new pie called Protein-zza. It starts with a cauliflower crust and stacks on shredded mozzarella, a double portion of grilled chicken, onions…
… mushrooms, fresh basil, and buffalo sauce drizzle. That tests out to 56 grams of protein per pizza, or just under 10 grams per slice.
Jimmy John’s rolls out new Ham & Three Cheese Melt
Reviewers say… The new sammy is a rich (heavy)(but satisfying) addition to JJ’s menu. It is what it says: two layers of ham, Cheddar, Provolone, Parmesan, and mayo on toasted French bread. It’s a permanent menu addition, which in itself is newsworthy!
Arby’s boxes Meat & 3 meal deal
The guys who boast they have the meats are offering them this month in their own Value Meal entry. Choose from a Roast Beef or Crispy Chicken Sandwich, accompanied by three sides (two Mozzarella Sticks, a Peach Cobbler Roll, and small fries), and a small fountain drink. It’s a real deal – by today’s standards – at just $7.99.
Jersey Mike’s struts the Boardwalk Bundle
It’s a Value-forward deal which combines a regular #2 sub (AKA the ‘Jersey Shore’s Favorite’), a small bag of chips, and a 22 oz fountain beverage. It’s priced at $10.99.
And I, for one, say it should come with a medium or large drink, considering how little it costs (pennies) for any Fast Food brand to serve them…
Jimmy John’s goes new + stalgic to start 2026
The January features at JJ’s includes three items that might just make a nifty bundle… And now through March 1, you can make any JJ’s sandwich order a combo for just $1 more. The deal includes the sandwich of your choice, chips and a drink.
Speaking of Value Meals…
Checkers & Rally’s have a new entry in the Value Meal race: the $5 MVP Meal Deal. It includes includes your choice of sandwich, value fries, a small drink, and a deep-fried Cinnamon Apple Pie. You can also upgrade to large fries and a large drink for a small extra charge.
SIDES
KFC pushes the Poutine envelope
The ancient and venerable sector force has opened up new territory on the Chicken Frontier. In the form of a new menu of bowls featuring Chese Curds. The menu’s ‘mascot’ of cort5s is the Cheesy Nuggy Gravy Bowl, direct homage to Poutine.
With the newstalgic upgrade to Fried Cheese Curds. The farthest-out item is the simply-named Cheese Curds, consisting of a 10-piece order of Fried Curds for around $4, depending on where you live.
BEVERAGES
Tim’s teams Chocolate and Pistachio
It’s a festive New Year’s combo – and it’s headlining a whole menu of new beverages. Try: the Chocolate Pistachio Latte, Chocolate Pistachio Protein Iced Latte (17 grams of protein per medium beverage), Chocolate Pistachio Cappuccino, Chocolate Pistachio Cold Brew, or Chocolate Pistachio Iced Capp.
“Canadians will love indulging in our new Chocolate Pistachio beverages – those two flavours pair together perfectly and elevate so many Tim’s drinks that guests already love,” Matthew Feaver, Head of Innovation at Tim Horton’s, said in the news release.
DESSERTS & SNACKS
Grahammy Ice Cream salutes Awards
The annual Grammy awards ceremony rakes place February 1. Between now and then, Baskin-Robbins is featuring Grahammy Ice Cream as a sort of a long-stretch salute to the music industry (see photo, top of page). It’s also the Flavour of the Month. The scoop is a warm-looking, golden-tan Graham Cracker flavoured cream studded with chocolate-covered Honeycomb pieces and Honey Graham cracker swirls
‘Ghost’ cereal a ‘healthy’ Lucky Charms?
It’s called Ghost. And it’s Lucky Charms with added protein. Lifestyle sports nutrition brand Ghost is collabbing with General Mills, adding to Lucky Charms. “Made to fuel your workout and post-workout routine.”
Lucky Charms’ signature ‘magical marshmallows’ join Ghosts protein flakes, ‘delivering 17 grams per serving and 130 milligrams of calcium’. Wait… Wasn’t Lucky Charms rated the second-most unhealthy, sugar-packed kids’ cereal in a recent CNN survey?
Tim’s brings back Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
The fan-coveted Oatmeal Raisin cookie is back at Tim Horton’s. “We know many guests missed [it] and will look forward to enjoying [it] again as a comforting and nostalgic treat,” Matthew Feaver, Head of Innovation for Tim Hortons, said in the news release.
It’s a cookie that I can’t remember having eaten a ‘commercial’ version of – either from the supermarket or at a Fast Food window. For me, Oatmeal Raisin brings back memories of my Dad’s mom… It’s a great cookie, with a distinct hit of vanilla to complement the raisins, and it doesn’t get enough respect.
Jimmy John’s brings back Red Velvet Cookie
The fan fave dessert of all time at JJ’s – the Red Velvet Cookie – is back for a limited time this month. Get it while you can. Fans say it’s never around long enough!
NOVELTIES
Lebannon breaks record for Biggest Bucket of Nuggets
Wilco PM, a Lebanon-based poultry products company that has earned a Guinness World Record for the biggest bucket of Chicken Nuggets.
The producer churned out, and piled in one place, 85,000 chicken nuggets weighing 2,026 kg (4466.5 lb.). Wilco staff chained together large plastic bags full of nuggets into the shape of a huge company-branded bucket.
Most-Ordered American Hot Sauce
Instacart, the grocery home shopping service, is starting to release it’s data analyses of last year’s ordering traffic. And one finding that surprised many was the three-peat of Frank’s Hot Sauce(es) in first place. I personally mourn the relegation of the original – Tasbasco – to 7th place on the list. And the absence of Sriracha altogether…
EVENTS
Tim’s ‘joins’ Team Canada!
Tim Hortons is deepening its commitment to Canadian sport through two new partnerships: an eight-year National Partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and a three-year Official Supporter partnership with the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).
“We’re proud that our iconic red Tim’s cups will be a familiar sight at Canada Olympic House Celebration Series, and that we’ll be serving our coffee to Team Canada throughout the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” said Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer for Tim Horton’s said, in the news release.
New US Dietary Guidelines unveiled
The new edition of the US official Dietary Guidelines is out. And, as usual, it’s bad news for Fast Food lovers. The Trump administration has, in fact, managed to stay on an even keel for this exercise, anyway. Well, mostly – they turned the Food Pyramid upside-down!
The Guide recommends everybody eat more whole grain products and veggies. And warns against the dangers of processed foods. There’s also new alcohol consumption ‘guidance’, imploring Americans to drink less…
New Cali. Law mandates Delivery Service refunds
The new state ordnance, which came into effect the first of the year, requires services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, and others to provide full refunds to customers if an order doesn’t show up or an incorrect order is delivered. The refund rule applies to all orders placed via the services’ apps.
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of us more ‘well-rounded’ over the coming days and weeks. See you back here for the next dead-of-winter edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.