No Novelties or Events on the Fast Food Week ‘menu’ this time. But lots of other stuff – particularly in the MAINS category! Seven major players represented in all! New stuff from Chick-Fil-A, Taco Bell, KFC and McDonald’s among others…
“The hot dog price will not change as long as I’m around,”
COSTCO CEO Ron Vachris told shareholders…
The rundown…
On the International front, 7-Eleven pops a Whipped Cream Sandwich, and KFC UK has declared a ‘Picklemania’ epidemic…
MAINS
COSTCO ‘will NEVER raise its Hot Dog price!’
COSTCO’s recent CEO shuffles have brought into question the vexed issue of whether the discounter will raise the price of its legendary $1.50 Hot Dog + fountain drink combo. The answer is, not as long as new CEO Ron Vachris is at the helm.
“The hot dog price will not change as long as I’m around,” Vachris told the company’s annual share-holders’ meeting recently. COSTCO Dog fanciers can breathe a sigh of relief…
Taco Bell issues Chicken Crunchwrap Slider
The Crispy Chiken Crunchwrap Slider is a little smaller, but thicker than the regular Crunchwrap. And it’s stuffed with Crispy Chicken, three-cheese blend, Pico de Gallo, and your choice of Creamy Chip-otle or Jalapeño Honey Mustard sauce. It’s an obvious, though unstated, Value Menu item at $3.
McDonald’s x KPop Demons = 2 New Happy Meals
Adult Happy meals, that is. Two ‘dueling’ adult meals and a brand-new McFlurry début March 31. The menu leverages South Korean McD’s menu items: The Saja Boys Breakfast Meal features a Spicy Saja McMuffin, with a new spicy sauce, plus hash browns and a drink…
The HUNTR/X Meal features Ram-yeon McShaker Fries with 10-piece Chicken McNuggets. There are also two limited-edition dips: Hunter Sauce, and a bold, purple Demon Sauce. Starting March 31…
KFC buckets 10 Wings for $10…
It’s an entry in the new Value Menus War. Get 10 Hot and Spicy Wings for $10, or 20 for $20 when you order through the KFC app, for a limited time. It’s Hot and Spicy Wings ONLY – regular wings are not in-cluded in this tightly-focused deal. Sounds as though KFC is having a little trouble getting its Hot wings to ‘catch fire’ with fans…
… Features $10 Tuesdays and new Build-A-Bucket deal
For a limited time… Get 8 pieces of fried chicken (legs and thighs) or 8 tenders for $10 on Tuesdays. Or Build-A-Bucket with 8 pieces of fried dark meat chicken or 8 tenders, plus 4 individual sides and 4 buttermilk biscuits for $20. Not sure whether the Bucket deal is every day, or just Tuesday, too. Check your local KFC outlet for details…
Jimmy John’s goes Gyros
This is a real departure for the Sandwich purveyor! It spotlights real Gyros meat (beef and lamb), top-ped with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, and tzatziki sauce.
…All rolled up in a warmed Pita. There’s also a Chicken version. Alas… The Pita looks to me more like a flour tortilla. But you can’t have everything…
Chick-Fil-A rolls out new Jalapeno Ranch Club Sandwich
It’s pretty fancy for the original plain-Chicken-on-a-bun house: Choose from Original, Spicy, or Grilled filets), pepper jack cheese, caramelized onion-flavored candied bacon strips (!), lettuce, tomato, and pickled jalapeños – all on a new buttermilk ranch bun. A Creamy Jalapeño Ranch sauce is included on the side.
Bojangles boasts new Breakfast
BJ’s is offering a new breakfast combo: a new Triple Double Biscuit and an Iced Coffee. The Biscuit is buttermilk, and stacked with: smoked bacon, scrambled eggs, sausage, and two slices of American (processed) cheese. (Triple the protein + double the cheese.)
The Iced Coffee is a permanent addition to the menu, available in three flavors: Plain (with or without sweet cream), French Vanilla, and Salted Caramel.
SIDES
Jimmy John’s complements Gyros with Cucumber Salad
One of the most sacred of Greek sides is Cucumber Salad. And JJ’s is offering one as a companion to its new Gyros. The Greek Cucumber Salad mingles cucumbers, tzatziki, sliced pickles, and onions. Sounds like a great snack salad all on it’s own!
BEVERAGES
Coke fans take note: Yellow caps are back!
As true devotées will already know, bottled Coca Cola Original comes with different coloured caps: ‘Red’ means sweetened with Corn Syrup. But a yellow cap means the bottle contains fan-coveted ‘Mexican’ style Coke, sweetened the old fashioned way, with cane sugar. Coke connoisseurs say the cane sugar version has a crisper mouth feel, and a cleaner finish. Now, American fans can get yellow-cap Coke for a limited time at the same price as regular. Yellow-cap Coke is also Kosher for Passover…
Mountain Dew brings back Dirty Dew
The quirky soda brand is preparing to blast out Creamy Dirty Dew on April 6. The release capitalized on last fall’s Dirty Soda craze, and provides an entré for the Dew into Creamy Soda territory…
The flavour profile is described as ‘citrus up front, then a smoother, sweeter finish’… In regular and Diet versions.
Starbuck’s Spring Menu revealed
… Featuring new flavours including: Filipino Ube, Toasted Coconut, and the return of fan fave Laven-der. Enjoy them across an array of Cold Brews, Lattés, Macchiatos, and Frappuccinos. Add to that, a new spread of Matchas and Chais. And to munch with your bev, a new Frog Cake Pop… This seasonal offering is right in line with the streamlined, back-to-basics Starbuck’s menu policy dictated by the chain’s new bail-out-specialist CEO…
Bojangles adds new Iced Coffee
The Iced Coffee is a permanent addition to the menu, just in time for the coming warmer weather. It’s available in three classic flavors: Plain (with or without sweet cream), French Vanilla, and Salted Cara-mel. Fans have been asking for it, and now they’ve got it…
DESSERTS & SNACKS
Little Caesar’s subdivides its Cheezy Bread
You can now get a big order of Cheezy Bread sticks, subdivided into 4 quarters, each with a different topping. Few Four-N-One Stix features four styles of cheesy breadsticks in one pizza-shaped order.
That’s 16 cheesy breadsticks, including four cheese, four pepperoni, four jalapeño, and four bacon, served with a side of Crazy Sauce for dipping. A great sharable snack. Or a perfect light lunch or supper…
Taco Bell Chicken Nuggets available ‘solo’
… For a limited time. Get 5-piece and 10-piece orders separately. The Bell’s big Nuggets, coated with Tortilla Chip breading, are an ideal grab-and-go finger food snack. Pair them with any of the Bell’s signature dipping sauces.
Pop Tarts launches Super-Stuffed line
They say you asked for it, and now, you’ve got it! Super-stuffed Pop Tarts with 50 percent more filling. Three flavouers will be available starting next month: Super Stuffed Strawberry Blast, Super Stuffed Molten Lava Cake, and Super Stuffed Cinnamon Caramel. Each box will contain 5 fatter pastries. “Our all-new Pop-Tarts Super Stuffed toaster pastries [upgrade] the snacking experience in a Crazy Good way,” said Leslie Serro, Vice President of Marketing for Pop-Tarts.
Krispy Kreme opens 2026 Easter Basket
KK’s 2026 Easter Basket Collection features 3 new specialty sinkers: an Easter Egg Basket Doughnut, a Strawberry Egg Doughnut, and a Baby Chick Doughnut.
Available individually, in a six-pack, or as part of a festive dozen with two Original Glazed doughnuts and two Original Glazed dipped in chocolate icing and covered with sprinkles. Now through Easter…
INTERNATIONAL
KFC UK declares Picklemania!
The Picklemania Menu at the Colonel’s place includes: a chicken breast Pickle Burger, Pickle-loaded Fries, Frickles (breaded, fried pickle rounds), and a Pepsi Max, served with a side of Pickle Juice. Pucker up now through April 19. Another chapter to the old, sad ‘why can’t we have this in North America?’ story…
7-Eleven Japan goes sandwich crazy!
The convenience store known for its grab-and-g0 foods has just launched a new sandwich that is sure to draw the curiosity crowd: Whipped Cream with Sprinkles.
It’s built on slices of Bubblegum Pink bread stuffed with a jumbo load of sprinkle-studded whipped cream. It’s the flagship offering in the chain’s new’Greedy Sandwich’ line…
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some of us a little more-creatively fed over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next ‘shirtsleeves weather’ (?) edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.