FIFA Fever is taking over Fast Food Week! The World Cup specials are starting to roll in… But don’t overlook all the summer beverages and frozen treats making their début this week. And grab a 2-pack of Taco Bell’s Strawberry Delights!
The rundown…
Summertime – and the livin’ is goofy! Get a load of Chick-Fil-A’s upcoming Cow Appreciation Day’, mouthful of GoodPop’s French Fry ice cream treat, and an eyeful of McDonald’s new AI Ordering System 2.0, ‘Archie IQ’…
MAINS
FIFA World Cup Meals land at McDonald’s
The World Cup is coming a little later this summer… But McDonald’s official FIFA World Cup 2026 Meal Deals have already arrived. Choose from a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets meal, each includ-ing fries and a drink. The FIFA flavour comes from the set of 9 collectable drink cups each featuring a world-class champ soccer pro – and Grimmace.
There’s also a series of new FIFA World Cup 26 Happy Meals, which each include one of 23 Squish-mallows plush toys dressed in soccer-inspired jerseys… Sides include favorites such as Waffle Potato Fries, chips, applesauce, or fruit. You also get your choice of kid’s beverage.
Chick-Fil-A brings back Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken…
The HPPCS was a runaway fave last year. It starts with your choice of an Original or Spicy filet (you can also get it grilled, without the breading), pimento cheese, pickled Jalapeños, and a drizzle of honey – all on a toasted bun.
… Adds Mac & Cheese Kids’ Meals
CFA has added Mac & Cheese to the list of choices in its kids’ meals menu. It joins grilled or crispy chicken nuggets and chicken strips, rounding out the selection.
Culver’s heats up summer with Jalapeño Jack
Culver’s new Jalapeno Jack Pub Burger and Jalapeno Jack Chicken Sandwich are here. The Burger is built on Culver’s big beef patties (single, double or triple), with Pepper Jack cheese, creamy jalapeño sauce, lettuce, and tomato, on a toasted buttered brioche bun.
The Chicken sammy subs-in your choice of a crispy, spicy crispy, or grilled chicken breast filet in place of the beef. Both available for a limited time…
Shake Shack offers free ShackBurger
The catch is, you have to buy a Smoky Burger or BBQ Sandwich at the regular price to qualify. As you might expect, the Smoky BBQ Sandwich is Shake Shack’s limited-time version of McDonald’s cult-fave McRib. The limited-time Smoky Classic BBQ Burger is based on a quarter-pound Angus beef patty, topped with American (processed) cheese, smoked bacon, pickles, crispy-fried onions, and smoky BBQ sauce.
SONIC proves ‘more is less’…
SONIC is plying fans with a new ‘value’ combo: the $7 Big Deal Meal. You get a Sonic Cheeseburger; a small order of Premium Chicken Bites; a medium fountain drink; and your choice of Medium Tots or Fries – all for just $7.
… Updates its $1.99 Menu
SONIC is also updating its $1.99 value menu. The roster now features a Jr Bacon Cheeseburger (in place of the former Buffalo Crispy Tender Wrap)
… a Vanilla Soft Serve Cup (new addition); a Cheesy Baja Crispy Tender Wrap; and a small Root Beer Float…
Arby’s reprises signature Sliders
Arby’s is bringing back it’s beloved Sliders – after an 11-year absence. They’re classic ‘value’ bites at just $2 each. Choose from: the Roast Beef Slider: the Buffalo Chicken Slider; the Chicken Slider; and the Ham Slider. All are billed as packed with protein – in tune with the current nutritional fad.
SIDES
Church’s Chicken débuts Churchie Sauce
Long, long ago, in a fried Chiken market log gone away, there was the original Church’s Chicken – and its mascot was a rotund chef character called Churchie. Now, he’s back on the label of the chain’s new Churchie Sauce – officially described as, “the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, with a smooth, creamy finish that keeps you coming back for more. Rich, bold, and just bright enough to wake up your taste buds.”
BEVERAGES
Chick-Fil-A brings back Pineapple Dragonfruit…
The chicken sandwich legend is bringing back its unique Pineapple Dragonfruit beverages for sum-mer. The refreshers feature pineapple and dragonfruit flavours added to your choice of Sprite, lemonade, Frosted Lemonade, or Sunjoy (half lemonade and half tea).
… Replays its summer Peach Treats
The annual Georgia-themed quencher menu includes a ‘classic’ Peach Milkshake and a Peach Frosted Lemonade. Chick-Fil-A is one of very few Fast Food chains that offer anything peach-based. Maybe it’s too much trouble or too expensive for the other brands…
DESSERTS & SNACKS
SWEET
Taco Bell picks Strawberry Cinnabon Delights
‘Delights’ is what TB calls its clone of Tim’s Timbits and everybody else’s doughnut holes treats. (See photo, top of page.) The new limited time offering is a classic yeast doughnut hole filled with Cinna-bon cream cheese frosting, and dusted with Cinnabon’s strawberry-flavored sugar. Available in single-serving 2-packs and family-sized 12-packs.
Baskin-Robbins ignites Futbol Fireworks!
BR says Futbol Fireworks ‘tastes like sweet victory’, mixing with Sweet Cream Soda ice cream with Cherry sherbet, green apple popping candy, blue raspberry popping candy, and blue raspberry swirls.
It’s another World-Cup inspired flavour, and it’s also the BR flavour of the month. Get it in a cup, in pints or as a limited-time Futbol Fireworks Milkshake.
GoodPop reprises French Fry ice cream treat
GoodPop makes ‘better for you’ frozen treats. One of its all-time fan faves is the Fudge ‘n Vanilla French Fry Pop – a mashup of Chocolate fudge, vanilla ice cream and the flavour of real French Fries. The limited-edition pop sold out in minutes when it was first introduced last summer. GoodPop calls it the Ultimate Swalty Mashup! Available now, online and at select retailers US-wide.
Novelties
McDonald’s take a flyer on hand-breaded Chicken
McD’s is officially moving toward direct competition with Chicken sector players, testing new hand-breaded chicken products. The initiative targets chicken leaders such as KFC, who’ve been crowing about their hand-breaded birds for years. Test menu items tried out on Chicago fans earlier this year included tests included McSpicy Wings, McCrispy Tenders and a chicken breast sandwich…
Events
Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A
Remember the Chick-Fil-A ads a few years back that featured cows flogging the slogan, ‘Eat More Chicken’? The concept has never been far from the surface at CFA.
And July 14 will be its annual Cow Appreciation Day. You can claim a free entrée from 7 am to 7 pm local time, just by showing up to a participating location dressed in cow-inspired spots or other appropriately themed attire. Kids who show up in cow garb will also get a new ‘Cow Kart’ toy…
McDonald’s announces ‘AI Ordering 2.0’
After it’s first attempt at integrating AI with its ordering system tanked miserably, McD’s went back to the lab and started from scratch. Now, the chain says AI Ordering v. 2.0 is apparently ready to roll out to stores later this summer. The Automatic Ordering Technology (AOT) is called Archie IQ. I guess we’ll be able to see how high it’s IQ actually is fairly soon…
Burger King Japan replays One Pounder Challenge
If you want ‘extreme’ in your Fast Food, Japan’s the place to be. The One Pounder Challenge (OPC) is back at BK Japan for 2026. June 19 through 26 intrepid diners can order the Challenge for the equival-ent of (US)$31. The idea is to eat as many Smoke House The One Pounder burgers as you can in 45 minutes.
The SHTOP features 4 beef patties weighing 1.2 lb / 544 g and clocks in at 1,615 Calories… Participants get a t-shirt, towel and sticker set. The top 3 finishers in each session will win a spot at the National OPC Final in December…
And that’s the skinny…
… On what’s going to be making some us a little less streamlined over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next balmy edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.