Fast Food Week goes dry this time around. No beverages, literally, to speak of. But there are some nifty new mains and sides, and a bunch of new snacks to ponder. And we have a curious cadre of eye-rolling, nutty novelty items…
A Magenta Marvel: Del Taco’s new Flamin’ Hot Queso…
The rundown…
Are you ready for a new KFC Cereal you eat with gravy instead of milk? Are you planing to stop by Long John Silver’s next week or Talk Like A Pirate Day? Just asking…
MAINS
Del Taco + Cheetos = Flamin’ Hot Queso
Del Taco is featuring a new ‘flavour’ which fans have been dreaming of. Well, those fans who love theirs ‘Flamin’ Hot’. The Cheetos crossover is a deep magenta-tinged Queso which is featured on no fewer than 6 limited-time mains and snacks. Flamin’ Hot Queso is something I’d have thought some Tex-Mex joint or other would have already come up with by now…
Taco Bell reprises Crispy Chicken Crunchwrap Sliders…
They’re simply mini Crunchwraps stuffed with TB’s Crunchy Chicken Nuggets. And topped with a three-cheese blend, pico de gallo, plus a choice of Hidden Valley Diablo Ranch Sauce or Creamy Chipotle. Returning Crispy Chicken Nuggets are starring in 5- and 1o-piece orders, as well as a couple of new combos. All for a limited time…
… Débuts new Diablo Ranch Steak Nacho Fries
The Bell is now offering a multi-mashup of its own fave menu items: a mouthful dubbed Diablo Ranch Steak Nacho Fries. That’s a big tray of The Bell’s seasoned fries…
… topped with grilled, marinated steak, Hidden Valley Diablo Ranch sauce, warm nacho cheese sauce, shredded 3-cheese blend, and pico de gallo. And fans will be ecstatic to learn that the Bell has made its ‘standard’ Nacho Fries a permanent menu item.
Long John Silver’s loads new Game Day Platter
The big combo is based on the chain’s new new Crispy Battered Wings, and includes: six wings, six battered shrimp, fried pickles, two sides, and two hushpuppies. It’s available for a limited time, at participating locations. That’s a game day deal I’d go for – if I threw game day watch parties. Alas, my house is barely big enough to acco0mmodate the people and pets who live here…
SIDES
Del Taco creates the obvious: Flamin’ Hot Queso
Why did it take so long for some Tex-Mex chain to create Flamin’ Hot Queso? Combining two fan craves in one multi-purpose sauce seems a no brainer. And it even looks curiously enticing. The new option is featured in 6 limited-time mains and snacks. This Cheetos crossover is something other ‘spicy’ pushers will wish they did first…
Heinz squirts new Pickle and Jalapeno Ketchups!
Snackers rejoice! Get the flavours you crave on all your crispy fried nibbles in one easy squirt! Heniz has released two new flavoured ‘chups…
… designed to make your casual eating addiction even more convenient – and arguably more healthy. They’re called Simply Pickle and Simply Spicy, and feature ‘all natural ingredients’.
SNACKS
SALTY
Taco Bell shrinks the Cheezy Gorita Crunch…
It’s a new snack-menu offering is designed to address fan demand for a more convenient version of the chain’s signature Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Get 2 for $5.99 for a limited time. And look for them in the latest version of the $9 Discovery Luxe Box, in company of a Doritos Locos Taco, Crunchy Taco, chips with nacho cheese sauce, and a medium fountain drink.
… Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Nuggets are back
… For a limited time, in 5- and 10-piece orders, plus a couple of new combos. All for a limited time only. The Nuggets are one of TB’s prices – a cut above all those other ‘nuggets’ made from mechanically-deboned chicken scraps. TB’s Nuggets are larger than most, and feature chunks of real, unprocessed chicken breast meat…
SWEET
Krispy Kreme does Churro ‘Dots’
The doughnut doyenne, is offering new Churro-inspired Donut Dots (i.e.- doughnut ‘holes’). They’re big bites of yeast-raised doughnut dough dredged in cinnamon sugar and served with Dulce de Leche dipping sauce. And they’re just part of the overall, expanded KK 2026 Autumn Seasonal Menu…
NOVELTIES
KFC puffs up KFCereal
As you might guess (or fear), it’s a KFC-flavoured cereal. And the fried chicken pusher wants you to eat it for breakfast. From a bowl. And topped not with milk, but gravy. It’s a high-protein cereal called Surreal, and it’s flavoured with the Colonel’s legendary 11 herbs and spices.
Sounds to me like it would go better as a pop-in-your-mouth screen-front snack. Could be paired with any number of beverages… But beer came inbstantly to my mind…
AMC gets exclusive on ‘bucket head’ collectible
It’s a rigid plastic bucket, designed to hols a standard large order of popcorn, But it’s in the shape of a bleach-blond Street Fighter haircut. And it’s wearable. Not sure now practical it will be to eat the snack while wearing the headpiece. But I’m willing to bet that anybody sitting behind one will find it really had to see the new Street Fighter movie, which premieres October 16….
EVENTS
Long John Silver’s Talk Like A Pirate Day is back!
What a great day to get cosplay jump on Hallowe’en and have get free food! Just walk into the store on Tuesday, September 29, either talking like a pirate or dressed like one, and claim your get a free two-piece fish or chicken basket, which comes with fries and hush puppies. It’s a unique, long-running tradition at Silver’s that fans – and future fans – adore…
And that’s the ‘skinny’…
… On what’s going to be making some of us a little ‘cuddlier’ in the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next carefully curated ‘Autumn Colours’ edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.