A whole bunch of summer and fall favourites are coming back, and several of the big chains are testing more new menu items. Not to mention adding a passel of limited-time items designed to make you flock to their counters – or mobile app. And the GSA adds ANOTHER new flavour…
Little Caesar’s new Crazy Calzony.
Taco Bell blasts out new Hot Sauce Nacho Fries
There hasn’t been a week go by for the past year and a half that Taco Bell hasn’t had at least one new menu item in testing somewhere in North America. The latest are Loaded TRUFF Nacho Fries and a Loaded TRUFF Fries Burrito.
This is the first time The Bell has collabbed with a premium brand (Truff) on anything, and the first time it’s collabbed with anybody on a new sauce. The Loaded Fries are topped with steak, TRUFF Nacho Cheese Sauce, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and sour cream. And, like other recent nachos-and-fries offerings, they’re available wrapped in a flour tortilla, as a Burrito.
Little Caesar’s floats Pizza-Calzone hybrid
The new treat, dubbed the Crazy Calzony, is basically a regular Pizza Crust slit four ways (but not all the way across) and topped with garlic Béchamel, mozzarella, pepperoni, and parmesan. The loose ends are then folded over to produce a Maltese Cross sort of shape. It’s a limited-time offering and will be available staring August 16 via online ordering, and in the HOT-N-READY case starting August 23.
Shaq-A-Roni Pizza back at Papa John’s
Developed in a celeb collab with hoops star Shaquille O’Neal and first appeared about a year ago. Shaq is a member of the Papa John’s Board of Directors and a franchisee.
The pie is an extra-large topped with extra cheese and extra pepperoni. You get the same number of slices as a large, but they’re larger than normal. Just like Shaq – larger than life! The Shaq-A-Roni will be available until October 24. with one dollar from the sale of every pie going to The Papa John’s Foundation for Building Community.
Panda Express launches new Chicken Dish
Crispy Almond Chicken Breast is a new sibling for the chain’s wildly popular, signature Orange Chicken. It’s a limited-time menu offering, available through the end of this year. But it could become a permanent feature of the Panda’s menu if it goes over well (we think). It’s pieces of boneless Chicken Breast with a unique crispy Puffed Rice coating, tossed with Soy Garlic Sauce and Sliced Almonds. And it’s sprinkled with chopped Green Onions just before service. I predict: Another hit in the making…
McDonalds rolling out pull-apart doughnuts
Love good old classic glazed doughnuts? McDonald’s is adding clusters of pull-apart dunkers to its McCafé menu. Glazed Pull-Apart Donuts will be available for a limited time starting September 1 at participating McD’s locations across the chain.
We hope they’ll be so popular that they’ll be made a permanent addition to the McCafé Bakeshop menu.
Girl Scouts add another cookie flavour
In spite of plummeting cookie sales over the Year of COVID, the Girl Scouts of America are adding another flavour to their fundraising arsenal (see photo top of page). They’re called ‘Adventurefuls’, and are described as, “an indulgent brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored crème and a hint of sea salt.” The Girl Scouts are banking so heavily on the new flavour reigniting dampened enthusiasm for their trademark revenue producing activity that they’ve launched a special web page for it.
Dunkin’s unveils Fall Specials Menu
Dunkin’s fall specials menu will be headlined by new Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew; new Apple Cranberry Dunkin’ Refresher and New Apple Cranberry Dunkin’ Coconut Refresher; new 100% Guatemalan Coffee; Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte; an array of Pumpkin-Flavored Coffees; Pumpkin Donuts, Munchkins Donut Holes, and Muffins; and Apple Cider Doughnuts.
OREO does Apple Cider Doughnuts flavour
Perfectly planned for fall, OREO is rolling out another new, limited time flavour: Apple Cinnamon Doughnut.
I haven’t tasted them yet, but I have a feeling I’ll like them almost as much as my all-time fave Maple Creams. Maybe more! I’m definitely looking for them next trip to the supermarket! (Now you know one of my irresistable weaknesses!)
Keebler celebrates Pumpkin Spice
Keebler’s fall special – Pumpkin Spice Fudge Stripes cookies – are re-appearing on store shelves as we speak. Write. Read. Whatever. They’re Pumpkin Spice cookies topped with Vanilla Fudge stripes. And they’re great paired with a fresh hot cup of coffee…
Mountain Dew Spark back at Speedway
Mountain Dew (Now officially compressed to ‘MTN) is bringing its special Speedway version at the convenience stores of the same name for a limited time. The brisk, refreshing flavour is a blend of regular MTN Dew with Raspberry Lemonade, and is available while supplies last. The quaff was so popular last year, when it was first introduced, that it cold out within a matter of a couple of weeks.
7-Eleven features Coconut and S’Mores hot bevs
7-Eleven is bringing back Coconut Coffee, described as a light brew made with ‘100% Arabica Beans’. New S’Mores Hot Cocoa is a blend of Chocolate, Vanilla, Marshmallow and Graham Cracker flavours. Cocoa on steroids. You can add flavoured creamers, syrups, sweeteners and toppings at no extra charge.
And that’s the skinny…
… On what will be making some us a little fatter over the coming days and weeks. See you back here in 7 for the next edition of Fast Food Week!
~ Maggie J.