Menu Tracker

Menu Tracker: New items from McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and Wendy’s

Plus micro-tests at Taco Bell and Pizza Hut and innovation at Auntie Anne’s, Baskin-Robbins, Bellagreen, Carvel , Clean Juice, Curry Up Now, Dutch Bros, Elevation Burger, First Watch, Gott’s Roadside, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Jinya Ramen Bar, McAlister’s Deli, The Melt, Next Level Burger, PDQ, Rapid Fired Pizza, Red Lobster, Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken, Slater’s 50/50, Slutty Vegan, Snarf’s Sandwiches, Sweetgreen, Taco Del Mar, Urban Plates, Velvet Taco, and Yogurtland

Taco Bell has developed a vegan version of its Crunchwrap Supreme and testing it this week in three locations and three locations only, in Hollywood, New York City, and Orlando. That seems small, but not compared to the offering of Pizza Hut’s Pickle Pizza, which is available at one New York City location for three days.

Pizza Hut said it was the first national chain to put pickles on pizza, but that’s not true: Papa John’s had pickles on its Cheeseburger Pizza a while back.

Rapid Fired Pizza just added a Deluxe Double Cheeseburger Pizza to its menu for June, sans pickles.

McDonald’s has a new berry flavored shake in celebration of the birthday of Grimace, its purple fictional character from Mcdonaldland. Why Grimace’s birthday is June 12 is anyone’s guess, but it is clear that he’s a Gemini.

Chick-fil-A is bringing back a bunch of peach items for the summer, and it’s testing a grilled chicken sandwich in two markets. Meanwhile, Popeyes just rolled out a grilled chicken sandwich nationwide, so that’s interesting.

In other chicken news, Hurricane Grill & Wings is putting that meat on nachos and in salad, Jinya Ramen Bar is putting fried chicken in noodle soup again, Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken has a hot honey chicken biscuit, and Velvet Taco’s Weekly Taco Feature is inspired by the chicken Caesar salad.

@nationsrestaurantnews The Summer Strawberry Salad features sun-ripened, hand-picked strawberries, grilled chicken, applewood-smoked bacon, and a savory Tuscan cheese blend, all drizzled with a sweet and tangy Champagne Vinaigrette, on a bed of Wendy’s fresh spring mix lettuce blend. #wendys #wendyssalad #wendyssummerstrawberrysalad #summerstrawberrysalad #strawberrysalad #saladtossing #saladoftheweek #saladtok #fastfoodsalad #healthyfastfood #healthysalad #saladsarefun #saladsarelife #fastfood #fastfooddiet #vinegrette #chickensalad #applewoodsmokedbacon ♬ original sound - riri :)

Wendy’s has brought back its Summer Strawberry Salad, and Red Lobster is celebrating Crabfest with some new items, and some returning ones, and Bellagreen has a bunch of crab-filled limited-time offers too. 

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, except apparently in San Diego, where it’s celebrated in July, so The Melt’s Harvey Milk Shake is available at all locations in June, but through July in that city. 

Next Level Burger has a peach shake with rainbow crystals and a gummy to celebrate the occasion, and also is donating to a variety of organizations supporting LGBTQ communities in various markets.

Elevation Burger is putting peach jam and goat cheese on a burger and Gott’s Roadside has a peach cobbler parfait.

PDQ has brough back zucchini fries, Taco Del Mar has lobster tacos once again, and Baskin-Robbins is reprising its ice cream cake shaped like a beer mug in honor of Father’s Day.

@nationsrestaurantnews Carvel’s new Salted Caramel Cold Brew Soft Serve features the taste of Salted Caramel Cold Brew blended into Carvel’s creamy Original Soft Serve. #softserve #softserveicecream #carvel #carveliceream #saltedcaramel #caramelicecream #saltedcaramelicecream #saltedcaramelcoldbrew #coldbrew #icecreamlovers ♬ original sound - Ian Asher

Carvel, for its part, is offering salted caramel cold brew soft serve.

Dutch Bros has frosted lemonade, Auntie Anne’s has dragon fruit mango lemonade in many shapes and sizes, and Clean Juice is putting dragon fruit in one of its new items, too.

Curry Up Now has become a full-service restaurant, and it has several new items as part of its transition, 

McAlister’s Deli has a new summer salad, among other items, First Watch has new iced coffee flavors, and Slutty Vegan has a new item called Hooker Fries.

Snarf’s Sandwiches has brought back its Cubano, Sweetgreen has a new Mediterranean themed bowl, Urban Plates has tortilla soup, Yogurtland has pineapple mango sorbet, and Slater’s 50/50 has some over-the-top shakes.

 

Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected] 

 

Correction: June 14, 2023
This gallery has been updated with details about the pecan crunch at Gott's Roadside. The availability of Yogurtland's sorbet has also been updated. Details about the limited availability via delivery of Sweetgreen's salad have also been added.
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