Foodservice flavor trends are innovating with sweet collaborations and global flavors.
Zaxby’s is bringing back its Asian “Zensation Zalad” for a limited time. The salad features fried or grilled chicken tenders, mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots and wonton strips, which is then topped with Asian slaw, honey sesame Teriyaki glaze, and served with a citrus vinaigrette dressing and a vegetable egg roll. Zaxby’s also has added two egg rolls that come with a sweet-and-spicy sauce.
Quick-service pizza restaurant Papa Johns launched a new menu item in collaboration with Mondelez International Inc.’s Oreo brand.
The Oreo Cookie Papa Bites are made with a six-ingredient dough, then stuffed with chocolate cookie crumbles and served with a sweet icing for dipping.
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is bringing two fan-favorites back to menus. The spicy chimi fajita taco and the saucy brisket poblano taco are returning as regular menu items.
The spicy chimi fajita taco featured a fried flour tortilla, topped with Fuzzy’s garlic sauce, shredded cheese, grilled fajita beef or fajita chicken, pico de gallo and a spicy chimichurri sauce. It originally was added as a limited-edition item to menus in early 2021 and became Fuzzy’s second-highest selling taco LTO, according to the company.
Making its debut in 2022, the saucy brisket poblano taco features shredded brisket, topped with “butt burnin’” sauce, roasted poblano peppers, pickled red onions, avocado slices, Fuzzy’s garlic sauce, feta and cilantro.
Krispy Kreme, Inc. brought its Biscoff donuts to the United States for the first time. Created in collaboration with Lotus Bakeries, the collection includes three new donuts that combine the flavors of both brands.
Offerings include Biscoff Iced, a Krispy Kreme original glazed donut dipped in Biscoff cookie butter icing; Biscoff Cookie Butter Cheesecake, an original glazed donut dipped in Biscoff cookie butter icing and topped with a swirl of cream cheese buttercream and Biscoff crumble; and Biscoff Cookie Butter Kreme Filled, a shell donut filled with Biscoff cookie butter crème filling, dipped in Biscoff cookie butter icing and topped with a swirl of dark chocolate icing and Biscoff cookie crumbles.
Quick-service Mexican restaurant Qdoba introduced brisket birria, which is slow cooked in chiles and garlic. Consumers can create their own combination with the birria or choose from the quesabirria quesadilla or the quesabirria burrito.
Carvel added Kit Kat-themed items to menus across the United States. Inspired by Kit Kat Duos, Carvel’s Sundae Dashers are available in strawberry or cool mint varieties.
Quick-service Mexican restaurant El Pollo Loco launched overstuffed quesadillas, which are available in three varieties: chipotle chicken, shredded beef avocado and poblano chicken.
The chipotle chicken quesadilla features fire-grilled chicken, jack cheese, salsa roja, sour cream and pico de gallo. The shredded beef avocado quesadilla has shredded beef, jack cheese, avocado salsa, onion, cilantro and avocado slices. Lastly, the poblano chicken quesadilla is made with fire-grilled chicken, jack cheese, cilantro, grilled poblano peppers, pico de gallo and guacamole.
After petitions from fans, Del Taco brought back its orange and cream shake after eight years. The limited-edition shake is made with a blend of vanilla and Fanta Orange and will be on Del Taco's menu until mid-April.
Taco Cabana added spicy pork flautas to its menu for a limited time.
Made with Guajillo peppers, the pork flautas are available in a three-pack or a six-pack. The chicken tortilla soup features a savory broth made with shredded chicken and topped with tortilla strips, jack and cheddar cheeses, lime wedges and a side of rice.
McDonald’s brought back a cheese Danish to its menu. The flakey pastry is filled with a sweet cream cheese and topped with streusel and a vanilla drizzle. The cheese Danish is the company’s new take on a pastry that was first introduced in the 1980s.
Thai Express debuted a new “Asian favorites” menu to locations nationwide. The three meals available on the new menu include orange chicken, Mongolian beef and honey walnut shrimp or chicken.
“We are excited to offer our new Asian Favorites menu to our guests as we celebrate the holiday season and the beginning of a new year,” said Michelle Gothan, national marketing manager for Kahala Brands, parent company of Thai Express. “These three dishes are beloved by our guests and offer something different for everyone, whether experiencing for the first time or a go-to meal that’s ordered again and again.”
McDonald’s added an Oreo fudge McFlurry, which blends vanilla soft serve with hot fudge topping and Oreo cookie pieces.
Panda Express brought its Beyond Orange Chicken back to menus across the United States. The partnership between Beyond Meat and Panda Express began in 2021, when the companies first launched the plant-based option.
“Our team has been overjoyed by the undeniable excitement and incredible demand generated when we first introduced Beyond The Original Orange Chicken last summer as an innovative twist on our most iconic dish,” said Andrea Cherng, chief brand officer at Panda Express.
Noodles & Company launched menu options in collaboration with alternative protein company Impossible Foods. The plant-based panko chicken is featured in two dishes: Impossible Orange Chicken Lo Mein and Leanguini Rosa with Impossible Chicken.
The Impossible Orange Chicken Lo Mein features Asian-style noodles in an orange sauce with snap peas, napa and red cabbage, topped with panko-breaded Impossible Chicken, green onions, black sesame seeds and cilantro.
The Leanguini Rosa with Impossible Chicken features the Leanguini noodles topped with a spicy tomato cream sauce, mushrooms, Roma tomatoes and spinach, as well as panko-breaded Impossible Chicken and Parmesan cheese.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is testing chicken al pastor in select markets. The protein option has the flavors of spicy adobo, achiote, morita peppers, pineapple, chipotle and lime juice.
“We created chicken al pastor to fuel our fans who have been craving spicy chicken from Chipotle,” said Chris Brandt, chief marketing officer. “The new menu item artfully pairs fire with flavor in a uniquely Chipotle way.”
Nov
2023
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