Some fast food items, like the Whopper and Chicken McNuggets, are favorites that are here to stay. But, each year, a few new contenders enter the ring and tempt customers with fresh flavors, twists on classics and, occasionally, innovations that make you wonder how you ever lived without them. From Dairy Queen’s reinvented burger menu to McDonald’s latest treats, read on for the new fast food items that have staying power.
Tex-Mex favorite Taco Bell is no one-trick pony, and fans love it when the brand's Crispy Chicken Wings return to the menu. Rolled out for a time in 2022, they were an immediate hit, and they'll be available to order again by the end of January. They come coated in a lip-smacking queso seasoning and the Spicy Ranch dipping sauce is the perfect accompaniment.
Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza has been on quite a journey. It had been a stalwart since the 1980s but was abruptly dropped from the menu back in 2020, much to the dismay of loyal fans. A few years passed before their cries were heeded but, in 2022, the pizza was brought back for a limited time. Demand seriously outstripped supply and what should have been a six-month run ended within two. It's since been returned to the menu and this time it's apparently for good. It consists of ground beef and refried beans parcelled between tortillas and layered up with pizza sauce and melted cheese.
In February 2022, Wendy’s introduced two new chicken sandwiches that balanced heat and sweet with honey and habanero: Hot Honey Chicken Biscuit and Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich. The latter is topped with melted pepper Jack cheese, three strips of applewood-smoked bacon, crispy pickle chips and a drizzle of hot, peppery honey. Unsurprisingly, they've proved pretty popular.
Popeyes is beloved for its golden fried wings and it's been doling out its signature Louisiana chicken since the 1970s. That's not to say the brand lacks innovation, though. The latest new item on the menu is one for spice lovers – its Ghost Pepper Wings are marinated in a zingy blend for 12 hours and served up with a buttermilk ranch. Their 2023 launch follows a successful stint three years ago.
Pret A Manger already has a Vegan Meatball Wrap on its menu in the UK and, in January 2022, the chain brought its first plant-based ‘meat’ option to US branches. The Meatless Meatball Wrap (pictured, center) uses plant-based meatballs from Meatless Farm, combined with roasted vegetables and marinara sauce. There are more than 40 US locations in New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.
The battle for the best chicken sandwich has been going on for some time, much to the delight of fans of the crisp and tender fast food item. Now Chicken n' Biscuits – the online-only fast food company from Cracker Barrel – has entered the fray with its Homestyle Chicken Sandwich. The enormous hunk of hand-breaded fried chicken is topped with pickles and mayonnaise, and served in a brioche bun. It’s available at 400 locations across the US via food delivery apps.
These menu additions from McDonald’s are a little different. For a start, you have to build these yourself. The Menu Hacks, launched in January 2022, feature four new build-your-own creations that have long been loved by fans. The difference now is that, at restaurants across the US, you can ask for these by name and you’ll be provided with the necessary components. Perhaps the simplest is the Hash Brown McMuffin, which involves no more than adding a hash brown to a sausage and egg McMuffin.
Another of McDonald’s Menu Hacks, the Land, Air & Sea is the ultimate for those who can’t decide what type of burger they feel like. Ask for this and you’ll be given a McChicken, Big Mac, and Filet-O-Fish, ready to stack together. Getting your mouth round it might be a little tricky. The final two ‘secret’ combos are the Crunchy Double – Chicken McNuggets nestled in a Double Cheeseburger with Tangy Barbecue Sauce drizzled inside – and the Surf + Turf, a Filet-O-Fish stacked on a Double Cheeseburger.
Hot dog chain Wienerschnitzel rolled out its range of Veggie Dogs in early 2022, following successful trials in some parts of the US. The sausages are made from pea protein, with the same spices as the company’s signature beef hot dogs added, and are smoked over hardwood. Find them in three styles: Backyard (with American cheese and tomatoes), Barbeque (with a barbecue sauce and diced onions), and Chicago (with tomatoes, sport peppers, onions, relish, and celery salt). Each has a pickle spear and mustard too.
There are certain ingredients that seem to make everything taste better and, for many people, bacon and cheese would be top of that list. Zaxby’s has added both to its Signature Sandwich to make the Signature Club Sandwich, available across the US from March 2022. Specifically, the fried chicken burger now has two slices of bacon, American cheese, and a choice of house or spicy sauce.
Hamburger chain Smashburger added a few delicious-looking new items to its US-wide menu in March 2022, including two new styles of crispy chicken snack: Chicken Tenders and Scorchin’ Hot Chicken Tenders. Inspired by the success of 2021's Scorchin' Hot Crispy Chicken Sandwich menu launch, the tenders are made with white meat and come in a crispy coating with a choice of dipping sauce. The hot version has added spicy seasoning.
Smashburger’s other exciting new addition is the Colorado Burger, which had previously only been available in the Centennial State and now served nationwide. The sandwich has one or two patties made with certified Angus beef and is topped with grilled Anaheim chillies, melted aged Cheddar, pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. It comes in a spicy toasted chipotle bun.
Better known for its donuts and coffee, Dunkin’ has recently made a foray into savory snacks. It launched two new non-sweet treats in January 2022 as part of its seasonal menu: a cheese and onion flavor of its already popular Stuffed Bagel Minis, and brand-new Omelet Bites. The latter come in pairs and are available in either bacon and Cheddar (pictured) or egg white and veggie, made with tomato, spinach, and a four-cheese blend.
Torchy’s Tacos debuted its vegan MoFaux tacos at select locations in 2021 and rolled them out nationwide as of February 2022. The star is Cowboy-Style Beyond Beef, which has a similar texture to ground beef and is topped with a spicy, zingy combination of green chilies, grilled corn, peppers, avocado, cilantro, and Diablo Sauce. Served on a corn tortilla, it’s already winning fans with its big, bold flavors.
Torchy’s Tacos has brought a few new treats to its menus, including a Grande Burrito Bowl – all the loveliness of the chain’s burritos without the tortillas – and churros. One of the most exciting for fans, however, is the Tipsy Chick taco, a favorite that occasionally popped up as a special and is now a permanent fixture at all Torchy’s locations. Marinated, grilled chicken breast, spinach, grilled corn, green chilies, Cheddar cheese, and chipotle sauce are wrapped in a flour tortilla and served with a side of bacon bourbon marmalade.
Smoothie King launched its new line of high-protein drinks aimed at the workout market in January. The new-for-2022 Activator Recovery Smoothies are packed with protein, coconut water and fruit, and have zero added sugar. Available in several flavors – blueberry strawberry, strawberry banana, blueberry tart cherry and pineapple spinach – they’re designed to be consumed after exercise to aid recovery.
The new Papa Bowls from Papa Johns are essentially just that: bowls filled with your favorite Papa Johns pizza toppings without the pizza base. Perfect if you want a lighter meal, are avoiding carbs or staying away from gluten, the Papa Bowls come in three 'flavors': Italian Meats Trio (pictured), Chicken Alfredo, and vegetarian option Garden Party, but you can also build your own bowl.
Lovers of rich, oozy, barbecued flavors will adore Burger King’s Whopper Melt. Rolled out across the US in March 2022, it stands out from other burgers from the chain because it has two slices of golden, toasted bread in place of the usual split bun. In between are two Whopper Jr. patties, melted American cheese, caramelized onions, and Stacker Sauce. There’s also a spicy version, with jalapeños and a creamy, spicy sauce, and one with bacon.
This new chicken sandwich from Wings Over looks like a sort of twisted toaster, and its unusual look is all part of the appeal. The wings chain, based on the East Coast, launched the sandwich nationwide right at the end of 2021. It starts with a split-top toasted and buttered bun, with a breaded and fried chicken tender popped inside and drizzled with ranch or blue cheese dressing. There’s a choice of 25 flavors for the chicken.
Chicken sandwich fans are in luck again, with Panera Bread launching its contender in 2022. The Chef’s Chicken Sandwich is available nationwide in two flavors: signature and spicy. Each features a chicken breast fillet seasoned with proprietary spice blend and seared, topped with aioli and Parmesan crisps or – for the spicy – crispy pickle chips and a spicy buffalo sauce. The bakery and café chain also launched a Citrus Asian Crunch Salad and seasonal Thai Chicken Soup in early 2022.
Based in Florida, Checkers and Rally's operate under two different names – but they share a menu, and are known for their crave-worthy seasoned fries. Recently the chain decided to spread the seasoning love with its new Fry-Seasoned Chicken Tenders: white meat encased in a crisp batter infused with zesty, peppery fry seasoning. The tenders are available in three, five or eight pieces and are served with a dipping sauce.
Checkers and Rally’s also brought a tempting new burger, the Bistro Buford, to locations across the US. This beast of a burger was stacked up with two large beef patties, two rashers of bacon, melted slices of Swiss cheese, a Dijon mayonnaise sauce, and crispy Parmesan-dusted onions. It came in a toasted bun.
The Big Mac is a McDonald's menu staple all around the world, but the fast food giant put a big twist on the classic in menu trials in August 2022. Trading the signature beef patties for crispy battered chicken, the Chicken Big Mac was available in select locations. The US rollout followed a hugely successful trial run in the UK, where the Chicken Big Mac was available in two limited runs, and sold out both times. It's not known for sure whether the burger will return to the UK or become a permanent menu item in the US.
A McDonald’s classic had a makeover just in time for the holiday season in 2022: the Quarter Pounder with cheese got the smoky BLT treatment with the addition of two slices of melty American cheese, thick-cut Applewood Smoked bacon, fresh Roma tomatoes, shredded lettuce and a delightful smoky sauce.
Dairy Queen launched five new Signature Stackburgers in March 2022 – its biggest menu overhaul in nearly 20 years. The burgers have two patties each and, the company says, “go beyond typical cheeseburgers.” Among the fresh fast food offerings is this Two Cheese Deluxe, with melted sharp American and white Cheddar cheeses, tomato, onion, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, and mayo.
We think the Loaded A.1. – another of the revamped Signature Stackburgers – looks especially tempting. Also with two beef patties, this new favorite has a thick, creamy steak sauce and peppercorn sauce, and is piled high in its bun with applewood-smoked bacon, melted sharp American cheese, and crisp onion rings. The other two new burgers are the Original Cheeseburger and the FlameThrower, with a spicy sauce, melted pepper Jack cheese, and jalapeño bacon.