6 New Fast-Food Items You Can Finally Try This Week
CORRECTION: Tuesday, June 27, 2023 at 6 p.m.:
An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported that Qdoba's Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken was returning to menus as a limited-time menu item. In fact, the Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken has been a permanent menu item for some time, a spokesperson confirmed.
If you frequent fast-food restaurants, chances are that you've built a set of go-to orders at your favorite chains, whether that may be a Big Mac and fries at McDonald's or a Chicken Sandwich and coleslaw at Popeyes. But one of the most exciting parts about being a fast-food fan is the knowledge that menus are almost always changing, so you can look forward to trying new food options at major chains quite often.
This week is a particularly exciting one in the world of fast food, with major chains like Burger King and Taco Bell launching several new, long-awaited items. These include highly-requested favorites that are returning to menus after past limited-time stints, as well as some brand-new or revamped offerings.
Here are the six new and returning items that you can order right now if you're looking to mix it up!
Shake Shack's Bourbon Bacon Jam Burger
After a limited-time debut in May 2022, Shake Shack is encoring a popular burger with a sweet and savory twist. The Bourbon Bacon Jam Burger is made with 100% Angus beef that's topped with crispy onions, cheese, ShackSauce, and a bourbon bacon jam made with Maker's Mark Bourbon. While Shake Shack also featured that special sweet and savory jam on a chicken sandwich during the initial debut last year, only the burger is back on menus right now.
Per ChewBoom, it will only be available for a limited time.
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Taco Bell's Volcano Menu
Taco Bell fans have been pleading for the return of the Volcano Menu ever since it was retired roughly a decade ago, and this week, their wish will be granted. The chain is finally bringing back this popular lineup of spicy items, including the Volcano Burrito, Volcano Taco, and the option to add the beloved Lava Sauce to any item.
The official launch will take place on June 29, though Taco Bell Rewards Members will have early access starting tomorrow, June 27. While the Volcano Menu is only returning for a limited time, this relaunch could be a key opportunity for fans to show the fast-food chain that it deserves to be available year-round.
Taylor Montgomery, Taco Bell's chief marketing officer, encouraged customers to "go buy a lot of it so we can make it permanent."
Burger King's Fiery Nuggets
Wendy's and McDonald's better watch out. There's some new competition in the world of spicy fast-food chicken nuggets thanks to Burger King.
From June 19 through August 17, the chain is selling its new Fiery Nuggets, featuring a spicy glaze made with cayenne peppers, bird's eye chili, and black pepper. To help complement the spicy new menu item, Burger King is also introducing a new limited-time $1 Frozen Fanta Kickin' Mango with flavors of mango, citrus, and a "touch" of spicy chili.
Chester's Fried Chicken Sandwich
Chester's first introduced its Fried Chicken Sandwich in 2019 at the start of the chicken sandwich wars, but the chain just launched an upgraded version of the menu item late last month. The new and improved item features a marinated and double-breaded whole-breast chicken fillet, crinkle-cut dill pickles, and Chester's bold and tangy signature sauce on Martin's potato roll.
Chester's said that the original chicken sandwich has already become a fan-favorite, with three million sold in 2022. However, this new sandwich is a "juicier, crispier, more flavorful version of the chicken sandwich that made Chester's famous."
Qdoba's Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken Items
If you're the type of person who douses their food in hot sauce on a regular basis, you'll probably want to know about two new meals at Qdoba featuring its Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken.
The chain added this sweet and spicy protein, made with grilled chicken tossed in a blend of Cholula hot sauce and honey, to two new chef-curated entrées: the Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken Nachos and a Cholula Hot & Sweet Chicken plate with two tacos and chips.
The nachos include that saucy chicken plus Qdoba's 3-Cheese Queso, black beans, sour cream, pico de gallo, and cotija cheese. Meanwhile, the tacos include the Cholula chicken, 3-Cheese Queso with Salsa Roja, fresh cilantro, pickled red onions and tortilla strips on the customer's choice of soft corn, flour, or crispy taco shells. Customers can order the nachos in stores or online, while the taco plate is available for online ordering.
Burger King's Italian Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Chicken parmesan is an undeniably tasty and comforting dish, and Burger King was able to translate those classic flavors into a more casual format when it launched its Italian Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich last year.
Thanks to a warm reception from customers during that initial launch, the sandwich is now back on menus again for a limited time through August 17. It features a crispy white meat chicken breast fillet topped with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese on a toasted potato bun,
