6 Popular Chain Restaurant Menus That Radically Changed This Year
Change is one of the only constants in the dynamic restaurant industry. New eateries open year after year. Others close their doors for good. Technology evolves. Fresh dining trends emerge. And chain restaurants frequently update their menus to stay competitive and popular with customers
But throughout 2024, some chain restaurants went a whole lot further than just tweaking their food and drink selections. In fact, several significantly changed or completely overhauled their menus this year by adding new items, removing others, and incorporating feedback from the people who can make or break them: the customers.
From major pizza companies to a popular Italian-American dining brand, here are the six restaurant chains that radically changed their menus in 2024.
Panera Bread
America's preeminent bakery-café chain made some extremely drastic changes to its menu in 2024 as it worked to refocus on its core offerings of soup, salad, sandwiches, and baked goods. Panera Bread rolled out its biggest menu transformation ever in April, which included nine brand-new items, improved recipes for 12 existing menu items, and larger portions of chicken and steak. It also discontinued dozens of popular foods and beverages as part of this overhaul, such as the flatbread pizzas and grain bowls.
"We are getting back to Panera at its best with these menu updates that are centered completely on our guests and what they love about us," Alicia Mowder, Panera's senior vice president of Product Strategy & Insights, said in a statement earlier this year.
Panera's menu enhancements didn't stop there. Since April, it has also introduced new breakfast options, pastries, avocado toasts, sandwiches, soups, and a revamped kids' menu. Additionally, it has brought several of the popular items that were discontinued this spring out of retirement, including its Asian Sesame Chicken Salad, Sesame Bagels, and Blueberry Bagels.
Maggiano's Little Italy
The food at Maggiano's Little Italy is already adored by restaurant professionals, but the chain set out to make its menu even tastier by appointing Michelin-starred Chef Anthony Amoroso as its first-ever vice president of innovation and growth over the summer.
With Amoroso at the helm, Maggiano's has introduced a series of new Italian-American dishes, including Mozzarella alla Caprese, "Riserva" Veal Parmesan, Rigatoni alla Vodka, and Fettuccine Bolognese. The chain has also launched an updated cocktail menu featuring a Smoked Old Fashioned, Pomegranate Martini, Grand Margarita, and more. Plus, it added six new wine options, all of which were chosen by Master Sommelier Jason Smith.
Maggiano's President Dominique Bertolone said in a statement earlier this year that Amoroso's appointment "represents a pivotal moment" in the chain's evolution.
"Chef Amoroso's Michelin distinction is more than just an accolade – it embodies his extraordinary creativity, meticulous precision, and unwavering passion for culinary excellence. With his leadership, we're poised to push the boundaries of flavor and innovation, delivering a dining experience unlike any other that will delight and inspire our guests."
Subway
Subway, like many other fast-food chains, continuously updates its menu with new options to keep things fresh and exciting for customers. However, the menu tweaks have been far more plentiful and far-reaching than normal throughout 2024.
Since the start of 2024, Subway has expanded its food selection with a popular new line of footlong snacks called "Sidekicks." These include a footlong chocolate chip cookie, soft pretzel, churro, and three types of Footlong Dippers—which feature meat and cheese rolled up inside lavash-style flatbread.
The sandwich chain has also debuted new wraps, signature sandwiches, sauces, breads, chip varieties, and spicy options. With the chain set to switch from Coke to PepsiCo products soon as well, there's practically no part of Subway's menu that hasn't been altered in some way this year.
Mod Pizza
A few months after Mod Pizza was acquired by Elite Restaurant Group earlier this year—a move that reportedly saved it from bankruptcy—the chain announced a major menu overhaul. But unlike the other revamps on this list, Mod's overhaul targeted the prices and ordering process rather than the food offerings.
In the past, Mod customers could customize their pizzas with unlimited toppings for a set price. While the unlimited toppings option remains available, the chain introduced a new tiered pricing system in September that now allows guests to opt for a one-topping pizza at a lower price. Mod is also offering a plain cheese pizza, called the "Maddy," for an even lower price than the one-topping pie.
Prices may vary by location, but an 11-inch thin crust pizza with unlimited toppings currently costs $10.69 at a Pennsylvania Mod Pizza I chose at random. Meanwhile, a one-topping 11-inch pie costs $9.19 at the same location, while an 11-inch Maddy pizza costs $7.69.
"With a clearer, more navigable menu, guests can personalize their orders in four easy steps," Lyndsey Patel, Mod's vice president of marketing, said in a statement in September. "Mod has always offered an incredible array of toppings, always-fresh ingredients, and the freedom to choose, and now guests can do that at a value-packed price."
Dave & Buster's
As part of an effort to reverse a recent trend of sales declines, Dave & Buster's launched a brand-new lineup of more than 20 menu items this past spring. The new dine-in menu includes a variety of foods and beverages that can appeal to a wide range of age groups, such as Loaded Barbacoa Fries topped with shredded beef, cheese, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and fresh guacamole.
Cereal Cake, Cajun Shrimp Pasta, a Stacked Steak Bowl, and non-alcoholic flavored lemonades and teas are among the other options on this enhanced Dave & Buster's menu.
"We are constantly researching and testing new products made with only the freshest ingredients, and this new phase of our menu is no different," David Spirito, vice president of food and beverage innovation for Dave & Buster's, said in a statement earlier in 2024. "Our goal is to ensure guests not only have a blast playing with family and friends while in-restaurant, but are also able to enjoy quality time over delicious food that surprises and delights the senses."
Blaze Pizza
Mod Pizza isn't the only fast-casual pizza chain to overhaul its menu in 2024. Blaze Pizza—one of Mod's biggest rivals—also announced its "most significant menu revamp" ever this past spring.
As part of this transformation, Blaze replaced its 12-year-old signature pizza menu with a new lineup of chef-inspired pies. The options include a meat-laden "Carnivore" pizza, a veggie-packed "Herbivore," and a tangy "Blazed BBQ" topped with barbecue sauce, grilled chicken, red onions, pickled jalapeños, and a ranch drizzle.
Blaze said in a press release at the time that the new pizzas "keep what guests love most about Blaze's previous signature pizza menu, while adding new options that guests have been gravitating toward flavor-wise."
Since then, the chain has also debuted new drizzle options for its pies, a calzone-inspired offering called the "Fast Fire'd Fold," and its first oven-baked dessert—Cinnamon Bread.
Sign up for our newsletter!
