In planning new product rollouts, restaurant chains often introduce food and drink items keyed to the season or to a specific holiday. In autumn, in addition to the inevitable spate of pumpkin spice everything, many chains bolster their menus with Halloween-themed specialties (like the Applebee’s Dracula’s Juice cocktail or Burger King’s ghost pepper chicken nuggets), or otherwise acknowledge the coming of chillier weather with hearty and/or spicy dishes of various kinds.
In order to compile an updated list of new offerings for the Halloween season and beyond, 24/7 Tempo reviewed several recent editions of the Menu Tracker column published regularly by Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN), a leading national restaurant trade publication. In it, NRN’s senior food and beverage editor, Bret Thorn, details new additions to menus at a wide range of chain operations around the U.S. — and recently, a number of Halloween- or fall-specific items have been featured. (Many of the operations on this list are among the most successful restaurant chains in America.)
Click here to see what’s new at your favorite chain restaurants this fall
The list covers recent menu additions from some 20 chains, with preference given to those that are best-known around the country. As usual, the new items encompass a wide variety of ingredients and flavors. Chicken, which is usually the most common protein on our lists, appears only twice this time, losing out to pork, with six entries (counting bacon, pepperoni, and the ingredients of a Cuban sub.
One of these specialties, fans will be happy to hear, is the legendary and elusive McRib from McDonald’s, which seems to come and go more or less at random. (Here are some other fast food dishes we’d like to see back on the menu.)
Stand by for Thanksgiving- and Christmas-themed additions to chain menus, sure to appear before long.
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar: Dracula’s Juice (rum and tequila cocktail)
> When available: Through Halloween
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $5
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Arby’s: Real Country Style Rib sandwich
> When available: Unspecified limited time
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $6
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Baskin-Robbins: Trick Oreo Treat (vanilla ice cream with orange Oreos and Butterfinger and Baby Ruth candy pieces
> When available: Through Halloween
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $3.19 per scoop
Bojangles: Pork Chop Griller
> When available: Unspecified limited time
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $3.45
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Bonefish Grill: Swordfish and pumpkin ravioli
> When available: Through Nov. 29
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $24.90
Burger King: Ghost pepper chicken nuggets
> When available: Unspecified limited time
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $1.49 (8 pieces)
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Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s: Hot honey hand-breaded chicken sandwich
> When available: Through Oct. 26
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $5.99
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Chipotle Mexican Grill: Smoked brisket
> When available: Unspecified limited time
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $10.25
Chuck E. Cheese: Pumpkin-shaped pepperoni pizza
> When available: Through Halloween
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $14.99
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Church’s Chicken: Sweet potato casserole
> When available: Through Oct. 31
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: Varies by location
Dairy Queen: Cheesy Steak Fingers
> When available: Unspecified limited time
> Where available: Participating Texas locations
> Approximate price: Varies by location
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Dave & Busters: Blue Moon fried pickles
> When available: Through Jan. 30, 2022
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $8.75 ($1 donated to Make-A-Wish Foundation)
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Firehouse Subs: BBQ Cuban sub
> When available: Through Dec. 26 or while supplies last
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $7.69
Friendly’s: Aloha stir-fry
> When available: Through March 13, 2022
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $12.99-$14.99
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Jack in the Box: Monster tacos (ground beef and American cheese)
> When available: Through Halloween
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $3 for two tacos
Krispy Kreme: Cinnamon toast crunch cinnamon roll
> When available: Unspecified limited time
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $3.69
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McDonald’s: McRib sandwich
> When available: Starting Nov. 1 for unspecified limited time
> Where available: Participating locations
> Approximate price: Varies by location
Peet’s Coffee: Pumpkin Oat Foam Cold Brew
> When available: Through Nov. 29
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $4.40-$5.60
Sweetgreen: Buffalo cauliflower
> When available: Through fall
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $4.95
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Whataburger: Hatch Green Chile Bacon Whatachick’n Sandwich
> When available: Unspecified limited time
> Where available: All locations
> Approximate price: $6
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