New Menu Items at Fast Food Chains

National fast food and fast casual chains are always tweaking their menus with new items or upgrades to current favs.  

Here are new spicy chicken sandwiches, fish sandwiches, burritos and more to tempt your tastebuds this spring. 

Some will be on the menu only for a limited time, others are permanent additions.  But all are value priced for a snack or a meal.

See Also

Fast Food Deals and Discounts for March

Taco Bell Quesalupa

Taco Bell is bringing back the Quesalupa for the first time since introducing it in 2016, and then taking it off the menu.

Now it’s back – again for a limited time, with 50 percent more cheese inside its famous double-layered shell.

And once again, the chain is launching the combo of a chalupa and a quesadilla with a national ad campgaign, titled, “Overhyped.”

The journey of transforming a chalupa to Quesalupa starts with stuffing the famously crispy chalupa shell with a blend of melted pepper jack and mozzarella cheeses from edge-to-edge — the recipe for an epicly cheesy experience. Inside are Taco Bell’s signature flavors including seasoned beef, crispy lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh diced tomatoes and cool reduced fat sour cream.

It’s priced at participating locations for just $2.99 a la carte or $6.99 for a combo which includes a Quesalupa, two Crunchy Tacos and a large fountain drink.

Earn point and freebies Taco Bell Rewards, It’s FREE to join. Once a Reward member, individuals will begin earning points for every qualifying dollar spent and also unlock rewards and exclusive offers that unlock special deals.

Wendy’s Jalapeno Poppers

Wendy’s® unveiled two new bold menu items, the Wendy’s Jalapeño Popper Chicken Sandwich and Salad, to its already-stacked chicken lineup.

The new Jalapeño Popper Chicken Sandwich starts with Wendy’s juicy spicy chicken fillet you already know and adds on  creamy jalapeño cream cheese and six slices of jalapenos (yes, six) for an added kick that really packs heat.

Not to mention the three strips of Wendy’s beloved Applewood smoked bacon, warm cheddar cheese and shredded pepper jack cheese, all placed between a warm, premium toasted bun – elevating the bland chicken sandwich experience you get from the other guys.

There’s an additional choice, too, the Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad. This offers the same ingredients plus  romaine and spring mix lettuce blend, diced tomatoes, and crispy jalapeño and cheddar croutons for an extra crunch, spice and cheesy goodness, topped with a creamy jalapeño ranch dressing.

The new Jalapeño Popper Chicken Sandwich is $5.99 and the salad counterpart is $6.79 for eat-in or take-out  contactless pickup via mobile order or through delivery with DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Postmates.

And don’t forget, when you order via Wendy’s app, website or at a restaurant you’ll earn points towards free food with Wendy’s Rewards.

Popeyes Cajun Flounder Sandwich

Following the success of the Popeyes® Chicken Sandwich and the famous chicken wars it ignited, the beloved Cajun brand is raising the bar on sandwich standards with its new Cajun Flounder Sandwich.

Available nationwide, including in New York City, the new Cajun fish-wich is just $3.49 in restaurants $4.49 for delivery (where available).

The new Cajun sandwich contains a fried filet is served atop the same buttery toasted brioche bun with barrel cured pickles used for the popular Chicken Sandwich, along with Popeyes legacy tartar sauce.

According to the company’s press release announcing the new menu item:

“Caught in the icy waters of the Pacific, Popeyes flounder filet is light, flakey and seasoned in a blend of the Louisiana brand’s Cajun seasoning. Dusted in a crispy southern coating and fried up golden brown, the Cajun Flounder Sandwich delivers the flavor and crunch one would expect to find at a local dockside fish shack.”

Founded in New Orleans in 1972, Popeyes® has expanded to more than 3,300 restaurants in the US and around the world, serving up unique New Orleans style menu featuring spicy chicken, chicken tenders, fried shrimp, and other regional items.

KFC  Chicken Sandwich

Kentucky Fried Chicken is introducing what it claims is its best chicken sandwich ever.

The new KFC Chicken Sandwich is available in select markets now, and will be available seven days a week in all 4,000 KFC restaurants in the U.S. by the end of February.

The new KFC Chicken Sandwich is made with the quarter-pound, all-white meat, double-breaded, Extra Crispy™ chicken breast filet, a  freshly-toasted buttery brioche bun, crispier, thicker pickles, and the Colonel’s real mayo or spicy sauce. Each sandwich is made when ordered, so it is served piping hot every time. .

As the new KFC Chicken Sandwich makes its way into KFC’s 4,000 restaurants across the country, you can track the progress to your favorite location  KFC.com/findthesandwich to find out when the sandwich arrives at their local KFC.  Or, sign up to be notified when it arrives.

When it does –

• KFC Chicken Sandwich à la carte for $3.99
• KFC Chicken Sandwich combo meal, which includes KFC Secret Recipe Fries and medium drink, for $6.99

Prices and participation may vary. Tax extra.

IHOP  Burritos and Burrito Bowls

IHOP has introduced  burritos and burritow bowls, available all day,  for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or as take-out to go.

The six new Burritos & Bowls flavors range from signature ingredients, like IHOP’s hickory-smoked bacon and include hash browns to hotter fare like poblano queso sauce and grilled serrano.

Starting at $5.99, the new lineup includes:

• The Classic: A true breakfast classic with scrambled eggs ^**, choice of bacon pieces or diced sausage, shredded Jack & cheddar cheese and hash browns, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla or scrambled in a bowl.
• Country Breakfast: Scrambled eggs^**, diced ham & sausage, fire-roasted peppers & onions, shredded Jack & cheddar cheese and hash browns,  wrapped in a warm flour tortilla or scrambled in a bowl.
• Spicy Poblano Fajita: Tender shredded beef, scrambled eggs^**, poblano & serrano peppers, red peppers & onions, shredded Jack & cheddar cheese, fresh avocado and hash browns, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla or scrambled.  Served with a side of poblano queso.
• Southwest Chicken: Grilled chicken, scrambled eggs^**, hickory-smoked bacon pieces, green peppers & onions, tomatoes, queso sauce, shredded Jack & cheddar cheese, fresh avocado and hash browns, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla or scrambled in a bowl. Served with a side of red salsa or chile verdel
• New Mexico Chicken: Grilled chicken, hickory-smoked bacon pieces, green peppers & onions, tomatoes, queso sauce, shredded Jack & cheddar cheese, fresh avocado and rice medley, wrapped u in a warm flour tortilla or layered in a  bowl. Served with a side of red salsa or chile verde salsa.
• Spicy Shredded Beef: Tender shredded beef, Poblano & Serrano peppers, red peppers & onions, shredded jack & cheddar cheese, avocado and rice medley, all wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla or layered in a bowl. Served with a side of Poblano.

Find more info on the IHOP website.