KANSAS CITY — Restaurant chains are introducing “out-of-the-box” menu innovations.
Papa Johns is rolling out Papa Bowls, featuring baked pizza toppings without the crust. Options include an Italian meats trio, with pizza and alfredo sauces, pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, green peppers, onions and tomatoes, plus three cheeses; chicken alfredo, which has alfredo and garlic Parmesan sauces with grilled chicken, spinach, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and three cheeses; and garden vegetable, with spinach, mushroom, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, banana peppers, pizza sauce and garlic parmesan, plus three cheeses.
“We are very excited to offer Papa Bowls as a new menu category and as a new way consumers can experience our premium ingredients,” said Scott Rodriguez, senior vice president of menu strategy and product innovation. “Our signature crust continues to be a beloved favorite, but we know that sometimes customers crave something different. We want them to know we are committed to delivering on all of those cravings through our menu.”
Buffalo Wild Wings has unveiled a pair of thin-crust pizzas topped with boneless wings and sauces. The Buffalo Boneless Bar Pizza has ranch dressing, bleu cheese crumbles, mozzarella cheese, boneless wings in a medium Buffalo sauce, pickled hot peppers and chopped green onion. The Honey BBQ Boneless Bar Pizza has mozzarella and cheddar-jack cheeses, boneless wings in a honey barbecue sauce, bacon crumbles, pickled hot peppers and chopped green onion.
Baskin-Robbins is serving a new frozen coffee drink featuring Oreo cookies. The Oreo ‘n Cold Brew Blast blends cold-brew coffee and Oreo ‘n Cold Brew ice cream, topped with whipped cream and Oreo cookie pieces. Additionally, the ice cream chain is scooping a new flavor of the month, inspired by frosted strawberry toaster pastries. The toaster pastry flavored ice cream is swirled with ribbons of strawberry jam, rainbow icing flecks and crumbles of toaster pastry pieces.
“The Oreo ‘n Cold Brew Blast allows us to provide a cold-brew option to guests looking for innovative ways to enjoy their daily pick-me-up,” said Jeanne Bolger, director of research and development for Baskin-Robbins. “And with our new Flavor of the Month, Frosted Strawberry Toaster Treat, our culinary team continues to showcase out-of-the-box ice cream creations that tap into nostalgia to create our guests’ next favorite flavor.”