Pizza makers are adding creative twists to new pies.
New at Pizza Hut is the Spicy Lover’s Pizza, topped with spicy marinara, two types of pepperoni, red jalapeño peppers and fiery flakes made from a blend of herbs and crushed chili peppers.
“Pizza Hut has been making iconic pizzas for generations, and that requires adapting for each new wave of pizza lovers,” said Georgeanne Erickson, chief brand officer, Pizza Hut. “As consumer tastes continue getting more adventurous, the launch of Spicy Lover’s Pizza allows Pizza Hut to satisfy the growing craving for well-balanced, spicy flavor. No other national pizza QSR is offering spicy pizza in the space, and we’re excited to bring this thoughtfully crafted spicy pizza to pizza lovers across the country.”
Little Caesars is offering the Batman Calzony, a combination of pepperoni pizza and calzone filled with garlic white sauce, cheese and julienned pepperoni. The limited-time item is served with a side of Crazy Sauce.
“Anyone can now bring superhero vibes to pizza night by trying the new The Batman Calzony,” said Jeff Klein, chief marketing officer at Little Caesars. “It’s the most delicious part of our partnership with the upcoming film ‘The Batman.’”
Fast-casual pizza chain Your Pie is serving the Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza, topped with marinara and mozzarella, pepperoni, sweet peppadew peppers, house-pickled jalapeños, feta cheese, chopped basil and a drizzle of hot honey.
“We are excited to bring back one of our most popular creations with the Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza,” said Lisa Dimson, chief marketing officer of Your Pie. “Our customers went wild for the unique combination and flavorful taste of our delicious pepperoni, mozzarella, house-pickled jalapeños, and hot honey together.”
The flavor of the month at Baskin-Robbins is Secret Admirer, which has a swirl of pink cake and rose ice creams with a sweet strawberry ribbon.
“The launch of Secret Admirer builds on our history of high-quality flavor innovation, offering unique elements like real rose extract that our guests may have never experienced before alongside familiar flavors,” said Jeanne Bolger, director of research and development for Baskin-Robbins. “We are excited to introduce an ice cream that is both intriguing and festive in the spirit of Valentine’s Day.”
The Valentine’s Day themed menu items at Dunkin’ include a heart-shaped brownie batter donut topped with sprinkles, a cocoa mocha iced latte, a pink strawberry coconut milk beverage and a heart-shaped donut filled with Bavarian creme, frosted with strawberry icing and topped with sprinkles.
Freebirds World Burrito is now offering grain-free tortillas from Siete Family Foods and plant-based chorizo crumbles from Abbot’s Butcher. Abbot’s Butcher chorizo is formulated with pea protein, Spanish smoked paprika and zesty spices. Siete Family Foods’ tortillas are made with cassava flour, coconut flour and avocado oil.
“Meat lovers, vegans, vegetarians, gluten-free diets and everyone in between can all enjoy a great meal together at Freebirds thanks to our endless possible combinations of ingredients and flavors,” said Alex Eagle, chief executive officer of Freebirds World Burrito. “You can’t have a great burrito without a great-tasting tortilla, and Siete’s grain-free tortillas are the perfect complement to our flour and spicy cayenne options. Abbot’s plant-based chorizo is so good and perfectly seasoned, some people won’t even know that it is entirely plant-based.”
Hard Rock Cafe is introducing its Hearts Off the Charts menu for a limited time, featuring a lobster flatbread, a lobster cobb salad and a deluxe steak special with marinated mushrooms. A dessert offering includes a warm fudge brownie drizzled with strawberry sauce and topped with whipped cream.
Krispy Kreme is offering a new Valentine’s Day collection featuring four heart-shaped donuts. The Beary Best Valentine donut is dipped in chocolate icing and chocolate sprinkles with chocolate creme and icing. The Bee Mine donut has strawberries and creme filling, red icing and pink icing with a bee sugar piece. The Cookie to my Kreme donut is filled with cookies and crème and dipped in white icing, decorated with a chocolate icing drizzle and topped with a confetti heart sprinkle blend. The My Batter Half donut is filled with cake batter, dipped in pink icing and decorated with heart sprinkles.
McDonald’s Corp. has unveiled a collection of menu items inspired by creations shared on social media. The Hash Brown McMuffin is a Sausage McMuffin with Egg with a hash brown tucked inside the sandwich. The Crunchy Double combines Chicken McNuggets and a double cheeseburger with tangy barbecue sauce. The Land, Air & Sea is a McChicken sandwich, stacked on a Big Mac, stacked on a Filet-O-Fish. The Surf + Turf features a Filet-O-Fish and double cheeseburger.
Pret A Manger has partnered with Meatless Farm to introduce the Meatless Meatball Wrap, which has savory, garlic and herb infused plant-based meatballs nestled inside a seven-grain wrap with marinara sauce, red onions and a topping of red pepper and crispy onions.
“We are excited to offer our first meat-alternative menu item for customers who are looking to enjoy more plant-based options for health reasons, animal welfare, or helping to protect our planet,” said Jorrie Bruffett, president, Pret A Manger, USA. “As more consumers continue to recognize the benefits of eating plant-based foods, this delicious menu addition and partnership with Meatless Farm will make eating more of it just a bit easier.”
Returning to Red Lobster is Lobsterfest, with a lineup of new and returning dishes. The new lobster-topped stuffed flounder is roasted with the brand’s signature seafood stuffing and topped Maine and langostino lobster in a creamy lobster beurre blanc. Red Lobster also is debuting bacon mac and cheese, which has a creamy lobster cheese sauce. The Date Night Feast for Two includes a pair of butter-poached Maine lobster tails, two sirloin steaks, two jumbo grilled shrimp skewers and a shareable bacon mac and cheese.
Sonic Drive-In is serving two treats made with Oreo cookies. The Double Stuf Oreo Waffle Cone features an Oreo waffle cone layered with sweet Oreo creme, filled with ice cream and topped with Oreo crème and Oreo cookie pieces. The Double Stuf Oreo Blast blends ice cream with Oreo crème and Oreo cookie pieces.
“In capturing the delightful taste of Oreo cookies, our culinary team wanted to ensure every aspect of the iconic cookie was infused into the Double Stuf Oreo Waffle Cone and Blast treats,” said Scott Uehlein, executive chef at Sonic.
Fast-casual brand Torchy’s Tacos has unveiled four new menu items. The Tipsy Chick taco includes grilled chicken breast, spinach, grilled corn, green chiles and cheddar cheese with chipotle sauce on a flour tortilla and served with bacon bourbon marmalade. The MoFaux taco contains cowboy-style Beyond Beef crumbles topped with green chiles, grilled corn, peppadew peppers, avocado and cilantro with Diablo sauce on a corn tortilla. Scratch-made churros join the dessert menu, made with buttermilk, dusted with sugar and cinnamon and served with a side of dulce de leche. Torchy’s also is offering the Grande Burrito Bowl, with a choice of beef, chicken, pork or vegetables, refried pinto beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole and cheese.
Torchy’s is all about innovating to ensure we’re delivering the tastiest and most unique offerings in the game, and these new menu items hit the mark by providing a little something for everyone, whether you’re plant-based, have a sweet tooth or just love Damn Good tacos,” said Mike Rypka, founder and chief executive officer of Torchy’s Tacos. “Our culinary team has been hard at work perfecting these new items, and we can’t wait to see our fans’ reactions.”
Apr
2024
May
More product innovation introduced at the show, including new plant-based offerings.
New introductions debut in the pantry aisles and refrigerated sections.