While many operators were tinting menus with red, white, and blue foods and drinks for America’s 250th, others were amping up flavor with spice, heat, and fruit. July got off to a flavorful start at Portillo’s, Wingstop, Potbelly, and more, and beverage innovation continued to grab menu attention. Take a look at what’s happening on menus as summer gets into full swing.
Tajín teams up with Chamoy in Wingstop's new rub.
A new Sweet Heat Chamoy dry rub with a Tajín Chamoy sauce drizzle debuted at Wingstop, available at no extra charge to flavor the chain’s boneless wings, tenders, chicken sandwiches, fries, and corn. Joining it are Chamoy Ranch sauce. The Mexican condiment chamoy, made from pickled fruits, chiles, and lime juice, has a complex flavor profile with sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes.
Sandwich concept Potbelly is turning up the heat with the launch of its Jamaican-inspired Fiery Island Chicken Sandwich. The sandwich features grilled chicken and provolone cheese on a toasted roll with jerk sauce and sliced avocado.
Houston TX Hot Chicken has the word “hot” in its name, and the brand isn’t skimping on spice this summer. The chicken chain teamed up with Cheetos to offer Cheetos Dust as a specialty menu add-on. The dust is available in Flamin’ Hot and the milder Cheddar; guests can add one Cheetos Dust flavor for 75 cents or two for a dollar to any menu item.
The Char'diniera Dog at Portillo's.
Portillo’s signature giardiniera is the star of its new Char'diniera Dog, a char-grilled Vienna Beef hot dog infused with giardiniera and provolone cheese and topped with mustard and grilled onions. Customers can order it Chicago-style, too, with a topping of relish, onions, tomato, celery salt, sport peppers, and pickle on a poppy seed bun. Chicago-based Portillo’s is famous for its giardiniera, a fiery mix of carrots, celery, cauliflower, and hot peppers.
Firecracker Shrimp pumps up the menu at Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom. The dish features fried shrimp coated in Firecracker sauce and topped with wonton chips and scallions. A sweet chile soy glaze adds spicy notes to Crispy Brussels & Cauliflower, while a Thai Chicken & Noodle Salad takes on heat from sweet Thai chile sauce. On a mellower note, the casual-dining chain added a French Dip Sandwich, Lemon Butter Chicken, and Chicken Rustica topped with sun-dried tomato cruda, grilled onions, olives, garlic, and oregano.
Pizza crust gets the heat treatment at Hungry Howie’s. The chain’s new Spicy Sesame Flavored Crust has the addition of toasted sesame seeds and spices, available at no extra charge.
Hungry Howie's amped up pizza crust.
Tahini is the dominant flavor in a new item at Naya. The fast casual launched the Chicken Tahini Caesar Roll, a Lebanese-inspired take on a classic combo. It includes slow-roasted rotisserie chicken with a lemony accent, fire-roasted corn & jalapeños for smoky heat, romaine lettuce, za’atar pita crunch, and Naya’s new Tahini Caesar Dressing, a blend of yogurt, tahini, feta, lemon juice, garlic, and za’atar. It’s all rolled up in a white or whole wheat pita.
Crab boils with a choice of flavor profiles are available at Red Lobster. Orders of Crab Your Way offer a choice of snow or Bairdi crab legs steamed with Cajun, lemon pepper, Mike’s Hot Honey, Old Bay-infused butter sauce, RL Signature, or roasted garlic flavors and come served over fried potatoes with a choice of a side. The larger Crabfest Boil, with a pound of crab legs, a dozen shrimp, corn, and red potatoes, comes with the same sauce choices. Red Lobster’s current crab promotion also includes Crab and Shrimp Linguini Alfredo, Crab-Topped Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms, Crab Queso, and Salmon Oscar topped with lump crab meat.
Two limited-time flatbreads with fiery flavors launched at Lime Fresh Mexican Grill. Tabañero Cubano Flatbread is topped with 4 Rivers smoked pork, bacon, melted cheese, house pickles, Tabañero Chipotle Honey Aïoli, Cotija cheese, and cilantro; Tabañero is a hot sauce brand from Florida. The Mexican Flatbread has a topping of seasoned beef, black bean spread, fresh pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, melted cheeses, and enchilada aïoli.
Flatbreads boast lots of flavor at Lime Fresh.
Summer LTOs are infused with peaches at Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar. New at the casual-dining chain are a Grilled Peach + Burrata Cheese Salad, Peaches + Hot Honey Flatbread, and a bourbon-based Sunset Peach Tea Cocktail. Along with grilled peaches, the salad includes other summer ingredients, such as tomatoes, strawberries, caramelized honey-balsamic onions, and a basil oil drizzle. Berries, not peaches, star in the Mountain Berry Cheesecake, which includes a minted berry compote, graham cracker crust, and vanilla whipped cream.
Smashed burgers make their debut at Perkins Restaurant and Bakery. The burgers come in several varieties, starting with the Classic Smashed Burger, a layering of two smashed beef patties, grilled onions, melted American cheese, house-made burger sauce, and pickles. Branching off this simple build are the Guacamole Bacon Smashed Burger and Mushroom Swiss Smashed Burger. All are served on a griddled brioche bun. For dessert, Key Lime Pie returns for a limited time, and Pancake Flips make a comeback for breakfast. The latter item is available in sweet options, including Strawberry Pancake Flip and Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Flip; both come with two buttermilk pancakes layered with cheesecake filling and sweet toppings. On the savory side are the Bacon & Cheddar Flip and Ham & Sausage Flip, both built on two potato pancakes along with eggs, cheese, and meats.
Soda Shakes for summer at Smalls Sliders.
Smalls Sliders crafted two limited-time shakes with Coca-Cola’s new syrups, both of which run on the menu through Sept. 6. The citrusy Soda Shake adds Fanta Orange concentrated syrup to a creamy vanilla shake that tastes like a riff on a creamsicle, while the Soda Shake made with Barq’s Root Beer concentrated syrup creates a sweet-spicy swirl experience. Both evoke the nostalgia of a classic soda float.
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