Dips and dunks rule at Burger King, Big Chicken and Qdoba

Diners love to dip and dunk their food, and several chains are feeding that love this week with sauces and soups on the side. Crepes and French toast are seeing some action, too, along with braises and burgers. In other food and drink news, fall menus continue to roll out with seasonal specials, and launches accelerate on the drinks and sweets fronts. 

The Big Dip Cup arrives at Burger King, thanks to a collaboration between the burger giant and Hidden Valley Ranch. The two came together to create The Big Dip cup, a limited-edition vessel that holds eight ounces of ranch dressing, compared to the regular 1-ounce dip cup. The super-size cup is available only at select BK locations in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Houston and San Francisco.

Loaded Tortilla Soup returns to Qdoba, based on a vegetable broth flavored with tomatoes, roasted peppers, onions and spices. Executive corporate chef Katy Velazquez suggests pairing it with Qdoba’s Cheese-Crusted Quesadilla with Brisket Birria, using the soup as a dip. The quesadillas have gooey melted cheese inside a golden cheese-crusted tortilla, and the birria is made with shredded beef brisket slow-cooked for 10 hours in chiles and garlic. Guests can also customize the soup by adding Brisket Birria, Grilled Adobo Chicken or Grilled Steak.

Dunks are the latest item from Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken. Larger than a nugget and smaller than a traditional chicken tender, Dunks are boneless white meat perfectly sized to dip into any of the restaurant chain’s six sauces. Also launching are chicken wings in Buffalo, Lemon Pepper, Memphis BBQ and Thai Chili flavors.

Popeyes announced the return of its Cajun-Style Turkey, a Thanksgiving signature. The bird is hand-rubbed and infused with Popeyes’ iconic Louisiana-style seasonings for a zesty flavor and burnished exterior. Customers don’t need to be near a Popeyes location to purchase the turkey. It can be ordered online and will arrive frozen one to three business days after the order is shipped. All a cook has to do is thaw, heat and serve.  

Two crepes, a soup and a sandwich are making their debut at La Madeleine. The Egg Crepe Champignon is filled with scrambled eggs and Swiss cheese and topped with mushroom sauce, while the Beef Crepe Stroganoff encloses sautéed beef, mushrooms, onions and Swiss cheese and is topped with a sour cream sauce. Also new is Vegetable Provençal Soupe and a Toasted Caprese Sandwich, the latter layered with fresh mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, pesto and a drizzle of balsamic glaze on a baguette. 

&pizza's recent relaunch of its Farmer’s Daughter pie was followed by a brand-new sister pizza, the Farmer’s Other Daughter. The latter is a twist on the original, featuring a cracked egg, crispy bacon (instead of sausage), spinach, and grilled onions over a bed of fresh mozzarella, all layered on &pizza’s parm romano sauce (instead of tomato sauce). It’s finished with a drizzle of garlic butter and hot honey—just like its sister. The fast casual also introduced Marion Berry Knots earlier in the week, but has since axed the dessert after controversy erupted over its name and marketing hook.

Although biscuits are its mainstay, southern chain Biscuitville is testing French toast at its Virginia locations. It’s available as a solo menu item or with favorite fillings like bacon, sausage, egg and cheese. For a limited time, Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast is also available. This sweet version is stuffed with cheesecake filling and topped with strawberries and whipped cream. The Killer Brownie, sourced from a female-owned company and stuffed with caramel, is also in test. 

Ten new dishes and two cocktails join the fall menu at Lazy Dog Restaurants. In the Starters and Small Plates categories are Pie Tin Nachos and three tots variations: Street Corn Tots, Loaded Chili Cheese Tots and Lemon Pepper Tots. Among the soups are Tomato Soup and Housemade Chili, and entrees include Slow-Cooked Poblano Pork and Braised Beef Birria Noodles. One of the new cocktails—Hibiscus Margarita—comes in both a single glass and shareable pitcher. A Tequila Old Fashioned completes the lineup.

Halloween is still on the radar at FiiZ Drinks, where three holiday-themed specialty sodas are on offer. The Mummy is a blend of lemon-lime soda, coconut and cream, topped with whipped cream and candy eyes, while The Pumpkin King has a base of orange soda and pineapple with a crown of whipped cream and Halloween sprinkles. Last up is Witches Punch, a mix of Big Red cream soda, peach and coconut topped with whipped cream. 

The Piquant Cheeseburger is new on the menu at Burgerville through Nov. 11. It features a Local Country natural beef patty topped with Face Rock Creamery’s 2-Year Aged White Cheddar, a touch of horseradish aioli, fresh shredded romaine and red onion. Running through Nov. 18 are the Apple Crumble Sundae, Pumpkin Shake and Harvest Cider Iced Tea. Burgerville prides itself on sourcing local ingredients, including ice cream, cider, cheeses, condiments, fruits and more. 

Four-ounce Tenderloin Medallions are starring in three combinations at Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses through Dec. 31. They range from two medallions served over rice pilaf and smothered with mushroom gravy; a pairing of one medallion with Chicken Monterey; and a trio of one medallion with eight grilled shrimp and four fried shrimp. Prices for these entrees start at $19.99.

Casual-dining chain Tony Roma’s is set for the winter holiday season with a festive new lineup. Highlights include Sticky Korean Rib Stack tossed in sweet and spicy gochujang glaze; Bacon-Glazed Burnt-End Poutine with seasoned fries, white cheddar mac and cheese, bacon jam glazed burnt ends, crispy cheese curds and bourbon sauce; Filet Medallions served with hot honey bacon glazed Brussels sprouts; and Shrimp Roasted Red Pepper Linguini. On the drinks side, guests can sip a Buttered Rum Mocktail Daiquiri, Autumn GT, Boysenberry Spritz and Apple Cinnamon Fresca.

The Frito Pie Dilla is a limited-time special at Dillas Quesadillas through Nov. 27. The quesadilla features a blend of chili cheese Fritos, seasoned ground beef, queso made with Hatch chilies and fresh red onions—all packed into a grilled tortilla. 

Burgers, not wings, are hitting the menu at East Coast Wings + Grill. The limited-time ‘Say Cheese’ Burger Skillet is a combo of two seasoned quarter-pound Angus beef patties, topped with a choice of cheese and served on a lightly toasted bun. To elevate the experience, the burger is placed on a sizzling skillet and paired with either melted beer cheese or nacho cheese.