Outback, Carrabba's and Melting Pot spread seasonal cheer

As the calendar inches closer to December, holiday menu launches accelerate. Full-service players are luring customers with festive dinners, family dining chains are innovating for the breakfast crowd, and endless cups of seasonal beverages are flowing out of coffee concepts. There are also desserts and sweet snacks aplenty to feed every craving. Check out what’s happening on menus this week.

It’s the annual Steakmas celebration at Outback Steakhouse, with a menu filled with special food and drinks. Highlights include Three Cheese Steak Dip, a combo of steak and three cheese dip sprinkled with chopped tomatoes and green onions, and Chimichurri Filet topped with Bloomin’ Carrot Crunch and chimichurri sauce accompanied by a steakhouse potato and side. The Bloomin’ French Onion Sirloin and Bourbon Onion Ribeye complete the beefy lineup. To sip, there’s a Gingerbread Cookie Martini.

From cocktails to dessert, Carrabba’s Italian Grill has holiday celebrants covered. Guests can start with a Merry Berry Martini or Wood-Fire Old Fashioned, then move on to an appetizer of Arancini—risotto blended with fennel sausage and cheeses, then breaded and fried. Entrees include Rigatoni Al Forno and Short Rib Marsala, and the seasonal side is Zucchini Stefano—sauteed zucchini tossed with chopped tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic and onions, then topped with Parmesan. A dessert of Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding wraps it up.

Melting Pot is offering the gift of a fondue experience at home with several options. Cheese Fondue & Baguette Bliss provides a choice of gouda, aged cheddar or classic alpine fondue with 12 garlic-buttered baguettes. Also available is the Fan Favorite Cheese Fondue Bundle with two fondues, protein choices of tenderloin tips, shrimp or chicken, baguettes, and caramel apple tartlets for dessert. For those with a sweet tooth, there’s the Chocolate Fondue Variety Pack with turtle milk chocolate fondue, cookies & cream dark chocolate fondue and white chocolate fondue.

Maple Butter Chicken and Waffles bring sweet comfort to the holiday season at Huddle House. The house-made maple butter sauce is paired with a new and improved crispy chicken tender on a golden-brown waffle. For those who prefer eating with their hands, the Maple Butter Chicken & Waffle Taco offers the same flavor profile. Both can be ordered a la carte, as a combo and in a platter.

Three flavors of Fully Loaded French Toast have arrived at IHOP, inspired by the new Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Xbox game. The Great Circle of Cinnamon is layered with rich cinnamon spread and drizzled with a sweet cream cheese icing, while Secret Cookie Butter boasts creamy cookie butter and vanilla sauces on French toast, topped with a dusting of cookie crumbles. Rounding out the trio is “Berry’d” Treasure with juicy glazed blackberries, raspberries and blueberries and a drizzle of cream cheese icing.

Cini Minis are back at Burger King after a 12-year hiatus. Made with cinnamon sugar and served with a sweet icing for dipping, the nostalgic treat is available all day for a quick breakfast, snack or lunch/dinner dessert. A pack of four goes for $2.49.

Peppermint can’t be stopped this holiday season, now flavoring the coffee menu at Corner Bakery. White Chocolate Peppermint Lattes and Cold Brews, a blend of espresso, white chocolate sauce and peppermint syrup, are available hot and iced for a limited time. On the food side, customers can order a Cranberry Orange Muffin to get in the holiday spirit.

Holiday beverages at Blank Street are all served hot to chase away the winter chill. Choices include Black & White Cookie Latte with flavors of classic black and white cookies reimagined as a latte, Raspberry White Chocolate Mocha, a blend of raspberry, white chocolate and double espresso with steamed milk and microfoam, and Mint Chip Matcha crafted with house-made mint chip syrup mixed with oat milk and ceremonial matcha.

The childhood game of Candy Land is the inspiration for holiday beverages at Scooter’s Coffee. Candy Land characters Mr. Mint, Queen Frostine, Jolly Gumdrop, Gramma Nutt, and King Candy appear in the names of items such as Mr. Mint Mocha, Mr. Mint Hot Chocolate, Queen Frostine Sugar Cookie Latte and Gramma Nutt Latte and Cold Brew. In the non-coffee category there’s the Jolly Gumdrop Smoothie, King Candy Cake Bite and Queen Frostine Sugar Cookie.

Peppermint Stick Mocha, Cookie Butter Latte and Winter Wonderland Latte are the seasonal offerings at Biggby Coffee through the end of the year. On Dec. 4, a Peppermint Cookies & Cream beverage joins the lineup. Customers can accompany their favorite holiday brew with a Maple Waffle Sandwich for breakfast or opt for a rich Chocolate Brownie later in the day.

Ten new items rotated onto the menu at Emmy Squared Pizza, the full-service Detroit-style pizza concept with a Brooklyn vibe. In the Plates section are hand-breaded, bite-size Chicken Crunchers; BKLYN Meatballs with house-made vodka sauce; Roasted Cauliflower with turmeric, chili flakes, raisins and toasted pine nuts; and Butternut Squash Brussels with hot honey, dry cherry, sweet soy, bacon and more. Two cast-iron pastas are also available: Chicken Pesto and Roma Victa, the latter with sausage, red sauce, Calabrian chilies and three cheeses; both use shell-shaped pasta. Pizza aficionados can order the Gourde Vibes Only with butternut squash, pumpkin pesto, ricotta, sausage and sage. A new kale salad, Salmon BLT and apple pie dessert round out the selections.

The Steakhouse Char Melt debuted at Habit Burger & Grill. The limited-time offer layers two chargrilled patties with melted white cheddar, caramelized onions and portabella mushrooms on toasted sourdough. It’s finished with a creamy peppercorn sauce. The LTO is a takeoff on two of the brand’s signatures: the Patty Melt and Santa Barbara Char.

Paris Baguette is tempting customers to swap the traditional Thanksgiving pie with an elaborate, elevated cake. On hand through Dec. 1 are the Thanksgiving Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Layer Cake, Thanksgiving Cookies & Cream Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake, 14-layer Thanksgiving Crepe Cake, and Thanksgiving Maple Pecan Layer Cake. For National Cake Day on Nov. 26, PB Rewards members can redeem a BOGO free cake slice.

At locations of Schlotzsky’s that feature sister GoTo Foods concept, Cinnabon bakery, customers can purchase CinnaPacks and score free holiday sprinkles. The cinnamon rolls are sold in festive red packaging to extend the cheer. The promotion goes through Jan. 12

Fritos Taco Mixers are being tested in select Taco John’s locations to add a new twist to the chain’s iconic Potato Olés. The crispy potatoes are combined with Original Fritos corn chips for crunch in a foil-lined bag, then topped with six layers of trimmings, including seasoned beef, nacho cheese, zesty taco sauce, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. The mixers are available a la carte, starting at $3.99.

Miniature churros known as “Churritos” rolled out nationwide at District Taco. The bite-size pastries are dusted with cinnamon sugar and paired with Ghirardelli chocolate sauce for dipping. Coming in December is the value-oriented Fiesta Box, which includes six tacos with a side of rice and beans starting at $22.99.

Two holiday-themed crepes are on offer at Sweet Paris through Dec. 31. The Santa Crepe combines Nutella mousse, strawberries, white chocolate morsels, strawberry coulis and a sprinkle of powdered sugar, while the Grinch Crepe features sweet cream, strawberries, dulce de leche, M&M's and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.