Holiday parties and events are at their peak now and through the end of the year, and restaurants are ready to join the celebrations. New catering items have rolled out and festive fare fills menus for dine-in guests. Here’s what’s cooking this week at chains across the country.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is bringing its Louisiana menu to office parties, tailgates and holiday get-togethers. On offer are regional favorites such as Devils on Horseback (grilled shrimp with jalapeños and cream cheese), Bayou Pasta, Voodoo Shrimp & Grits, Blackened Chicken Alfredo and Fried Catfish Orleans. Also available are widely popular cheeseburger sliders, chicken tenders and wings, queso and spinach-artichoke dip. Part of the new catering offerings include a box lunch option for big groups.
Walk-On's offers both Louisiana specialties and all-American favorites for catering.
Preset lunch and dinner menus are Lazy Dog’s way of catering to group gatherings this season. Included are signatures such as BBQ Bison Meatloaf, Grilled Lemon Chicken, Ginger Soy Salmon and Crispy Deviled Eggs, as well as seasonal additions like Pretzel-Crusted Pork Schnitzel. DIY Gingerbread House Kits are also available for $7.95 through Dec. 31 at restaurant locations and on the website. Each kit comes with pre-cut edible gingerbread walls and roof pieces, icing for “glue” and a variety of candies for decorating, with 100% of net proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity.
Naturally, biscuits are the centerpiece of Biscuitville’s catering menu. The Southern-accented specials include party-sized biscuits for guests to add their own custom fillings and ready-to-serve mini versions of the chain’s sausage, country ham, bacon, turkey sausage, fried chicken or spicy chicken biscuits. Also available are Biscuitville’s scratch-made sausage balls prepared with local sausage, shredded cheddar cheese, the brand’s biscuit recipe and a blend of herbs and spices.
Chocolate is Panda Express’ gift for the holidays. The Asian fast casual introduced four limited-edition chocolate bars in partnership with luxury chocolate brand Compartés that reflect specific menu items. The collection includes The Original Orange Bar, a milk chocolate bar that blends orange bits and a hint of red chili flakes, finished with crispy rice; the Honey Walnut Bar that layers sweet candied walnuts with crisp honeycomb and a touch of honey in a white chocolate bar; the Fortune Cookie Bar made with crushed Panda Express fortune cookies folded into white chocolate with a special fortune inside; and the Kung Pao Bar, a mix of dried chili peppers, crunchy peanut bites and flaky salt in dark chocolate. All four bars are available at Compartes.com/pandaexpress for $11.95 each or $49.95 for a gift box set.
One of four limited-edition chocolate bars at Panda Express.
A trio of new items brings a second wave of holiday spirit to Starbucks. Included is a hot or iced Chestnut Praline Latte made with steamed milk, espresso and the flavor of caramelized chestnuts, topped with whipped cream and chestnut praline sprinkles. Fans can also order Chestnut Praline Cold Foam and Chestnut Praline Protein Cold Foam to top any iced beverages. Back this year is a revamped hot Eggnog Latte with a custard-like base and notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as a new iced version and the addition of Eggnog Cream Cold Foam.
After a loud outcry from disappointed fans, Chili’s brings back its Skillet Beef Queso Tuesday. When the casual-dining chain launched its new Southwestern Queso in October, the longtime Skillet Beef Queso was removed from the menu. Now both versions will be available, and customers can enter for a chance to win a limited-edition hat declaring “I Survived Chili’s Skillet Queso Situation of October 2025.” Details for entering are provided on Chili’s social channels.
Speaking of Chili’s, the chain started a cheese-pull tsunami, with &pizza the latest to join the deluge (along with Walk-On's, pictured above). Stuffed Crust and Cheesy Dippers are “both engineered for maximum cheese pulls,” according to the news release. For the Stuffed Crust pizza, the chain’s signature dough is packed with creamy cheese and baked, then each pie is brushed with garlic butter sauce. It can be ordered with any pizza for an extra $2. The Cheesy Dippers ($6) are composed of crisp dough wrapped around a melted mozzarella center. A sprinkling of Parmesan-Romano cheese and garlic butter drizzle provide extra jolts of flavor.
Sonic is jumping into the cold coffee trend with a limited-time test in six markets. The lineup includes Iced Coffee, a smooth brew with a bit of sweetness, Cold Foam Iced Coffee, Iced Coffee Latte and a Coffee Chiller—a combo of soft serve and iced coffee. The coffees are available in 16- and 20-ounce sizes with prices starting at $2.49. Customers can also request flavor add-ons, including caramel, vanilla and Oreo pieces.
Sonic is testing a cold coffee menu in six markets.
Festive flavors fill the seasonal menu at Burgerville, starting with the new Cranberry Brie Bacon Burger. It features a natural beef patty topped with pickled cranberry brie spread, cranberry mustard, bacon, grilled red onion and arugula. Also new this year is the Candy Cane Shake blended with local Umpqua Dairy ice cream, Meadowland candy cane syrup and crushed candy canes topped with whipped cream. There’s a Cocoa Peppermint Shake, too, along with Stumptown Cold Brew with a Peppermint Cloud Cream topper. Rosemary Shoestring Fries, a Peppermint Hot Fudge Sundae and Spiced Hibiscus Iced Tea round out the LTOs.
Peppermint also plays into the menu at Another Broken Egg, where a Peppermint Mocha Waffle and Spiked Peppermint Mocha Cold Brew are on offer. The breakfast-brunch-and-lunch chain tops the waffle with peppermint white chocolate ganache, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, crushed candy canes and chocolate chips for a sweet way to start the day. There’s also a S’mores Martini, a mix of vanilla vodka, chocolate liqueur, toasted marshmallow syrup and graham cracker milk.
Festive breakfast and brunch dishes and drinks at Ruby Slipper.
Also targeting the breakfast and brunch crowd is Ruby Slipper, with a seasonal menu big on indulgence. Included are White Chocolate Cranberry Beignets and White Chocolate Cranberry Stuffed French Toast, both filled with white chocolate cheesecake and topped with crystalized macerated cranberries, orange curd and whipped cream. On the savory side, there’s Grillades & Grits, and to drink, White Sangria and a Dirty Chai Latte—espresso with chai-infused milk and cream and a swirl of chai caramel.
Limited-edition Holiday Munchkins are on offer at Dunkin’. The chain’s signature donut holes include a Dark Chocolate Sprinkle Munchkin and Holiday Sprinkle Munchkin. The holiday sprinkles also appear on classic chocolate, vanilla and strawberry frosted donuts.
The OG Menu at Moe’s Southwest Grill plays into nostalgia and affordability, going back to early 2000s names for favorite items at early 2000s prices. Starting Tuesday and running through Sunday, the chain is offering a Joey Junior burrito, Billy Barou nachos with Moe’s Famous Queso, a Close Talker salad and John Coctostan quesadilla. All are priced at $5.99 and include a choice of protein and toppings such as olives, pico de gallo, cheese, jalapeños and beans.
Truffle Ramen returns for its annual holiday appearance at Momofuku Noodle Bar. This high-end spin on Asian noodle soup features six grams of shaved Burgundy truffles, truffle butter and an egg yolk for a luxurious winter warmer.
STK Steakhouse is also tapping luxury ingredients for its Holiday Cheers menu. On offer through Dec. 30 are appetizers including A5 Japanese Wagyu Potstickers and King Crab Fondue, and entrees such as Colossal Lobster Tail, Duck Leg Confit and A5 Japanese Wagyu Steak Fried Rice. On the drinks side are celebratory cocktails like a Holiday Martini, Toasted Marshmallow Old-Fashioned and Hot Chocolate Bomb.
Doughnuts decorated for Hanukkah are available at Pinkbox.
Hanukkah and Christmas are both commemorated with themed treats at Pinkbox Doughnuts. Hanukkah begins Sunday, and there’s a Hanukkah Ring topped with sprinkles, Raspberry Jellies for the holiday’s traditional jelly-filled doughnuts, a Star of David and Hanukkah Peeweez—little glazed chocolate cakes with sprinkles. The Christmas collection is more extensive, with everything from a green-frosted The Grinch, to doughnuts decorated to look like Reindeer Pooh, a Christmas Tree, Pink Santa and Candy Cane Cheesecake.
The Triple Threat Pizza is Via 313’s contribution to December menus. The Detroit-style pie is layered with smoked pepperoni, jalapeño pepperoni and natural casing pepperoni for a triple wallop of the meaty topping. For dessert, the concept is bringing back the Gingerbread HubCap, Hot Cocoa HubCap and Peppermint HubCap at $7 each or three for $17. These baked-to-order cookies are topped with ice cream. Apple Charlie’s Old Fashioned made with rye whiskey and apple brandy completes the lineup.
Honeygrow's Miso Garlic Stir-fry.
The Miso Garlic Stir-fry is Honeygrow’s comforting winter LTO, on the menu through Feb. 23. The dish is made with fresh egg white noodles, roasted chicken, caramelized onions, miso corn, Parmesan, chives and a Umami Miso sauce featuring four types of mushrooms. The dish showcases the fast casual's flavor-forward and protein-rich approach to menu development. Plus, the Chocolate Mousse honeybar dessert option remains for winter.
A limited-edition Holiday Crispy joins the menu at Noodles & Company. The snack, developed in collaboration with Snickers, combines chewy, buttery crispy rice cereal with the signature caramel and peanut flavors of the candy bar. This is the latest in the fast casual’s line of Rice Crispy treats, with flavors including s’mores, chocolate peppermint and cinnamon crunch previously on the menu.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.