The NCAA basketball tournament gets underway Tuesday—the start of March Madness for sports fans and bracket buffs. Chains are jumping in with menu specials geared for watch parties at home and in the restaurants. Other concepts are gathering spring ingredients to greet the new season.
Applebee’s is offering 50-cent cent boneless wings from March 17-22 and April 4-6 on digital orders. The wings feature crispy, breaded boneless chicken tossed in a choice of sauce: Classic Buffalo, Honey BBQ, Sweet Asian Chile, Garlic Parmesan, Extra Hot Buffalo and Hot Honey Glaze. Each order comes with a dip of blue cheese or house-made buttermilk ranch.
Starbird's Game Day package.
Game Day packages are available at Starbird through April 6. The small package (serves four to five) provides 20 bone-in or boneless wings, 10 chicken tenders, two containers of rainbow slaw and assorted sauces, while the large doubles the amount of each component to serve eight to 10. Price is $69.27 for the small and $134.97 for the large size.
TGI Fridays is celebrating March Madness losers with its “busted brackets” promo. Starting Sunday, guests who bring in their busted basketball tournament bracket can score a free six-pack of boneless or traditional wings any day through April 6 at participating locations. On April 7th, guests that show proof of a 100% perfect bracket can win free wings for a year.
Party Packs roll out at Wayback Burgers Monday. Customers can combine classic burgers, tenders, fries, onion rings and tater tots with prices starting at $29.99 for the Singles Pack and $34.99 for a Family Pack or Tendie Pack. Wayback Burgers is also partnering with Uber Eats on a promotion from March 16–29, offering $14 off orders over $35 at participating locations.
Corner Bakery Cafe leans into tournament season with a catering promotion aimed at watch parties and gatherings. Choices include signature sandwiches and panini trays, salads, soups, pasta dishes and sweet treats. Guests get $30 off catering orders of $300 or more.
Skillet Queso items to dunk at Miller's Ale House.
Fans looking for a sports bar experience during the tournament can head over to Miller’s Ale House to try the new Skillet Queso Dunks. Two varieties are available. The Skillet Queso Bacon Cheeseburger includes a bacon cheeseburger served in a sizzling skillet of chorizo and pico queso ($15.99) while the Skillet Queso Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich features a fried chicken sandwich in a sizzling skillet of ranch queso ($15.49.) Both tap into the cheesy dipping trend.
The Blarney Blast is running at Bennigan’s through April 1 in celebration of the Irish-American chain’s 50th anniversary. Five limited-time cocktails include Angry Caramel Apple with hard cider and salted caramel whiskey; Emerald Isle Margarita available in several fruit flavors; Blarney Stone Kiss with Tennessee Peach Whiskey; Irish Ginger with Irish whiskey and ginger beer; and Tableside Irish Coffee. Food LTOs include Blarney Blast Quesadillas, Guiness Glazed Pub Shrimp, The Reuben Burger, Bennigan’s Cottage Pie and Irish Cream Cheesecake.
Panera Bread's new beverage lineup.
New caffeine-free Frescas and caffeinated Energy Refreshers expand the beverage lineup at Panera Bread. Previously in test in select markets, the drinks are now rolling out nationally. The Frescas include Cherry Lime and Strawberry Basil Lemonade sweetened with agave. On the Energy Refresher side are a Dragonfruit Sunset Energy Refresher made with pineapple and dragonfruit and the Passionfruit Paradise Energy Refresher with guava, passionfruit and orange infused with pineapple; both come in at 28 mg caffeine in a 20-ounce cup with ice. To eat, Panera is introducing a Dubai Style Chocolate Pistachio Cookie.
Panda Express is taking its spicy Dynamite Sweet & Sour Chicken national after a limited preview. The Asian chain teamed up with Buldak, the popular hot sauce brand, to create the fiery dish—a combo of crispy chicken, onions and bell peppers with the Buldak sauce. Each order comes with a free Buldak Original Hot Sauce Stick (while supplies last) for guests to customize their spice level. Panda will also sell limited-stock bottles of Buldak Hot Sauce for $5.50. Dynamite Sweet & Sour Chicken is on the menu through May 25.
Budlak sauce heats up chicken at Panda Express.
Also going the spicy Asian route is Burger-Fi with a limited-time Szechuan-inspired menu. The lineup includes four items. The Szechuan Black Angus Bacon Stack features two beef patties, Szechuan-dusted nitrate-free bacon, kimchi pepper jack cheese and Szechuan aioli on a toasted potato bun; Szechuan Chicken Tenders are dusted with Szechuan powder and served with garlic Texas toast and Szechuan aioli; the Sandwich Chicken Bacon Stack is made with crispy or grilled chicken tenders, Szechuan-dusted bacon, kimchi and Szechuan aioli on a toasted potato bun; and Shakin' Szechuan Fries are served with signature Szechuan powder on the side to season to taste.
The Monster Pizookie has arrived at BJ’sRestaurant & Brewhouse. Inspired by iconic Cookie Monster ice cream, the blue-hued Monster Pizookie features a baked cookie base topped with two scoops of electric-blue vanilla bean ice cream, a chocolate shell and sprinkling of Oreo cookie pieces. It’s available in both the classic individual size and as a shareable Pizookie Platter with four baked cookie bases topped with eight scoops of ice cream, finished with a chocolate shell and Oreo cookie pieces.
New Breakfast Bowls at Caribou Coffee have been boosted with 20% more protein. The Denver Breakfast Bowl is layered with egg, potato, ham, cheese, green bell pepper and onion adding up to 20 grams of protein. For a vegetarian option, the Fiesta Breakfast Bowl combines egg, potato, spinach, cheese, red bell pepper and salsa verde for 15 grams of protein per serving. Plus, the Cinnamon Sugar collection is back on the beverage side. The flavor profile is featured in the Cinnamon Sugar Nitro High Rise, Iced Vanilla Latte topped with Cinnamon Sugar Cold Foam and more. And for a limited time, Amy’s Blend coffee, honoring Caribou’s original roastmaster, has returned. Caribou will donate 100% of proceeds from Amy’s Blend sales to the International Women’s Coffee Alliance on March 28 and 29.
Three new tacos join the menu at Cowboy Chicken. The Crispy Tenders Taco includes two chicken tenders enclosed in warm tortillas with melted cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and jalapeño ranch, while the Tex Mex Chicken Taco combines wood fire rotisserie chicken tinga with roasted onions and tomatoes topped with crema, cilantro and cotija cheese. Last up is the Smoky Brisket Taco layered with salsa, pickled onions, cilantro and cotija. Ending on a sweet note there are chocolate-filled cinnamon sugar churros topped with a sweet cream drizzle.
Sonic's Strawberry Horchata Slush.
The Strawberry Horchata Slush debuts at Sonic for app customers on Monday and March 23 nationwide. The limited‑time drink blends the brand’s signature slush with creamy soft serve, cinnamon‑spiced horchata syrup and strawberries.
Pincho extends the run of its Smokestack Smash through March 29 after a successful appearance at February’s South Beach Wine & Food Burger Bash. The $14 build is layered with two Angus beef smashed patties, smoked gouda, jalapeño jam, applewood smoked bacon and chipotle aioli on a toasted brioche bun. Churro Fries coated in cinnamon sugar and served hot with dulce de leche for dipping offer a sweet counterpoint.
Three Irish-themed items launched at Paris Baguette. The Irish Cream Cruffin is stuffed with Irish cream filling; dipped in chocolate and dusted in edible gold, while Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake is composed of chocolate cake layered with Irish cream chocolate mousse, topped with chocolate ganache crunch and dusted with edible gold. To drink, there’s Irish Crème Latte, available hot or iced.
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