Things get crispy and crunchy at Moe's, White Castle and Burgerville

Summer foods and drinks continue to flow out of the pipeline, as restaurants move their menus through June. Along with seasonal flavors and ingredients, operators are playing with crispy, crunchy textures to perk up taste buds. Also on the menu are summery fruits and frosty treats and drinks to beat the heat.

The limited-time Queso Crunch Taco comes to the menu at Moe’s Southwest Grill, filled with a new protein—Tequila Lime Chicken. The alcohol-free chicken is tossed in a smoky agave citrus sauce flavored with lime, jalapeno and garlic. For the crunch factor, the taco features a hard shell taco wrapped in a soft tortilla with a layer of queso in between. Guests can add Tequilla Lime Chicken to other entrees as well, while supplies last.

Crisp wonton strips and sesame seeds add crunch to Burgerville’s Crispy Chicken Wonton Salad.Also tossed into the mix is romaine lettuce, napa cabbage, red cabbage, shredded carrots, sugar snap peas and daikon radish. Crispy chicken goes on top, along with one of Burgerville’s custom salad dressings; vegans can opt to leave the chicken off.

Chicken Rings, a White Castle signature, are returning this summer in two variations. All new are Smoky BBQ Chicken Rings with a sweet and slightly spicy flavor profile. And returning to the menu are Hidden Valley Ranch Chicken Rings, dusted with a tangy blend of garlic and chives enhanced with a touch of buttermilk, just like the namesake dressing. Both are lightly breaded and fried to achieve a crisp coating.

Baked 4-Cheese Chicken Alfredo is the latest limited-time menu addition at Noodles & Company. The dish is made with penne noodles and spinach combined with a four-cheese blend in Alfredo sauce, then oven-baked, topped with melted mozzarella, grilled chicken and Italian seasoning. It officially launches nationwide on June 20, but Rewards members earned early access last Thursday.

The Campfire Feast for Two is the gift Black Angus Steakhouse is cooking up for dads on Father’s Day this Sunday. The $69 meal includes a choice of a starter, such as Loaded Potato Skins, two entrees, including a full rack of BBQ Baby Back Ribs and/or dry-aged New York Strip, four sides and a decadent dessert. For dads who would rather grill at home, the family can treat him to steaks and seafood ordered online from the Black Angus Market.

Making a comeback for a limited time is Culver’s fan-favoritePretzel Haus Pub Burger. It’s layered with a fresh beef patty, pickled onions, thick-cut bacon, cheddar cheese, Wisconsin cheese sauce and a creamy bistro sauce on a soft and chewy pretzel bun.

Wayback Burgers is turning up the heat with its Ghost Pepper Burger and Spicy Cheese Curds, both available through Aug. 31. The burger combines two beef patties topped with lightly melted cheddar cheese, two slices of applewood-smoked bacon, jalapenos and spicy ghost pepper sauce on a bun, while the curds get their heat from a toss in Texas Pete Dust fiery dry seasoning. To cool the spice, there’s also a Strawberry Shortcake Shake on offer for Wayback customers.

The SummerFest menu at Friendly’s offers 15 on-trend items in every category. On the savory side are Lobster Rolls in both Maine and Connecticut styles, Lobster & Shrimp Quesadillas, Lobster Bisque and a Strawberry Salad with fresh greens, feta and walnuts. There’s also more than a half dozen ice cream treats for sweets lovers, including French Toast a la Mode, Sugar Cone Nachos, a Wattamelon Sherbet Cake and a Fries ‘n Ice Cream Dipper featuring vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and french fries all in one dish.

McAlister’s Deli also has a varied lineup for summer, leading off with a Chicken Bacon Ranch trio, in a Flatbread, BLT and Spud. For dessert, guests can try Berries & Cream Cheesecake and a Lemon Blueberry Cookie, both starring seasonal berries. Wildberry Lemonade is on hand for sipping, flavored with a blend of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry puree.

Dine-in and to-go guests can enjoy Applebee’sLate Night Half Price Appetizers for a limited time. The deal includes best sellers like Boneless Wings, Chicken Wonton Tacos, Mozzarella Sticks, Chicken Quesadillas Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Brew Pub Pretzels & Beer Cheese Dip and Brew Pub Loaded Waffle Fries.

Breakfast-and-lunch concept Big Biscuit created a line of “Western Sodas” to quench summer thirsts. The beverages start with fountain drinks such as Dr. Pepper, Orange Crush and Mountain Dew that are “spiked” with ingredients like coconut cream, limes and strawberry puree. Big Biscuit is jumping on the “dirty soda” trend and crafting the drinks to resemble mocktails.

Nekter Juice Bar partnered with Pitaya Foods on three LTOs: a Pitaya Passion Smoothie, Pitaya Passion Bowl and Pitaya Frozen Lemonade. Each pairs the refreshing notes of passion fruit with the nutritional power of pitaya, more commonly known as dragon fruit. The vibrantly colored items provide a healthy dose of vitamins A and C, antioxidants and fiber along with tropical tastes.

Açaí is the healthy ingredient of choice at Oakberry, showcased in a bowl and smoothie. The Signature Summer Acai Bowl combines açaí, granola, coconut flakes and passion fruit, while the Signature Summer Smoothie blends açaí and passion fruit. Passion fruit will also be available at Oakberry locations nationwide all summer as a topping for $1 extra to add to build-your-own bowls and smoothies.

Ziggi’s is celebrating peaches all summer long, highlighting the juicy fruit in several food and drink items. There’s a Peach Mango Paradise Fresherz, a lightly caffeinated iced beverage; the Just Peachy Energy Infusion featuring peach, passion fruit, white chocolate and an energy shot; and Sparkling Peach Lemonade Boba. On the food end, a Peach Cobbler Muffin Top is available as a sweet snack or breakfast treat.