When Seasons 52 introduced new low-calorie items to its menu recently, it was hardly surprising. The 18-unit Darden subsidiary has to do that; all of its menu items contain fewer than 475 calories. 


But what’s interesting about the new items was how many of them cited their origins — a page taken from the playbook of mostly high-end independent restaurants to indicate how wholesome their food is.


Among the new items are Half Moon Bay Brussels Sprouts with roasted garlic, and Manchester Farms All-Natural Grilled Quail with mashed sweet potatoes and bourbon-chile glaze. 


The menu also mentions that the mussels, steamed in marinara sauce and served with grilled ciabatta, come from Prince Edward Island, and that the main protein in the duck salad, which also includes apples, toasted pecans, strawberries, butternut squash and mint, comes from Maple Leaf Farms. Never mind that Prince Edward Island is where many of North America’s mussels come from or that Maple Leaf Farms is a fairly mainstream duck supplier. It sounds good.


Elsewhere in the industry, however, better-for-you options don’t seem so much on the mind of chain restaurants.


Sonic has added to its breakfast burrito line with the Ultimate Meat & Cheese. That’s sausage, bacon, tater tots, cheese and eggs in a flour tortilla.


Also new at the 3,500-unit quick-service chain is the Fiesta Steak burrito, made with sirloin steak, jalapeños, tater tots, onions, tomatoes, Cheddar cheese and eggs in a flour tortilla; and a Steak & Egg burrito made with marinated steak, tater tots, Cheddar cheese and eggs in a flour tortilla.


Motor-sports-themed casual-dining chain Quaker Steak & Lube rolled out a line of cheese-related LTOs, all with the mild Mexican cheese queso blanco.


The Hot Mess Queso Burger is one-half pound of beef topped with queso blanco, pico de gallo and jalapeños on a toasted bun. The new Texas Holdem BBQ Pork Sliders are drizzled with the melted cheese, and the Queso Loaded Nachos come with seasoned beef, “fire-roasted corn,” black beans, jalapeños, pico de gallo and sour cream. The Texas Double Dippin is tortilla chips with a queso dipping sauce. 


The 43-unit chain has even added wings & queso, allowing customers to order wings with a side of cheese sauce and tortilla chips for an extra dollar. 


Contact Bret Thorn at bret.thorn@penton.com.