Menu Tracker
Plus innovation at Chili’s Grill & Bar, Culver’s, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Flying Biscuit Café, The French Workshop, Friendly’s , Gott’s Roadside, Hot Dog on a Stick, Jason’s Deli, John’s Incredible Pizza Company, Lou Malnati’s , McAlister’s Deli, Mellow Mushroom, Paris Baguette, Pieology, Pop’s Beef, Potbelly, Pretzelmaker, Quaker Steak & Lube, Randy’s Donuts, Rock N’ Roll Sushi, Scooter’s Coffee, Tim Hortons, Velvet Taco, Whataburger, and Yogurtland
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The biggest food news is that McDonald’s is launching a Chicken Big Mac. But a lot more is going on, too.
You’d think Starbucks would have its hands full with all the pumpkin spice, apple, pecan, and other specialty drinks it offers at this time a year, plus a new CEO to integrate, declining sales to cope with, unions to negotiate with, and so on, but it also decided to try yet another new thing by taking one blend of coffee beans and roasting it in two different ways.
Speaking of the season, and pumpkin spice, you might think that the Pumpkin Spice Pizza at John’s Incredible Pizza Company would be the first such pizza, but you would be wrong. Villa Pizza did it in 2017.
There are also new or returning pumpkin spice items from Flying Biscuit Café, The French Workshop (a four-unit chain based out of New York. City), Gott’s Roadside, and Jason’s Deli.
It’s October, so of course there are a bunch of Halloween-themed items. Pretty much every pizza chain will be offering a pizza shaped like a pumpkin, and often decorated like a Jack-o’-lantern, just like they sell heart-shaped ones in the runup to Valentine’s Day. Just assume that they’re doing that again this year so we don’t have to report on them all.
But there are other Halloween themed items available, too, starting this week at Chili’s, Friendly’s, McAlister’s Deli, Mellow Mushroom, Paris Baguette, Randy’s Donuts, and Tim Hortons.
It’s unclear how Velvet Taco thinks the trending Yemini-Israeli condiment skhug is pronounced.
For the record, the “kh” is pronounced with that guttural throat-clearing sound that is difficult for many native English speakers but is quite common elsewhere. And the “u” is long, as in “rule” or “school.” (If that “kh” sound is hard for you, just go with skoog; it’s close enough). NRN’s style is to spell it “skhug,” but the industry as a whole hasn’t settled on a spelling, let alone a pronunciation
Nonetheless, how Velvet Taco expects us to pronounce its Weekly Taco Feature, Zhugs & Kisses, is a mystery.
It does come with a cocktail, however.
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit just rolled out a bunch of new items, and Bob Evans has new family meals, among other things.
Quaker Steak & Lube has two new sauces and a rub that guests are invited to vote for, because it’s election season.
There are new hot-and-sweet items from Culver’s, Lou Malnati’s, Pieology, Rock N’ Roll Sushi, and Whataburger.
Pop’s Beef has an Oktoberfest-themed sausage, Potbelly sells Tractor beverages now, Pretzelmaker sells pretzel bites by the bucket, and Hot Dog on a Stick has lychee lemonade.
Yogurtland has seasonal flavors, and Scooter’s Coffee is raising money for breast cancer research.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]
