Barely two weeks into the new year, QSRs, fast-casuals, full-service restaurants, and café chains are getting a jump start on 2026 with strategic menu additions to help them win in the months to come.
Some additions play into macrotrends shaping the industry, while others go all-in on a unique approach to flavor innovation.
A War on Breakfast
Dutch Bros revealed a breakfast-inspired beverage lineup on January 5. The shift was surprising, but logical, as the on-the-go consumer continues to crave simple breakfast solutions.
The offerings include the Maple Waffle Latte made with salted caramel, cinnamon, and white chocolate; the Banana Bread Mocha, made with banana and hazelnut; and the Smooth Strawberry Rebel, with strawberry and banana, sweet cream, and the brand’s Rebel energy drink.
Beverages pictured left to right: Smooth Strawberry Rebel, Maple Waffle Latte, Banana Bread Mocha.
This approach, although playful, capitalized on a market phenomenon – top-performing QSRs are capturing the breakfast daypart with their assortments, according to a recent dunnhumby report. A top reason cited was that the meal time has a greater chance of meeting the customer at a pivotal purchase point, such as on a morning commute, and thus was more likely to be memorable.
“Each drink offers a beloved breakfast flavor that we hope starts everyone’s day on the bright side!” said CMO Tana Davila in a statement, confirming the chain’s approach to capturing morning purchase occasions.
A recent Placer.ai report found that Dutch Bros is a laggard in the breakfast day part – a likely impetus for the recent emphasis on morning purchases. The chain captures only 32.6% of its visits before 11:00 AM – compared to 43.1% for the overall coffee category.
Additionally, the chain will be rolling out an expanded breakfast menu of food items over the next year.
Tapping Top Trends
Additional rollouts from major chains show that trends are on the tip of the tongue for foodservice operators heading into 2026. It serves as a critical tool to facilitate same-store sales growth and to motivate repeat purchase intent.
Newstalgia
Following in the footsteps of other chains, such as Taco Bell with its “Decades Menu,” Chick-fil-A is betting big on “newstalgia” – an operator gives something “retro” or nostalgic, with a twist. The chicken chain is celebrating its 80-year history with retro packaging redesigns, such as four classic collectible cups, and an updated Original Chicken Sandwich package.
On the menu innovation side, the chain is also bringing nostalgic floats to its permanent beverage portfolio, including Frosted Sodas made with the chain’s Icedream dessert and traditional soda floats.
Nostalgic eats are on the rise: leading QSRs launched 139 LTOs focusing on the emotion in 2025, according to MenuData, often positioned as an “affordable luxury.”
Protein-Packed is Here to Stay
Foreshadowing a year of high-protein offerings, Shake Shack debuted its Good Fit Menu in mid-December, targeted at the high-protein, gluten-free, vegetarian, and GLP-1-friendly consumer.
Some of its latest offerings boast as many as 52 grams of protein in a single serving, such as the Double SmokeShack in Lettuce Wrap.
“Whether you’re dialing up protein, cutting back, or simply eating with more intention, these options fit seamlessly into a wide range of dietary goals, preferences, and lifestyles,” according to a statement from the chain.
The menu revamp is focused on modifying existing menu offerings, making it an easy rollout for its locations.
More recently, Cava and Jack in the Box came out with their own take on the protein-forward movement. The Mediterranean-inspired chain added two high-protein offerings, the Spicy Lamb + Sweet Potato Bowl and the Harissa Chicken Power Bowl, while the chain added Fajita and Tariyaki Protein Bowls. The latter offerings boast 35 grams of protein.
These additions signal that foodservice finds real opportunity in consumers’ high-protein cravings, particularly at the beginning of the year, when consumers are still trying to stick to new year’s resolutions.
Honorable Mentions: Crafting Viral Moments
Other restaurant menu updates are crafted with Instagram and TikTok-worthy buzz in mind.
- Applebee’s launched the O-M-Cheese Burger: a beef burger topped with American cheese, bacon, honey mustard, served in a skillet of melted queso. The item turns dining into a multisensory experience with the mix of textures, flavors, and the inclusion of the sonic (sizzling) component.
- IHOP is adding bottomless pancakes as an optional add-on to select breakfast items in a play to gain cultural cachet, particularly among fantasy football fans, as it teams up with NFL star Malik Nabers of the New York Giants. The breakfast chain explained that a popular fantasy football tradition includes spending 24 hours at IHOP eating only pancakes.
- Krispy Kreme announced a year-round limited-time seasonal doughnut strategy featuring five lineups throughout the year. Kicking off the winter collection includes doughnuts in the following flavors: Caramel Dulce, Chocolate Truffle, Raspberry Cheesecake, and Cinnamon Sugar. The chain encourages customers to share their orders on social media.
Food for Thought Leadership
This Episode is Sponsored by: Koelnmesse
Snacking in the U.S. has been on the rise for many years, but is this a global phenomenon? Sabine Schommer, Director, ISM, and Guido Hentschke, Director, ProSweets Cologne and ISM Ingredients, explore European and global snacking trends, and how the trio of ISM, ISM Ingredients, and ProSweets Cologne serve as a meeting place for the global snacking industry.
