Chicken and cheese take the lead on menus

Cheese and chicken are hotbeds of innovation on October menus. Restaurant chains are taking these basics out of their comfort zones, introducing flavor and format variations to excite customers. And beverages continue to see R&D activity. Take a look at what’s trending as the calendar page flips to a new month.

Curdtoberfest comes back to Culver’s for the second year, a time to celebrate the Wisconsin-based chain’s signature CurderBurger and National Cheese Curd Day on the 15th. This year, Culver’s introduces its first flavored CurderBurger — the Smoked Cheddar CurderBurger — featuring a grilled beef patty topped with fried smoked cheddar cheese. It’s available through Oct. 11, followed by the return of Jalapeño Cheese Curds Oct. 12-Nov. 29. On National Cheese Curd Day itself, restaurants will offer rewards members $3 cheese curds during Happy Hour 4-8 p.m.

Fall’s Black Truffle menu returns to Shake Shack, a top performing LTO for the chain. The lineup is highlighted by chef-crafted Black Truffle Sauce, which can be ordered as an add-on to Mac & Cheese Bites, Chicken Bites, and Onion Rings. There’s also the Black Truffle ‘Shroom, a crispy portobello filled with melted Muenster and cheddar cheeses, shredded lettuce, and the truffle sauce; a Black Truffle Burger topped with Fontina cheese and crispy onions; a Black Truffle Shack Stack layering the burger and portobello; and Black Truffle Parmesan Fries.

The Cheesy Enchilada Double Chicken Bowl launched at El Pollo Loco, featuring a double portion of grilled chopped chicken, seasoned rice, pinto beans, and a double portion of shredded Jack cheese topped with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa fresca. On the beverage side, the chain is doing a Caramel Apple ChataCoffee, its latest blend of iced coffee and horchata, and for dessert, Pumpkin Pie Mini Churros.

Black garlic flavors chicken and cheese at Buffalo Wild Wings. The casual-dining chain debuted Vampire Hunter Wings tossed in Black Garlic Glaze and finished with spicy garlic drizzle, and Black Garlic Glaze Cheese Curds, which are white cheddar curds topped with the same glaze. A cocktail called the Vampirita combines tequila, triple sec, black cherry, lime sour mix, and lime in a glass rimmed with black salt.

Popeyes’ original chicken sandwich started the so-called “chicken sandwich wars,” and now the chain is giving it a flavor twist. The Honey Chicken Biscuit features a larger version of the brand’s iconic buttermilk biscuit layered with fried chicken and served with two honey sauce packets.

Honey is also the saucy element of choice at Starbird, but it’s heated up with a shot of chili crisp. The fast casual introduced five new items with the flavor profile. Honey Chili Crisp Tenders are fried chicken tenders with honey chili crisp, scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds, served with ginger aïoli and additional honey chili crisp on the side.

Also on offer are Honey Chili Crisp Wings; Honey Chili Crisp Chicken Sandwich on a brioche bun; Honey Crunch Salad (romaine and cabbage blend with shaved red cabbage, shredded carrot, cucumbers, edamame, and sliced fried chicken tenders, finished with ginger aïoli, scallions, chopped cilantro, and Honey Crunch Crumble); and Honey Crunch Wrap with similar ingredients as the salad enclosed in a grilled flour tortilla.

Thanksgiving comes early to Firehouse Subs with the return of the Thanksgiving Turkey Sub. The sandwich is layered with carved turkey breast, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mayo on a toasted white or wheat sub roll and served with a turkey gravy. Also on the menu through December is the Pecan Bar, a cookie with a shortbread crust and a pecan pie-inspired topping composed of butter, brown sugar, and pecans.

Bowls are the innovation vehicle of choice for Chopt with the debut of The Power Bowl Collection. The four chef-curated selections, built to maximize protein and fiber, include Mediterranean Salmon, Chicken Salad, Chipotle Chicken, and Shrimp Avocado. The portion sizes are “lighter” to target GLP-1 diners, but protein and fiber content is robust, from 22-37 grams of protein and between 6 and 14 grams of fiber — the latter provided primarily from beans and fresh produce.

Cheeseburgers take on a new look at Tijuana Flats, starting with Cheeseburger Tacos. These feature two grilled flour tortillas filled with seasoned ground beef, queso, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. The same ingredients fill the Cheeseburger Burrito and top the Cheeseburger Loaded Fries.

Cinnamon flavors iced coffee and Donut Bites at Bojangles.

Cinnamon Toast Iced Coffee and Donut Bites are new menu additions at Bojangles. The iced xoffee is flavored with sweet cream and Cinnamon Toast Crunch syrup, while the Donut Bites are made with the chain’s buttermilk biscuit dough, fried crispy, tossed in sugar, and served with salted caramel sauce for dipping. Returning to the menu is the Pork Chop Griller, a meaty LTO featuring a marinated and seared pork chop served on a scratch-made buttermilk biscuit.

Uno Pizzeria & Grill has been busy refreshing its nonalcoholic beverage lineup. Three new dirty soda-style drinks have joined the menu: Starry Blue Raspberry made with lemon-lime soda and blue raspberry flavor topped with cold foam; Starry Cherry Bomb, a mix of lemon-lime soda and cherry flavor with a cold foam topping; and Mountain Dew Green Apple Blast with green apple flavor topped with cold foam.

Energy drinks take center stage at Savvy Sliders, including one in shake form. The Dirty Caramel Apple Refresher is lemonade with 5-hour Energy Caramel Apple (115 mg of caffeine), topped with vanilla custard and caramel drizzle, while the Caramel Drizzle Pie Shake blends vanilla custard with 5-hour Energy Caramel Apple; it’s topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and crushed graham cracker crumbs. Both were developed in collaboration with 5-hour Energy.

Savvy Sliders is doing energy-enhanced beverages, including a shake.

The fall beverage lineup at Elliano’s Coffee includes riffs on cold brew, matcha, and mocha. There’s Maple Spiced Matcha, Cinnamon Swirl Cold Brew with cinnamon-infused cold foam, and Pumpkin White Mocha Joy Shot, the last a shaken espresso with layers of pumpkin and white mocha.

The Wicked Wizard is a new Halloween-themed cocktail on **Mellow Mushroom’**s menu. It features rum, sour mix, lime juice, Moondust syrup (blue spirulina and dragon fruit syrup), cream of coconut, coconut milk, and blueberry-flavored popping pearls served in a sugar-rimmed glass.

Cookie concept Last Crumb is celebrating fall with the “Basic Witch,” a pumpkin and warm spice cookie iced with vanilla bean cream cheese frosting. Also happening is a weekly cookie drop, with “Stiffler's Mom,” an apple pie cookie, launching this week, and the dark cocoa “Hands Off My Cup” Reese's tribute on Oct. 13.

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Pat plans and executes menu, food and drink stories for Restaurant Business and hosts the weekly Menu Talk podcast. She provides in-depth coverage of chefs, trends and menu innovation.