Thanksgiving and Christmas get off to an early start on menus

Halloween isn’t over until that last piece of candy hits the trick-or-treat bag, but restaurant menus are already on to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Several chains are getting a head start on themed foods and beverages along with catering deals to ease the holiday crunch. But innovation isn’t taking a holiday, with all kinds of LTOs continuing to flow out of the pipeline.

Turkey takes center stage at Cracker Barrel, where the Country Fried Turkey dinner returns to the menu. It features a breaded and fried turkey tenderloin topped with herbed pan gravy, served with two sides, cranberry relish, and choice of buttermilk biscuits or corn muffins. There’s also a Country Fried Turkey Sandwich with gravy and cranberry relish on a toasted bun.

Breakfast fans can indulge in Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes, buttermilk pancakes swirled with cinnamon filling and drizzled with cream cheese icing and a Cinnamon Swirl Latte, or Rich DIY Hot chocolate with whipped cream, a chocolate drizzle, and choice of toppings.

Cracker Barrel offers turkey two ways.

Popeyes brings back its Cajun-Style Turkey, marinated, seasoned with signature spices, and fully cooked. The turkey is frozen and ready to thaw, heat, and serve, paired with some of Popeyes’ iconic sides, such as Homestyle Mac & Cheese, Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy, and biscuits. Prices start at $59.99.

Wood-fired rotisserie turkeys return to Cowboy Chicken, accompanied by sides and extras for groups. The Take Home Turkey Feast includes an 8- to 10-pound bird, mashed potatoes and gravy, choice of a holiday side, green beans, country style stuffing, 12 rolls and homemade peach cobbler for $160. The Turkey Family Meal features sliced turkey breast, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, and peach cobbler ($47.50), while a Turkey Plate includes sliced turkey breast, country-style stuffing, green beans, roll, and gravy for $13.

The Thanksgiving Sandwich has arrived at PDQ, featuring a breaded and fried chicken breast with herb mayonnaise, lettuce, and cranberry sauce, served on a toasted brioche bun. Several shakes also reflect the season, including the Pumpkin Pie Shake blended with spiced pumpkin puree, garnished with whipped cream, cinnamon, and a cherry; the Apple Pie Shake with apple, graham cracker crumbles, cinnamon, and nutmeg; and the Eye Scream Shake spun with candy corn syrup and blackberry puree, topped with whipped cream, Halloween-themed sprinkles, and candy eyes.

Turkey Day Sliders are a way to enjoy Thanksgiving flavors in a handheld option at Polly’s Pies. The sandwiches are layered with turkey breast, stuffing, and cranberry sauce on mini rolls. Holiday Hushpuppies, another holiday item, are filled with roast turkey, stuffing, smashed potatoes, and cheddar enclosed in a crispy coating.

For the full holiday spread, Polly’s offers a Traditional Turkey Dinner plate of oven-roasted turkey breast, homestyle stuffing, red-skin smashed potatoes, smashed sweet potatoes, Southern-style green beans with applewood smoked bacon, cranberry sauce, and turkey gravy for $19.99.

The new Snow Days Menu at Friendly’s covers a broad swath of the winter season. There’s the Harvest Stack sandwich, a Thanksgiving build of sourdough bread topped with grilled turkey breast, stuffing, garlic red-skin mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, smothered in turkey gravy, alongside a Snowfall Burger with white American cheese, Alfredo sauce, and bacon on a Parmesan-dusted pretzel bun. Also in the lineup is a Peppermint Stick Fribble, Snowball Flight Sundae, and Jubilee Cake composed of chocolate chip and chocolate ice creams topped with fudge drizzle, almonds, and chocolate candies, then finished with a pink frosting border.

Caribou Coffee is ready for Christmas with beverages like Ho Ho Mint Mocha, Ho Ho Mint Hot Chocolate, and Cookie Butter White Mocha, the last a blend of espresso and white chocolate sauce mixed with caramelized and spiced cookie butter flavor, topped with cookie crumbs. There’s also Cranberry Dark Chocolate, a returning beverage of espresso mixed with dark chocolate sauce and cranberry flavor, and Spicy Mocha with ancho chili and cinnamon. On the food side, the Warm Spice Morning Bun is rolled with cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, and ginger, and the Chocolate Truffle Brownie is topped with chocolate truffle ganache.

A new roster of chef-driven Italian items is greeting guests at North Italia There’s a Fontina & Ricotta Omelet served with chives, toasted ciabatta, and hash potatoes, available for brunch only. For later in the day, Burrata di Stagione is an updated burrata starter with Fuji apple, roasted butternut squash, hazelnut, herb breadcrumbs, and Calabrian agrodolce. A Seasonal Vegetable Salad with roasted Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, grilled broccolini, golden raisins, and crushed hazelnuts is dressed with white balsamic vinaigrette, followed by two pasta dishes — Fusili al Telefono and Tripoline Alfredo.

Crispy Chicken Piccata and Double Pepperoni Pizza round out the winter menu that runs through to spring.

Honey Chipotle Sauce debuts at Zaxbys on Monday for loyalty members and Nov. 2 for everyone, available through mid-January. The sweet-hot sauce pairs especially well with Zaxbys’ wings and tenders. Also available at all locations is the holiday-themed Peppermint Cookies & Cream Milkshake, a handspun milkshake mixed and topped with cookies & cream pieces, crowned with whipped cream and a cherry. For more holiday spirit, festive packaging is now in stores for orders of Zax Packz.

Santa arrives at Sonic in the form of the Santa Slush Float, an icy Slush swirled with cherry and vanilla flavors, layered with vanilla soft serve and topped with a cherry in a Santa-themed cup. Other seasonal drinks include two dirty sodas: the Merry Berry Fizz and Holiday Creamy Vanilla. Accompanying the beverages is the Smoked Gouda & Bacon Sonic Smasher, a double or triple burger stacked with smoked gouda, bacon, and black pepper aioli over hand-smashed Angus beef patties.

There’s a mix of holiday and miscellaneous items launching at Whataburger. Bacon Blaze Chicken is a combo of grilled or fried chicken breast, jalapeño ranch dressing, jalapeño cream cheese, bacon, sliced jalapeño peppers, and aged cheddar cheese on a toasted potato bun, while the Bacon Blaze Jalapeño Double features the same build with two beef patties. More in the Christmas spirit is the Sleigh Berry Whatafresher, a mix of lemonade with cranberry juice, citrus, and cranberry pieces, topped with soft whip, and the White Chocolate Raspberry Shake spun with white chocolate and raspberry flavors and a vanilla shake base.

The Fritos Chicken Enchilada Sub returns to Subway after 12 years. Rotisserie-style chicken is marinated in enchilada sauce and topped with Fritos corn chips and smoky Baja Chipotle sauce, Monterey Cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and red onions and piled on a sub roll. For a sweet ending, the Caramel Apple Cookie is baked with apple pieces, caramel chips, and salted caramel crunch, and finished with a caramel icing drizzle.

Viral Dot Cakes are the inspiration for two new menu items at Smoothie King. The Dot Cake Protein Smoothie, boasting 13 grams of protein, is topped with artificial color-free Supernatural Rainbow Nonpareils Sprinkles, and Dot Cake Protein Toast is garnished with the same sprinkles, providing at least 11 grams of protein.

Hibachi Bowls are new at Benihana, served in the bar and lounge for a quick lunch. Diners first pick a base from a choice of cauliflower rice, lettuce, white rice, or vegetable fried rice, then add a protein, including steak, filet, salmon, shrimp, or chicken. The bowls can be customized with extras, such as double protein, an egg, spicy sauces, teriyaki, or a signature butter blend.

Limited-time Dia de los Muertos cocktails are making news at STK Steakhouse, all with a base of Espolòn Tequila. The Marigold Margarita is a mix of Reposado tequila with pumpkin puree, orange liqueur, pumpkin spice, and lime, while Old Skull Fashioned blends bourbon, tequila, agave nectar, and peach bitters. Last up is the Sugar Skull Shooter, a combination of Blanco tequila, watermelon liqueur, mango purée, and Tabasco. They are available starting Thursday in celebration of Day of the Dead.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pies are new at Urban Plates.

Korean flavors come to Urban Plates in a lineup of five new dishes. There’s Korean Sweet & Spicy Grilled Chicken, Korean Sweet & Spicy Grilled Salmon, Korean Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wrap, Korean Sweet & Spicy Chicken Tenders, and Korean Spiced Roasted Mushrooms with caramelized red onions, Korean sweet heat sauce, and garlic Parmesan breadcrumbs. All come with two sides and grilled rustic bread except the mushrooms, a side dish on its own.

Also on the fall menu are Steak Frites with Peppercorn Sauce, Blue Cheese Grass-Fed Steak, Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad, Five Cheese Broccoli, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie.

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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.