Cinco de Mayo is now in the rearview mirror, and restaurant chains are focusing on new tie-ins. Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, noted the launch of Sonic’s Unicorn Dreams Slush, a bubbly, bright pink drink that comes with a choice of four color-changing straws. It’s perfectly positioned for Instagram, as many new menu items are lately.

Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, commented that beverages continue to be a hotbed of menu innovation. Pizza also saw some action this week, with both Mellow Mushroom and &pizza debuting taco-inspired pies.

Bret also pointed out the return of chicken and waffles to KFC and barbecue sandwiches at Shake Shack. At the latter, there’s a chicken sandwich and burger, each with a choice of either the Shake Shack’s signature barbecue sauce or a new Carolina-style flavor profile. Along with a new campfire s’mores shake and lemonade drinks, this is a menu that’s anticipating summer.

Then we shared an interview with Mark Boyton, VP of global food & beverage for Puttshack, a mini-golf eatertainment concept with 16 locations. Boyton is an experienced restaurant chef and is intent on elevating Puttshack’s food, cocktails, beer and wine. Instead of the usual nachos and wings, the menu features globally inspired small plates and local flavors. Listen as he shares the tasty details.

Lots of LTOs and permanent menu items launched recently, as innovation accelerates. Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, started with the big news: Crispy Chicken Strips are now on McDonald’s permanent menu—the mega-chain’s first new menu item since 2022.

Arby’s continues its LTO collaborations with celebs, this time partnering with Cedric The Entertainer and Anthony Anderson, slathering the comedians’ line of barbecue sauces on a brisket and pulled pork sandwich. And Cava introduced a spicy variation on its fan-favorite pita chips—Hot Harissa.

Pat had a first taste of a couple of sweets from soon-to-open Cinnabon Swirl, a dual-branded Cinnabon-Carvel concept from GoTo Foods. The highlight is a Bonini, an ice cream sandwich made with two cinnamon roll slices with a disc of Carvel vanilla in the middle. It’s placed in a panini press for 15 seconds and comes out all gooey—in a good way.

Bret attended a 4/20 party at Red Lobster, learning that the chain’s Cheddar Biscuits are a popular munchie for stoners. Instead of passing out joints, Red Lobster served cocktails featuring Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre's gin mixed with orange juice, pineapple juice and guava juice with a garnish of Skittles on the side of the glass. There’s a recurring candy theme here.

Our guest this week is Jay Kumar, chef-owner of Lore in Brooklyn, N.Y. He specializes in the cuisine of the Malabar coast with masala dosas a signature, but the restaurant has a diverse and interesting menu. Give a listen.

Pat Cobe, senior menu editor at Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, together moderated a menu innovation panel at the Restaurant Leadership Conference last Monday in Phoenix. Participants included operators from Popeyes, Noodle’s & Company, Potbelly, Applebee’s and Velvet Taco, and we heard a lot about what’s in the works and what’s to come.

At RLC, we also heard from Kevin Hochman, CEO of Chili’s and our Restaurant Leader of the Year. He chatted about a lot of things on stage, including the Big QP Burger, Chili’s quarter-pound burger that launched that day. It’s a clear swipe at McDonald’s, and as a special introductory deal, it comes with fries and a soft drink for $10.99.

Then we shared an interview with Bob Johnston, CEO of The Melting Pot, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. When the restaurant chain started, there were only three fondues on the menu: beef, cheese and chocolate.

Johnston, who began as a dishwasher at The Melting Pot, talked about how the menu has since expanded, with on-trend items like seafood and veggie fondues, a brie and fig variation, and steak fondue with mango-habanero sauce. There is also a full bar with craft cocktails and a varied wine selection, a far cry from Michelob—the only beer option back in the ‘70s. Listen as we hear how The Melting Pot has evolved but is still offering an interactive dining experience, which is exactly what many guests want these days when they visit a restaurant.