New Menu and Beverage Releases from Your Favorite Fast Food Spots

New fast food favorites are on the horizon, and one thing’s for sure: they’re crazy good!

Whether you’re starting the new year with healthier eating habits or an intention to treat yourself more, you’re gonna find exciting menu items and drinks from this fast food roundup. Surprised? Well, fast food chains like Panda Express are trying to offer better-for-you meals to cater to health-conscious consumers. Meanwhile, those looking for sweet indulgence might not able to resist Krispy Kreme’s new doughnut collection and tempting drinks from lots of different fast food spots, including Del Taco, Dunkin’, Jack in the Box, and more There’s so much to unpack, so let’s get going!

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme is starting the year with a crazy good offering. Introducing: all-new Crazy Good Doughnuts Collection, in collaboration with Pop-Tarts. Now, you can enjoy two classics in one bite! Available for a limited time only, the collection features three iconic Pop-Tarts flavors:

Pop-Tarts Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Doughnut – Love the comforting flavor of cinnamon? Get that and more from this doughnut in cinnamon sugar flavor with brown sugar cinnamon cream cheese flavored buttercream on top. It’s also finished with a Frosted Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tarts Bites tart for added sweetness.
Pop-Tarts Frosted Chocolatey Fudge Doughnut – For chocolate lovers, devour this treat made with Original Glazed doughnut dipped in chocolate icing. For toppings, it comes with brownie batter-flavored buttercream, white sprinkles, and crushed Frosted Chocolatey Fudge Pop-Tarts Bites.
Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry Doughnut – Last but not the least, this doughnut is perfect for all the strawberry fans out there. It’s basically an unglazed shell doughnut loaded with luscious strawberry filling. It also features shortbread icing and shortbread pieces, plus strawberry filling drizzle, sprinkles, and Strawberry Pop-Tarts Bites.

Should you decide to try all these crazy good doughnuts and end up wanting more, you can get them by the dozen. Or, if something smaller would suffice, try the 6-pack box of Krispy Kreme x Pop-Tarts Doughnut Collection. Boxes are delivered fresh daily to various retailers, including Kroger, Food Lion, Walmart, Stater Brothers, Publix, and so much more. Again, these crazy good doughnuts won’t be here for long, so grab them while still available!

Panda Express

Balanced Protein Plates (Source: Panda Express)

Meanwhile, Panda Express is making itself a great spot to visit for healthier food options. The fast food chain continues to be creative with its existing menu items, offering something that’s both new and familiar. Say hello to Panda Express’ Balanced Protein Plates! Protein is crucial for muscle maintenance and growth, as well as curbing those food cravings. So with these new offerings from Panda Express, it would be easier for you to get a balanced protein intake.

There are five protein plates available on Panda Express menu, each one containing a combination of signature entrees and sides. Panda Express also partnered with Kylie Sakaida MS, RD, also known as @nutritionbykylie, to design the Balanced Protein Plates and make sure they meet various lifestyle goals and dietary needs. Let’s take a look at what each plate contains:

Bold & Flavorful Plate – This plate includes Black Pepper Sirloin Steak with Super Greens and Kung Pao Chicken, giving you 45 grams of protein.
Double Protein Plate – This plate contains Half White Rice and Half Super Greens, plus double Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, giving you 76 grams of protein.
Harmonious Macros Plate – This plate includes Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, plus Broccoli Beef with Super Greens, giving you 57 grams of protein.
Power Packed Plate – This plate contains Broccoli Beef with Super Greens and Black Pepper Sirloin Steak, giving you 43 grams of protein.
Protein & Fiber Plate – This plate includes Kung Pao Chicken with Super Greens and String Bean Chicken, giving you 38 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber.

Try These New Drinks from Popular Fast Food Chains and Cafes

This year is also a great time to elevate your drink game. Whether you’re craving something new or sweet, you’ll find many options from fast food chains and coffee shops. These new drink creations and treats are meant to refresh your day and make it a little sweeter. Read on to unlock new flavors!

Andy’s Frozen Custard

Cookie Butter Concrete (Source: Andy’s Frozen Custard)

Beginning January 1, 2025, Andy’s Frozen Custard will be serving Cookie Butter Crunch Concrete. If you think cookie butter straight from the jar is already delicious, wait until you try this new dessert in town! The Cookie Butter Crunch Concrete is made with vanilla frozen custard, blended with Biscoff cookie crumbles and Biscoff cookie butter. This sweet treat is available for a limited time only.

Baskin-Robbins

Another cinnamon-flavored treat that you can get cozy with is Baskin-Robbins’ dreamy Cinnamon Roll Milkshake. According to the brand, their Cinnamon Roll is made with cinnamon-roll flavored ice cream, combined with dough pieces and swirls of cinnamon cream cheese. Cinnamon Roll is Baskin-Robbin’s flavor of the month for January.

Del Taco

Over at Del Taco, there are three new drinks waiting for you. First up is Dragon Fruit Blueberry Sprite Poppers, made with Sprite over ice, with real dragon fruit pieces and blueberry fruit boba. There’s also Dragon Fruit Blueberry Lemonade Poppers, which uses Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade over ice, and the Dragon Fruit Blueberry Shake Poppers, made with vanilla shake and mix-ins of dragon fruit pieces and blueberry fruit boba. Any of these would be a great pair with savory fast food meals from Del Taco!

Dunkin’

Dunkin’ menu also got bigger and better with the arrival of three new drinks: Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso, Lava Cake Latte, and Lava Cake Coffee. Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso is looking like the most popular among the three new options, since it’s made in collaboration with pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter. The drink features two shots of espresso, brown sugar syrup, and oatmilk. Meanwhile, the two other drinks both feature lava cake swirl, promising a heavenly, chocolatey flavor for Dunkin’ fans.

Dutch Bros

Dutch Bros has also flexed its innovative muscles this new year, and it’s evident in its new drinks that combine cereals and espresso! If you’re looking for something unique for breakfast, this could be it. There are two new flavors to try: Cinnamon Swirl and Marshmallow Dream. The former features Cinnamon Sugar-flavored espresso, while the latter uses marshmallow cereal-flavored espresso. Both are served with soft top and additional toppings.

Jack in the Box

At Jack in the Box, you can find refreshing new lemonade drinks. There’s the Classic Lemonade Tea infusion with Bursting Boba, made with 50% lemonade, 50% freshly brewed tea, and strawberry bursting boba. The other variation is called Lemon Razz Lemonade Tea infusion, featuring a combination of raspberry and lemon flavors poured over strawberry bursting boba.

Planet Smoothie

Need something fruity? Look no further than the new smoothies from Planet Smoothie! There are three new options to try that banana lovers will surely enjoy:

Banana Pudding JELL-O – Made with real bananas, banana cream pudding, oatmilk, vanilla wafers, nonfat milk, vanilla, and frozen yogurt.
Banana Berry Split JELL-O – Made with vanilla wafers, real bananas, strawberries, banana cream pudding, frozen yogurt, oatmilk, and vanilla.
Banana Mud Pie JELL-O – Made with banana cream pudding, real bananas, oatmilk, frozen yogurt, and OREO cookies.

Starbucks

Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado (Source: Starbucks)

Starbucks also started the new year with a bang by introducing a new drink called Cortado. This drink that is of Spanish origin features three ristretto shots of Blonde Espresso and steamed milk of your choice. There’s also a more flavorful and non-dairy variation of it called Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado. It’s made with three ristretto shots of Blonde espresso, brown sugar syrup, steamed oatmilk, and a dash cinnamon.

From The Club

These fast food chains have their own way of ringing in the new year, and Krispy Kreme and Starbucks easily won my heart! I just love the look of those crazy good doughnuts, and I’m betting they taste good, too! Also eyeing that Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado to keep me warm this winter season. Also, can I just say that Panda Express is so innovative for making those balanced protein plates? They didn’t have to create new menu items, but they still delivered in terms of quality, taste, and nutrition!

Where ya hungry?