The 35 Best New Fast Food Items in 2024
The great thing about fast food, aside from the convenience and taste, is that chains are always coming with novel dishes like these new fast food items in 2024. Whether you’re a lover of burgers or fried chicken, or prefer something sweet, these fast food chains have something for everyone.
If you're anything like us, you'll love trying new things — from brand-new concepts to evolutions of long-established classics. And since we're exploring the topic anyway (researching for a friend), we figured we might as well share with you 35 of the best new fast food items.
Jump to Section
35 Best New Fast Food Items in 2024
1. Arby's Chicken Wraps
Popular fast food joint Arby’s opened in 1964 in Ohio and since then, it has grown to over 3,000 restaurants across the U.S. Beloved for its slow-roasted beef sandwiches, this fast food giant has added a new fast food item in 2024 to the menu.
The crispy chicken wraps are a new and exciting addition to the menu this year, as they’re a perfect size for a quick protein-packed snack. You can expect a soft flour tortilla stuffed with a juicy fried chicken tender and your choice of sauces like Parmesan peppercorn ranch, honey mustard and barbecue.
2. KFC's Chizza
KFC made a big announcement that it was bringing back its global bestseller item as a new fast food item. The Chizza, which replaces a traditional pizza dough base with two crispy fried chicken filets, was originally introduced in 2015 in the Philippines before becoming a global favorite.
This year, the U.S. will get to try the Chizza for the first time. Nick Chavez, CMO of KFC US, said in a press release, “The fan-favorite mash-up is finally available in the U.S. after making its way around the world. Try it while you can!”
3. KFC's Saucy Nuggets
This fast food is easily recognizable worldwide and has been a favorite for Americans since its founding back in 1952. KFC is known for its evolving and exciting menu and this new fast food item is an example.
This year KFC has released its hand-breaded chicken nuggets with five different sauces including two returning flavors: Nashville Hot and Georgia Gold. Chicken lovers will be excited to try the new Sticky Chicky sweet and sour sauce, Korean barbecue and honey sriracha sauce.
4. Wendy’s Cinnabon Pull-Apart
Wendy’s, which opened its doors in 1969, is well-known for its square hamburgers and range of delicious toppings, and chances are, you already have a favorite, go-to order. But hold that thought, because there’s a new fast food item on the menu that's sure to compete for your affection.
Wendy’s has upgraded its chicken nuggets to saucy nuggets. Now, you can enjoy the crispy fried chicken nuggets in your favorite sauce. Customers have seven delicious sauces to choose from, including a side of blue cheese ranch.
5. Chick-Fil-A's Cherry Berry Drinks
During spring this year, Chick-fil-A, which is well-known for delicious chicken sandwiches, introduced a range of bright and bubbly cherry drinks as a new fast food item.
This range of drinks comes in a combination of refreshing flavors made with berries, like Cherry Berry sweet tea, Cherry Berry lemonade and the Cherry Berry Sunjoy which is a delicious combination of lemonade and tea.
6. Little Caesars' Crazy Puffs
Looking for an interesting new fast food item? Little Caesar's crazy puffs should be your next choice. This pizza chain, which was established in 1959, serves some cheesy and delicious pizzas.
Released in March, these muffin-sized pizza bites with crispy edges come with cheese or pepperoni with a delicious garlic butter drizzle.
7. Panera's CinnaScramble
When you think of all things bread, you think of Panera Bread. The chain's latest new fast food item will have you rushing to your nearest location.
The sausage CinnaScramble is one of the best fast food breakfasts. Released in June, you can enjoy a warm cinnamon roll filled with cheese scrambled egg and a savory sausage.
8. Panera's CinnaTops
Another new fast food item that Panera Bread has introduced is its CinnaTops. This delightful cinnamon roll comes glazed with decadent icing and a topping of your choice from things like a candy cookie, chocolate brownie and fudgy brownie.
9. Burger King's Chicken Philly Royal Crispy Wrap
Another new fast food item popular burger fast food giant Burger King is the chicken Philly Royal crispy wrap.
This soft flour tortilla is stuffed with fried chicken breast, Swiss cheese, roasted peppers and onions. If you leave out the sauce, it makes for a great low-calorie fast food option.
10. Burger King's Philly Melt
This famous American burger fast food joint is celebrating its 70th birthday and has actually added a number of new fast food items that are all worth a try.
With two beef patties covered in Swiss cheese, roasted peppers, onions and Royal sauce, the Philly melt has got to be one of the best fast food burgers around.
11. Pizza Hut's Cheeseburger Melt
Pizza Hut is known for its iconic pizzas worldwide, and it recently added a new fast food item. Give a warm welcome to the cheeseburger melt! This delicious Parmesan-crust thin crust wraps around beef, bacon, two cheeses and onions with a burger sauce to dip into.
12. Jimmy John's Firecracker Wrap
Another new fast food item that you need to try is the Firecracker wrap from Jimmy John’s. This bright red wrap is stuffed with spicy ghost pepper cheese, turkey, salami, garlic aioli and Jimmy peppers. The tortilla wrap is infused with red jalapeño for a fun but fiery appearance.
13. Taco Bell's Big Cheez-It Items
Since 1962, Taco Bell has become a staple fast food restaurant in the U.S. and with a range of new fast food items to try, it's a trend that's set to continue.
Included in these are Taco Bell's range of Big Cheez-It items. Choose from the Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme, which swaps the wrap for a crispy Cheez-It cracker, or the Big Cheez-It tostada.
14. McDonald's Grandma McFlurry
Of course, we had to include McDonald’s on our list because this fast food mega-giant is known for its ever-evolving and creative menu. McDonald’s Grandma McFlurry is one of the best new fast food items, doubling up as one of the best fast food desserts.
Inside the cute pink cup are swirls of vanilla ice cream with creamy butterscotch syrup, all topped with crushed candy pieces.
15. Dairy Queen's Parmesan Garlic Sauced and Tossed Chicken Strip Basket
While Dairy Queen is famous for its ice cream delights, it does dabble in the world of savory bites, and if you love chicken, the sauce-tossed chicken strip basket is a new fast food item that you absolutely have to try.
Enjoy crispy fried chicken strips that have been tossed into a sticky and sweet honey barbecue sauce.
16. Hardee's Hand-Breaded Chicken Tender Wraps
This Southern and Midwestern fast food restaurant has introduced hand-breaded chicken tender wraps as a new fast food item, and for good reason.
Hardee’s actually introduced three chicken wraps to the menu. These include the ranch tender wrap, the honey mustard wrap and the spicy tender wrap — perfect for those who like their chicken with a kick.
17. Dunkin' Green Goddess Wrap
Dunkin’, which used to be known as Dunkin’ Donuts before 2019, has added a new fast food item to its menu: a green goddess wrap. This healthy wrap made up of egg whites, farro, spinach, feta, sun-dried tomatoes and secret green goddess dressing. This is also one of the best vegetarian fast food options.
18. Panera's Sourdough Melts
Again we have another new fast food item from Panera Bread, this time in the form of two new sourdough melt flavors. The first features applewood-smoked bacon with avocado, cheese and chipotle aioli. The second comes with smoked chicken, gouda cheese, red onion, cilantro and chipotle aioli.
19. Papa John's Crispy Cuppy 'Roni
The fourth largest pizza fast food restaurant in the U.S., Papa John's regularly changes its menu, so it should be no surprise it's featured on this list! The chain's Crispy Cuppy ‘roni is a new fast food item that offers pizza lovers a new take on the classic pepperoni. This new pizza topping features thick-cut pepperoni that cups and crisps around the edges when it cooks.
20. Pizza Hut My Hut Box
Stuck on choosing one thing to eat at Pizza Hut? Well, this pizza giant has come up with a new fast food item that will solve your dilemma: the My Hutbox.
From this year, customers can now create their own meals at affordable prices. Pair two personal pan pizzas with boneless wings or fries, and for those who don’t want pizza, swap it out for a cheesy melt.
21. Krispy Kreme's Biscoff Doughnuts
Name a better duo than sweet Biscoff cookies and a Krispy Kreme doughnut. You probably can’t. The Biscoff doughnut is a new fast food item that comes in three delicious variations. Choose from the Biscoff cookie butter cheesecake, the chocolate iced doughnut with Biscoff cookie crunch and a classic iced doughnut with indulgent Biscoff icing.
22. Popeyes' Golden BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Founded in 1972 with a focus on Louisiana flavor, this fast food restaurant is known for its chicken and biscuits, with a menu full of timeless, long-term classics that regulars return for time and time again. However, like every other chain on this list, it likes to keep things fresh, which is why it added a new fast food item to the menu: the crispy golden BBQ chicken sandwich.
This new sandwich consists of a buttermilk battered chicken breast, pickles and a tangy barbecue and honey mustard sauce, and while you may be tempted to stick the classics that you know and love, trust us: your taste buds will love this new addition.
23. Taco Bell's Churro Chillers
While Taco Bell is known for its Mexican food, this new fast food item is actually designed to wash it down! it Introducing the Churro Chiller — a cup of smooth ice cream with caramel, perfect cold foam and crunchy, sugary churro bites. You can choose from four exciting flavors.
24. Dave’s Hot Chicken Cauliflower Sliders
Despite being called a hot chicken sandwich, you will be surprised to know that this new fast food item has no meat in it. While it may look like a piece of crispy fried chicken breast, it’s actually cauliflower served with a delicious sauce and pickles. If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll definitely want to try it.
25. Red Lobster's Crispy Salt & Vinegar Shrimp
Casual dining chain Red Lobster was first opened in 1968 and has been serving shrimp all day, every day since. The crispy salt and vinegar shrimp is one of its newest fast food items, and it's already proving a hit.
Available from January this year, diners can enjoy an endless supply of the tangy and crispy shrimp dipped in their favorite sauce.
26. Papa John’s Calzone Papa Bites
Pizzas the size of your finger? Surely not. Well, that’s what this popular pizza chain is offering thanks to this new fast food item. Since January, Papa John’s has been offering calzone bites made up of ricotta, mozzarella, green peppers, sausage and pepperoni. They’re perfect as a snack or as an accompaniment to your main meal.
27. Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers' Pretzel Bacon BBQ Steakburger
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers recently announced a new fast food item: the return of its pretzel bacon BBQ steakburger, with the additional option of swapping out beef for chicken. Made with two beef patties, American cheese, bacon and onion on a toasted pretzel bun with a smokey bourbon barbecue sauce, it's fair to say that it's back by popular demand.
Laura Rueckel, chief marketing officer of the brand said this, “Our Pretzel Bacon BBQ Steakburger was such a hit with guests last year that we brought it back with different options.”
28. Shake Shack's Korean BBQ Burger
Earlier this year, Shake Shack announced a new South Korean-inspired menu, which includes a new fast food item in the form of a Korean BBQ burger. An Angus beef patty comes doused in Korean barbecue sauce, built with crispy onions, fresh scallions and cheese on a toasted potato bun.
29. Subway's Lavash Wraps
Over at Subway, its Middle Eastern lavash-style flatbread wraps are causing a stir among those seeking the best new fast food items. Subway fans can look forward to trying all four of the new flavors, including the homestyle chicken salad, honey mustard chicken, Caprese and oven-roasted turkey with bacon and avocado.
30. Taco Bell's Secret Aardvark Nacho Fries
French fries from this Mexican fast food restaurant may seem unlikely, but this new fast food item is becoming a new favorite. Taco Bell has partnered with hot sauce company Aardvark to create the Aardvark nacho fries.
Enjoy a blend of spicy Serrabanero ranch sauce, seasoned fries, slow-roasted chicken, cheese, sour cream and pico de gallo.
31. White Castle's Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders
Looking for new fast food items at White Castle? This new sandwich features crispy chicken sliders topped with savory hickory-smoked bacon and the chain’s special ranch sauce. Don’t forget to add a side of fries.
32. Hardee's Blueberry Biscuits
Another new fast food item that Hardee’s has added to the menu is blueberry biscuits. These biscuits have blueberry bits baked in and come topped with a deliciously sweet icing.
33. Panda Express' Hot Orange Chicken
Popular American and Chinese cuisine expert Panda Express is heating things up in the kitchen with the hot orange chicken dish. This new fast food item is a spiced-up version of the chain's popular orange chicken with added chiles.
34. Jack in the Box's Cube's Munchie Meal
Jack in the Box is well-loved across the West Coast and this new fast food item is a testament to why. New this year, the chain has teamed up with Ice Cube to create the all-new Cube's Munchie Meal.
This box is filled with a delicious taco, curly fries, mini churros, a soft drink and the returning Chick-N-Tater Melt — a fried chicken sandwich with crispy hash browns, cheese, bacon and ranch sauce stuffed into a croissant.
35. Burger King's Birthday Pie Slice
If you’re trying out the Philly melt burger and the chicken wrap at Burger King, you may as well add a slice of birthday pie to round it all of. To mark the burger giant's birthday and help sweeten the occasion, the birthday pie slice is a new fast food item that's sure to appeal to sweet-tooths. Enjoy a slice of birthday cake-flavored pie with a sweet cookie crust, and thank us later for the suggestion.
Our favorite fast food chains are always updating, upgrading and adding delicious new dishes to their menus. It's all part of the fast food magic, adding a layer of excitement and adventure to each and every visit. This list of the latest new fast food items has something to tempt everyone, meaning that whether you like seafood, sweet treats, veggie options or meat, all you need to do is decide which you'll try first.
For even more ways to explore your favorite foods, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Join the conversation.