Pickles, cookies and beef trend in new limited-time offers

A meaty baked lasagna stars on the fall/winter menu at North Italia. | Photos courtesy of the brands.

New limited-time offers are hitting chain restaurant menus this week, offering diners a mixed bag of flavors and ingredients. Innovative spins on cookies, tacos, beef and pickles are topping the trends, but we’re also getting some early glimpses of holiday menus.

Pickle LTOs launch at Jimmy John’s. 

The Picklewich is back at Jimmy John’s in six sandwich builds. Guests can choose from turkey, ham, roast beef, veggie and Vito—an Italian combo of provolone, salami and capocollo. New on the chain’s pickle front is Pickle Ranch, a pickle-flavored dipping sauce to pair with one of the sandwiches or Jimmy’s Pickle Chips, also returning for a limited time. The value-packed Triple Pickle Meal includes a Picklewich, Jimmy Pickle Chips and Pickle Ranch for about $8.49.

Cheese and Mac returns to Culver’s on Nov. 3. The comforting side features pasta coated in creamy cheddar cheese sauce and topped with shredded cheddar. The LTO runs through Dec. 28.

A cookie inspired by a breakfast favorite launches Monday at Potbelly. The limited-time French Toast Cookie, baked in-house at each of the fast casual’s locations, spotlights the flavors of maple and cinnamon. It’s positioned to be an add-on to sandwich orders or a sweet snack on its own.

Chip City is celebrating the flavor of fall’s apples with the debut of its Crisp Apple Fritter Cookie. The sugar cookie is spiced with cinnamon, mixed with glazed donuts and topped with apple pie filling and vanilla icing. The cookie chain partnered with Bloom Sparkling Energy Drink, an apple-flavored refresher, on the limited-edition cookie, which is available through Friday.  

A beverage-inspired apple cookie at Chip City. 

Braised beef is the latest protein to join the lineup at Naya, the Lebanese-inspired fast-casual bowl concept. It stars in the Braised Beef Bowl with Pita Crunch, a layering of slow-cooked beef shoulder, seasoned with tomato and Middle Eastern spices, on a brown rice and lentil base, with red pepper hummus, crisp greens, cabbage slaw, tomatoes and pita chips. The bowl sells for $14.99 and will remain on the menu through early 2026. 

Brisket is back at Taco Cabana, starring in Brisket Mac & Spicy Queso Blanco, Brisket & Egg Breakfast Tacos, a Brisket Taco with BBQ Sauce and a Brisket Melt Taco with Spicy Queso Blanco and Peppers; prices range from $3.79 to $4.99. The brisket is hickory-smoked and slow-cooked for 16 hours for extra tenderness and flavor. Also launching for a limited time is Enchilada Soup, a mix of chicken, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, peppers and jalapeños, and Strawberry Margarita Pie. On the beverage side is the Strawberries & Cream Cabana Refresher. All are available for a limited time.

Taco Cabana goes all in on brisket. 

North Italia’s seasonal menu is big on meaty items, too. Sunday Night Lasagna is made with braised short rib and Italian sausage; Italian Short Rib Lumache is a hearty entrée flavored with grana Padano crema, horseradish gremoloto and herbed breadcrumbs; and Prime New York Steak Tagliata with wild arugula and shaved grana Padano puts steak front and center. The fall and winter brunch menu features a Morning Market Board filled with caramelized onion frittata, burrata, shaved asparagus and arugula salad, heirloom cherry tomatoes and hearth bread. Other new additions are House-Made Focaccia and Salted Caramel Budino for dessert.

In more meaty news, a Grilled Steak Sandwich and a Black & Bleu Salad with sliced steak highlight the limited-time menu at Newk’s Eatery. In addition, ground beef is the featured protein in Newk’s Beef Chili, Chili Taco Salad and Chili Mac and Cheese; the beef is simmered with tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, mushrooms, chili powder and a touch of wine for the chain’s signature chili. Also on offer is a Pepperoni and Portabella Pizza, PB & Chocolate Cake and New York Cheesecake with Strawberry Puree.

Fall means the rollout of the limited-time Frito Pie Dilla at Dillas Quesadillas. The signature combines chili cheese Fritos corn chips, seasoned ground beef, a Hatch chili queso drizzle and red onions, all packed into a grilled tortilla. The LTO runs through Nov. 27 in two sizes; Regular ($10.49) or Gorilla ($13.49.)

A Braised Short Rib Plate prepared with red wine shallot sauce returns to the menu at Tender Greens to welcome colder weather. The fast casual’s seasonal menu also includes a new Filipino-influenced Adobo Chicken Bowl, a combo of braised chicken in adobo sauce, sushi rice, marinated soy egg and crispy chicken skin. A California Bowl with roasted butternut squash salsa and the Fall/Winter Harvest Salad topped with caramelized onions and goat cheese complete the lineup.

Earlier this month, Long John Silver’s released a new logo featuring a chicken, reminding customers that it serves more than seafood. Now the chain is expanding its chicken options with the introduction of Crispy Chicken Wraps in two bold flavors: Baja and Sweet Chili. The wraps start with the brand’s battered Chicken Planks enclosed in a warm tortilla with cole slaw, Crumblies—pieces of crispy fried batter—and a choice of Baja or Sweet Chil sauce. LJS’s limited-time menu also includes the return of Mac and Cheese topped with Crumblies and Red Velvet Cheesecake. 

Long John Silver’s expands its chicken selection with new wraps. 

Grilled Tender Bites debuted on the permanent menu at Huey Magoo’s, the growing Orlando, Florida-based chicken tender chain. The high-protein Bites are made from the chicken tenderloin and can be ordered in several salads or on their own as a snack or add-on.

Saturday marks the rollout of Caribou Coffee’s 2025 holiday menu. New this year are a Cranberry Dark Chocolate Crafted Press blended with cream or milk and sugar, and a Spicy Mocha Espresso Shaker, a blend of ancho chili, cinnamon and espresso. Returning are favorite beverages such as Ho Ho Mint Mocha, Cranberry Dark Chocolate Espresso Shaker, Cranberry Energy Drink with Coconutmilk Cold Foam and Spicy Mocha. There’s also a selection of sweet and savory treats, including Chocolate Truffle Brownie, French Toast Sandwich and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin. 

Dirty Dough is expanding its cookie menu in new directions with the addition of Bars, Cinnamon Rolls and Waffle Bites. The Bars include Fluffernutter, Coffee Cake, Mississippi Mud and Raspberry Crumble, while the Cinnamon Rolls come in varieties like Blueberry Cobbler, Coco Nutty, Cookies n’ Milk and Maple Bacon. Waffle Bites are available in Churro, Funnel Cake, Nutella M&Ms and Peanut Butter Sundae flavors.  

Matcha debuts as a new base at Oakberry. 

Acai-focused Oakberry is turning some attention to matcha as the next base to layer in its signature cups. Crafted in house, the chain’s matcha recipe is a blend of coconut milk, water, matcha and agave. It can be layered with a choice of toppings, just like the concept’s acai. Oakberry’s matcha lattes and smoothies have proven popular with customers.

Cookie brand Biscoff and bubble tea concept Gong Cha have formed a partnership to bring three new drinks to the menu. There’s Biscoff Milk Tea with Pearls + Milk Foam, Biscoff Milk Tea Smoothie + Milk Foam, and Hot Biscoff Milk Te4a + Milk Foam, all featuring a Biscoff Cookie Butter and Crumb Topping to impart that characteristic caramelized flavor. The drinks are available from Nov. 4 through Dec. 31. 

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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.

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