11 Restaurant Chains Launching Exciting New Menu Items In March

Every fast-food joint and chain restaurant has its staple food items that are always on the menu, like McDonald's famous Big Mac and Outback Steakhouse's iconic Bloomin' Onion appetizer. But if you frequent these types of chains, then you've probably noticed that they're always expanding their food and drink selections with exciting new options. These newbies don't always stick around forever, but they do give customers something different to try if they want to branch out from their go-to orders.

Major restaurant brands like Starbucks, Burger King, Cracker Barrel, Taco Bell, and others have already announced a myriad of items that are hitting menus in March, including returning favorites and some brand-new options.

We've rounded up 11 of the chains launching new foods and beverages this month below so customers know where to look if they're craving something new. But just keep in mind that restaurant chains debut new products practically every day, so keep an eye out for other new items hitting menus at your favorite eateries later in March!

Starbucks

Starbucks launched two brand-new lavender drinks on March 7, the first-ever beverages to feature the floral flavor at the coffee chain. The first is an Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha that's topped with a lavender cream cold foam. The second is an Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte that features Starbucks Blonde Espresso, oat milk, ice, and notes of sweet lavender. Customers can also customize other drinks on the Starbucks menu to add the lavender flavor.

These beverages will only be available for a limited time, so don't wait too long before heading over to your local Starbucks if you're interested in sampling them.

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Playa Bowls

Playa Bowls, a chain that specializes in smoothie bowls, smoothies, juices, and cold brew, just launched a new permanent line of mango-based bowls on March 4.

The mango menu includes four new options all made with sweet Alphonso Mangos sourced from India:

• Goldie Mango: a mango base topped with blueberry flax granola, banana, strawberry, and Nutella.
• Mucho Mango: a mango base topped with blueberry flax granola, banana, pineapple, coconut flakes, and honey.
• Mango Berry: a mango base topped with blueberry flax granola, strawberry, blueberry, and honey.
• Mango Power: a mango base blended with vanilla protein and topped with blueberry flax granola, banana, and peanut butter.

To celebrate the launch, Playa is offering a $3 discount off any Mango Bowl through today, March 8. The offer can be redeemed in stores, online, or through the app.

Burger King

March is shaping up to be a big month for Burger King. The chain just added a new option to its line of Royal Crispy Wraps for the first time since it launched the lineup in August 2023. The new addition, a limited-edition Fiery Buffalo Royal Crispy Wrap, features a crispy white meat chicken breast fillet that's coated in a spicy buffalo glaze and creamy buffalo sauce and then wrapped inside a warm tortilla with lettuce and tomato. Another new item, Fiery Nuggets coated in a spicy buffalo glaze, hit menus alongside the wrap on March 7.

Earlier this week, Burger King also introduced a new Po's Panda Sundae to celebrate the film "Kung Fu Panda 4" hitting theaters on March 8. The sundae comes with creamy vanilla soft-serve topped with Oreo crumbles and chocolate syrup. It'll only be available while supplies last, so don't wait too long to grab one if you're interested. Customers can also snag six limited-edition King Jr. Meal toys depicting characters from the animated movie, plus two unique crowns inspired by the film.

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Taco Bell

A whole new Cantina Chicken Menu will debut at Taco Bell restaurants nationwide on March 21. The menu revolves around a new type of oven-roasted chicken that's shredded and seasoned with savory Mexican spices. Taco Bell will feature that chicken in five brand-new menu items: a Cantina Chicken Burrito, Cantina Chicken Soft Taco, Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco, Cantina Chicken Quesadilla, and Cantina Chicken Bowl.

The Cantina Chicken Menu will also introduce several new ingredients to Taco Bell's stores, including purple cabbage, pico de gallo, a white corn taco shell, and an Avocado Verde Salsa packet.

Taco Bell Global Chief Food Innovation Officer Liz Matthews told Eat This, Not That! in a recent interview that while the Cantina Chicken menu "can be great for dinner," she believes it will resonate especially with the lunch crowd.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers announced some exciting news for its younger cohort of fans on March 7. The chain just launched brand-new kids meals with several child-friendly options, including a single cheeseburger, hot dog, and chicken tenders with a side choice of shoestring fries or applesauce. Children can also now choose from even more beverage options to wash down their kids meals, such as individually packaged 1% milk, 1% chocolate milk, and apple juice. Additionally, the meals come with interactive toys like stickers, games, puzzles, and board books.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

On Feb. 28, the chain also debuted a new dessert for customers of any age: a Twix Salted Caramel Concrete. Available through May 7 at Freddy's locations nationwide, the treat features vanilla frozen custard that's blended with chopped Twix bars, crushed pretzels, and caramel sauce, then topped with whipped cream and more crushed pretzels.

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Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons is ushering in the start of spring with a fresh selection of food and beverages, including brand-new items and some returning favorites.

The new items include an iced Berry Cherry Refresher and a croissant filled with Nutella and sweet whipped cream. The returning options include a Hazelnut Mocha Iced Capp topped with Nutella, a Hazelnut Mocha Latte topped with Nutella (available hot or iced), an Easter Egg Donut, and an Easter Spring Donut.

The Tim Hortons spring menu items debuted at the end of February, but you can still sample them at participating locations this March.

Cracker Barrel

Tim Hortons isn't the only chain rolling out an exciting new menu for spring. Cracker Barrel just dropped three new seasonal menu items that are available through May 5: Golden Carolina BBQ Chicken Tenders coated in a sweet and tangy sauce, a Sweet Cherry Spritzer, and Country Cherry Lemonade.

Additionally, the southern-themed restaurant chain is bringing back its premade Easter meals for customers who don't want to spend too much time in their kitchens on the March 31 holiday. This year's options include a Heat n' Serve French Toast Bake, Hot n' Ready Easter Ham and Turkey Family Dinner, an Easter Ham Heat n' Serve Family Dinner, and Prime Rib Heat n' Serve Family Dinner. Customers can check out the full list of take-home Easter meal options on the Cracker Barrel website and place their orders ahead of time.

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Hardee's

Following a successful debut in 2023, Hardee's just brought back its popular Philly Cheesesteak Angus Burger and Philly Cheesesteak Breakfast Burrito on March 6.

The burger comes with a quarter-pound Angus beef patty topped with thinly sliced ribeye, fire-roasted onions and peppers, melty American and Swiss cheese, and mayo on a toasted potato bun. Meanwhile, the breakfast burrito features egg, thinly sliced ribeye, fire-roasted onions and peppers, and melty cheese wrapped inside a warm tortilla. Both will only be available while supplies last.

Alongside the returning burger and wrap, Hardee's also just launched brand-new breakfast wraps that come in four varieties: Sausage Egg and Cheese; Bacon Egg and Cheese; Egg and Cheese; and Sausage Egg and Gravy.

Members of Hardee's loyalty program can score a $2 discount on any cheesesteak combo with an in-app offer for a limited time. Customers can also mix and match the new breakfast wraps with a two for $5 deal, according to a press release.

Dutch Bros

One of America's fastest-growing coffee chains, Dutch Bros, just launched brand-new Poppin' Boba at all of its shops nationwide on March 1. The boba come in vanilla honey and strawberry flavors and can be added to a variety of drinks on the Dutch Bros menu. The chain has also launched four new signature beverages featuring the sweet new additions:

• Poppin' Boba Vanilla Freeze: blended vanilla coffee with vanilla honey boba.
• Poppin' Boba Caramel Chai: caramel chai with vanilla honey boba.
• Poppin' Boba Fire Lizard Rebel: Dutch Bros' Rebel energy drink mixed with strawberry and tropical fruit flavors with strawberry boba.
• Poppin' Boba Lemonade: blackberry lemonade with strawberry boba.

The Poppin' Boba will only be available for a limited time through April 30.

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The Habit Burger Grill

The Habit Burger Grill may not be the first chain that comes to mind when you're craving tacos, but that could change thanks to an exciting new item that just launched at the burger chain.

The Habit has introduced new Charburger Tacos that feature a chargrilled beef patty layered with melted American cheese, caramelized onions, pickles, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a drizzle of spicy red pepper sauce. These flavorful components are all served on a tortilla rather than a traditional bun.

Unfortunately for taco fans who don't live on the West Coast, the Charburger Tacos are currently only being served at select locations in Southern California. But customers can hope that the limited launch is successful enough for the burger chain to give them a wider rollout in the future.

Carl's Jr.

Though they didn't technically debut in March, Carl's Jr. expanded its menu with a couple of new additions right at the end of February that fans can still sample this month. On Feb. 28, the chain debuted a new Spicy Breakfast Burger and Spicy Western Bacon Burger, both of which are new twists on its classic Western Bacon Cheeseburger.

The Spicy Breakfast Burger comes with a charbroiled beef patty, jalapeño coins, bacon, egg, pepper jack cheese, Hash Rounds, and ketchup on a seeded bun. The Spicy Western Bacon Burger features a charbroiled beef patty, jalapeño coins, two strips of bacon, melted pepper jack, crispy onion rings, and tangy BBQ sauce on a seeded bun. Both will only be available for a limited time, so don't wait too long to try them if they've piqued your interest.

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