• by Teresa Buyikian , January 12, 2024

Post-holiday, here’s just the beginning of the slew of of new winter menu items and store openings.

Menus

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse introduces Cinnamon Roll Pizookie to its dessert menu, now available at all locations. Made with four cinnamon rolls, cream cheese icing, vanilla bean ice cream and hot caramel sauce, the dish is the latest addition to the chain’s Pizookie line.

Cold Stone Creamery is celebrating Valentine’s Day early with a few new sweets until Feb. 20. Fudge Truffle ice cream and Mike's Hot Honey ice cream are available in various promotional creation sundaes, such as Falling in Chocolate, which contains Fudge Truffle ice cream, brownie, fudge and whipped topping; or the For the Love of Hot Honey, which contains Mike's Hot Honey ice cream, brownie, pecans and Mike's Hot Honey. The shop is also offering promotional cakes such as the Fudge Truffle Decadence, which is red velvet cake, Sweet Cream ice cream and Fudge Truffle ice cream with chocolate shavings and fudge ganache.

Blimpie's is adding the Ultimate Roast Beef sandwich to its menu. The sub sandwich chain describes the new item as a “larger portion of Blimpie's premium roast beef, complemented with … lettuce, tomatoes, caramelized onions and horseradish mayo.”

Pete Piper Pizza has added Dippin’ Dots, the beaded ice cream, to its dessert menu. Four flavors will be available through the chain: Rainbow Ice, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cotton Candy and Cookies' n Cream.

Red Lobster has added to its Endless Shrimp offer with a new option, Crispy Salt and Vinegar Shrimp. The dish consists of crispy shrimp with a tangy salt and vinegar flavor served with a side of ranch dressing. The seafood chain also added to its drinks menus with such options as a Coastal Colada, Strawberry Breeze, Green Apple Wave and a Mocha Sea Turtle Frappé.

Zaxby’s is bringing back its Asian Zensation Zalad and egg rolls for a limited time only. The salad features the chain’s fried chicken fingers or grilled chicken on mixed greens, red cabbage, carrots and wonton strips, with Asian slaw and honey sesame teriyaki glaze. It’s served with a citrus vinaigrette dressing and a veggie egg roll.

Locations

Chuck E. Cheese announced this week its expansion into Australia, with what it calls a “reimagined Chuck E. Cheese kid-friendly experience that seamlessly blends its classic offerings with cutting-edge interactive play and activities.”

Taco Bell just unveiled its newest location on State Ave. in Basehor, Kansas, with a grand opening Jan. 11.

White Castle continues to move westward, (beyond its 350 main locations in the Midwest, Kentucky, and Tennessee) with its announced plans to open a third location in Arizona, in the city of Goodyear, later this year.