KANSAS CITY, MO. — Summer menus are quickly filling up with new sandwich options as warmer weather is rolling in.
For the first time, Pizza Hut is entering the burger category with the debut of its cheeseburger melt, which features a Parmesan-crusted thin crust melt, folded and stuffed with beef, applewood-smoked bacon, onions, mozzarella and cheddar, served with burger sauce.
“For the first time ever, we packed everything you know and love about a cheeseburger into our craveable Thin N’ Crispy crust to develop the new cheeseburger melt,” said Rachel Antalek, chief food innovation officer at Pizza Hut. “Unlike a traditional cheeseburger, the cheeseburger melt dips perfectly into what we would argue is the world’s best burger dipping sauce. We challenge you to find a better burger and sauce experience.”
Tapping into the “swicy” trend, Cracker Barrel added several new seasonal menu items, including bee sting chicken tenders and a bee sting chicken sandwich, which are tossed with a spicy honey sauce.
“Cracker Barrel is sweetening the heat this summer with our take on the ‘swicy’ trend,” said Julia Perry, vice president of marketing communications at Cracker Barrel. “Our new bee sting chicken tenders and bee sting chicken sandwich gives taste buds a sweet heat kick from our house-made blend of seven flavors including honey, buffalo and smokey southern seasonings.”
Popeyes launched its latest chicken sandwich in a golden barbecue flavor. The sandwich features a sweet and tangy golden barbecue sauce, a buttermilk-battered chicken breast and pickles, all served on a brioche bun.
“We wanted to create something that reminds our guests why they should love lunchtime,” said Chef Amy Alarcon, vice president of Culinary Innovation at Popeyes. “The Golden BBQ Chicken Sandwich brings a rich combination of sweet and tangy with every bite, perfect for those looking to zest up their midday meal. It’s about bringing a little joy, a little excitement, and a lot of flavor to the table — or the desk, as it may be.”
