The 5 Best Fast Food Releases Of January 2026

There's no denying that fast food prices have been surging over the past few years, to the point where a drive-thru burger and fries, rather than being a quick convenience meal, is practically a splurge. Back when there was more room in our budgets, it might have been fun to go around checking out each new menu offering as it dropped, but now we have to be more discretionary in our spending. For this reason, The Takeout has curated a list for you of the best new fast food items that have come out in 2026. (So far, that is. We realize that the year's still in its infancy.)

Some of the new items have been a bit so-so – Dutch Bros' new breakfast-inspired drinks are, for the most part, pretty meh, while Taco Bell's Volcano Quesarito isn't all that, apart from the sauce. Arby's, KFC, Smashburger, and Starbucks, however, have all introduced new items that are well worth the cost. As some of these are limited-time offers, you may not want to wait too long before checking them out. We won't exhort you to "run; don't walk" to your nearest store, though, as that could be dangerous in this cold weather. If you live next door, a brisk trot will do, but otherwise you're probably better off driving or taking public transportation.

Arby's may have the meats, but it's also got the sweets. In addition to the apple and cherry turnovers already on the dessert menu (and the shakes, if you count those), it recently dropped peach cobbler rolls, which, as the name implies, consist of peaches wrapped in pastry. The filling also consists of a few additional ingredients, those being graham cracker crumbs and bourbon vanilla cream. Prices may vary by location, but if you were to order these rolls in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they would run you $2.99 for a pair. (All subsequent price quotes will also be Milwaukee-based, except where otherwise indicated.)

As for why you might like Arby's Peach Cobbler Rolls, our reviewer found the peach flavor to be sweet and satisfying. They also enjoyed how the soft filling contrasted with an exterior that was crisp rather than soggy, as some fast food pastries tend to be. They detected some cinnamon flavor, too, which gave this dessert an almost apple pie-like quality despite being made with a different fruit. The rolls are smallish, though, so it does take two to satisfy. Still, for a light dessert that's a bit outside the fast food norm, these rolls are well worth trying. One Facebook user, who uses the royal first-person plural, goes so far as to call them: "One of the most delicious desserts we've had in a while!"

Here in Wisconsin, cheese curds are pretty ubiquitous, but outside the Midwest, they're not a super-common side. Culver's, A&W, and Dairy Queen are three nationwide chains that offer them, but these restaurants have recently been joined by a fourth: KFC now sells cheese curds, too. These are available as a stand-alone side costing $3.89 or in a $5 entree called Matty's Cheesy Nuggy Gravy Bowl, which consists of fries topped with cheese curds, chicken nuggets, and brown gravy. (The eponymic "Matty" is Matty Matheson, the Canadian chef who plays Neil Fak on "The Bear," so if you're a fan, that's another reason to try the curds.)

Although this might be interpreted as a treasonous statement in Culver's home state of Wisconsin, which is also the cheese curd capital of the universe, our reviewer preferred KFC's curds over those of its rival. (A&W's and DQ's curds were not featured in this taste test, although some reviewers also favor them over Culver's.) The main reason was that KFC's curds, like those of A&W and DQ, are breaded rather than battered, making for a lighter coating and more cheese flavor. The breading also does a better job at retaining its crispness even as the nuggets cool. Our reviewer also found the cheese to be creamier. 

One Instagram user compares KFC curds to another popular appetizer, saying: "KFC cheese curds taste like mozzarella cheese sticks." Sadly, KFC does not have marinara on the menu, but as any poutine fan will tell you, brown gravy also makes a great dip. Whether you're a cheese curd fan or you just like mozzarella sticks, you'll definitely want to try these so you can see how they stack up against your current favorite.

Smashburger didn't just release one new item, but an entire new "Scorchin'" menu flavored with its chile pepper-garlic Scorchin' Hot seasoning blend. The Scorchin' Cheesy Mac Smashburger is topped with American cheese, Scorchin' Hot mac & cheese, and chipotle mayonnaise, and costs $9.29 for a single patty and $11.79 for a double in Chicago (Milwaukee is Smashburger-less). 

The Scorchin' Cheesy Mac Big Dog ($7.99) is a hot dog topped with the same spicy mac and cheese and chipotle mayonnaise combo. There's also a Scorchin' Chicken Smash burger flavored with the seasoning and topped with pepper jack cheese ($4.99 for a single; $6.99 for a double), as well as a Scorchin' Hot Crispy Chicken Sandwich ($9.69) consisting of Nashville-style chicken tenders on a bun with pickles. The Scorchin' Hot tenders can be ordered without the bun, too — three for $8.49 and five for $9.99. The sides include that same Scorchin' Hot mac & cheese that tops the burgers ($4.99) as well as Scorchin' Hot tater tots ($4.29) and fries ($4.29 for medium; $4.89 for large). You can also get a cup of Scorchin' Hot cheese sauce for $4.99.

So do these Scorchin' Hot items live up to their moniker? Our reviewer characterized them as only moderately spicy, but all the better for allowing you to actually experience flavor rather than pain. They may make you sweat just a bit, but this could help to warm you up in this frigid winter weather. The hot dog seems to provide the best overall experience due to the textural contrast of sausage and gooey topping, but it's also the messiest. The burgers, chicken, and fries are also worth braving the cold, while the sides and sauce make nice add-ons. 

Starbucks reliably drops a new winter menu once the December holiday season is over, and this year was no different. It brought back some returning favorites (pistachio, yay!), but also introduced several drinks inspired by one of 2025's most viral food trends: Dubai chocolate. The iced Dubai chocolate matcha consists of a matcha latte with pistachio sauce topped with chocolate cold foam and a salted brown butter-ish topping, while the iced Dubai chocolate mocha is a chocolate-flavored iced coffee drink with pistachio cold foam and that same brown butter-flavored topping. (The topping contains no actual butter, but is instead made from sugar, corn starch, and salt, and colored with pumpkin, sugar beets, apple, carrot, and hibiscus.) The former is priced between $5.45 and $6.45, depending on size, while the latter costs 50 cents more.

Our reviewer was so taken with the Dubai chocolate drinks that they said both items may become their next go-to order, (until they're replaced by the spring menu, that is). The matcha drink fits better with the brown-and-green Dubai chocolate color scheme, and the sweet pistachio tones down any of the matcha bitterness. The mocha, however, tastes more like the candy bar, as the chocolate-coffee drink is made even tastier by that nutty pistachio layer. Many Facebook users seem to agree, with one praising the matcha, "It is delicious. My new favorite drink," and another saying of the mocha, "It's really rich but good."

In addition to the Dubai chocolate drinks, the Starbucks winter menu also has another surprise: a drink created in collaboration with Mr. Beast, a YouTuber who's closing in on half a billion subscribers. Prior to his Starbucks collab, he also helped launch the snack brand Feastables and the fast food ghost kitchen chain, Mr. Beast Burger. This drink, called the Cannon Ball, was created as part of a promotion for Season 2 of the Prime Video show "Beast Games." It consists of Starbucks lemonade mixed with its caffeinated strawberry acai and mango dragon fruit refreshers and comes garnished with fruit. The drink costs between $5.25 and $5.95, depending on size, and unlike some Starbucks drinks, it is available in the 30-ounce Trenta cups.

Our reviewer found the Cannon Ball to be quite refreshing, with a flavor similar to that of a berry lemonade. It makes a colorful splash, too, which is a plus if you're into posting drink pics. There's also that caffeine boost, which isn't part of the standard lemonade experience, and the dried fruit in the drink adds some fun (if potentially straw-clogging) texture. One Facebook user proclaimed, "It's a 10/10 for me," while another enthused, "Let me just say... IT'S DELICIOUS!! [...] Highly recommend!!"