Review: The Jack In The Box X Hot Ones Collab Is A Straight Firestarter

Hot Ones is gradually becoming a power player in the world of fast food. Panda Express, for example, may have invented its next orange chicken when it debuted a dish called Blazing Bourbon Chicken in collaboration with the Hot Ones brand in November of 2023. Meanwhile, a Popeyes Hot Ones menu brought extreme spice to some Popeyes favorites in September 2025. And, June 2026 saw the debut of a collab between Hot Ones and Jack in the Box, featuring two spicy sandwiches: the Hot Ones Sriracha Curly Fry Burger and the Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt. Also on the menu are loaded fries featuring either sandwich's proprietary sauce and a Hot Ones-branded Munchie Meal, accompanied by a soccer-themed blind box.

I received both new Hot Ones sandwiches from my nearest Jack in the Box in the suburbs of Las Vegas, accompanied by a packet of The Last Dab: Apollo hot sauce, proudly proclaiming its 11/10 spice level, that only the most ambitious guests have braved in some of the best "Hot Ones" interviews of all time. Ahead is a breakdown of each Jack in the Box x Hot Ones burger based on my opinions after trying them, in addition to my thoughts on whether the collab is totally hot or kinda not.

I received my Hot Ones Sriracha Curly Fry Burger and Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt courtesy of Jack in the Box. They were provided to me with the understanding that I would share my honest opinions about them. My order was sent through a delivery service by a Jack in the Box representative remotely, so no one from the company's corporate side was there in person to affect the order one way or another.

When tasting my Jack in the Box x Hot Ones items, I first ate about half of the Hot Ones Sriracha Curly Fry Burger before switching to my Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt, of which I also ate about half. Then I had a couple bites of each sandwich with some added Hot Ones The Last Dab: Apollo hot sauce. Finally, with the spice of the Last Dab sauce lingering, I finished both sandwiches. My assessments of both items are based entirely on this experience.

Recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Pretty much immediately upon my first bite of my Sriracha Curly Fry Burger, I noticed there was a lot going on. The chain is known for maximalism, which was apparent, for instance, in the Jack in the Box Really Big Chicken Sandwich Quad, which was outrageous to a fault. My Sriracha Curly Fry Burger, however, was outrageous in the best of ways — each of its disparate components added up to a whole that was greater than the sum of its parts.

All at once, each bite of my Sriracha Curly Fry Burger consisted of seasoned beef, creamy sriracha sauce, spicy jalapeño, and smoky bacon. Its curly fries didn't do much for the overall flavor underneath those bold elements, but they did add a nice textural contrast, heightened by some particularly crunchy jalapeño slices. The biggest caveat I would add to my enjoyment of the Sriracha Curly Fry Burger is that its spice level was merely moderate. Most of its spice came from the jalapeño slices, but the way their sharp flavor accented the creamy, peppery character of the sriracha sauce was nice, even if their level of spice was just a tad lacking. That said, I didn't really love the Sriracha Curly Fry Burger with the addition of my Hot Ones The Last Dab: Apollo hot sauce, since its extreme spice pretty much entirely covered up the sandwich's flavor, which I had enjoyed quite a bit.

The Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt is a new, Hot Ones take on Jack in the Box's cult classic Chick-N-Tater Melt, which some fans of the chain think ranks among the very best of the most popular Jack in the Box items ranked. Altogether, the newer item includes a breaded chicken patty, a hash browns patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, cheese sauce, and Buffalo sauce, on a croissant-style bun.

While the conglomeration of cheeses and Buffalo sauce sounds like it might be a lot, it ended up being my favorite thing about the Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt. A breaded chicken patty and a hash browns patty on bread would be dry in most circumstances, but the mess of gooey cheeses and sauce ends up eliminating that eventuality altogether. Shining through, then, was crispy potato and buttery croissant, accented by umami-rich cheese, smoky bacon, and the signature tangy spice of Buffalo sauce. For what its worth, the chicken was just kind of there, contributing a nice protein element, but not affecting the prevailing experience of the sandwich much. All in all, it was a lot, and somehow it all worked together in harmony. Furthermore, this sandwich was the ideal canvas for the Hot Ones The Last Dab: Apollo hot sauce, since its surplus of bread and cheese meant that the ultra hot spice didn't entirely dominate the experience.

I loved both Jack in the Box x Hot Ones sandwiches. My first bite of the Sriracha Curly Fry Burger won me over, and my enjoyment pretty much just heightened from there. The only caveat to my great experience was that I didn't find the Hot Ones The Last Dab: Apollo hot sauce and Sriracha Curly Fry Burger to pair all that well, falling short of what that same sauce added to Shake Shack's ultra-hot menu in collaboration with Hot Ones. I did, however, really enjoy the Hot Ones The Last Dab: Apollo on my Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt, so the sauce ultimately justified its place on the menu.

My favorite sandwich was the Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt. Its explosion of soft, buttery, and gooey ingredients, complemented by a hash browns crisp, was an ideal venue for its Buffalo sauce. That sauce added some creaminess, a pronounced tang, and just enough spice to warrant the Hot Ones brand. If I hadn't had the Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt, I would have still found the Sriracha Curly Fry Burger to be an outstanding fast food burger. It almost appeared to be assembled by throwing darts at a list of ingredients, but those elements all ended up combining into something special, all revolving around the theme of spice. As it turns out, Jack in the Box's maximalist interpretation of fast food was yet another great showcase for Hot Ones' commitment to all things spicy.

Jack in the Box debuted its Hot Ones collab menu on June 1, 2026. While most fast food promotions are accompanied by no set end date, Jack in the Box happened to clarify that its Hot Ones items will be available through July 22.

At my nearest Jack in the Box, in the suburbs of Las Vegas, an à la carte Sriracha Curly Fry Burger or Buffalo Chick-N-Tater Melt each total $7.99. Either sandwich in a Munchie Meal — accompanied by two tacos, curly fries, a drink, and a soccer-themed blind box — totals $14. Meanwhile, the Hot Ones sauced and loaded curly fries, with either the sriracha or Buffalo sauce, are available for $4. Technically also part of the promotion are a Hot Ones Sriracha Jr. Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger for $3.99, a double version for $4.99, a Hot Ones Buffalo Jr. Chicken Sandwich for $3.99, and its Double counterpart for $4.99. Either of the smaller sandwiches can be paired with fries and a drink for $5.49, while upgrading to a double adds $1. Finally, a packet of the Hot Ones The Last Dab: Apollo hot sauce can be added to any order for $1.25.