The Hands-Down Best New Fast Food Menu Items Of September 2026

As September nears its end, it's time to take a look at all the exciting new items that have been added to fast food menus across the United States this month. Seeing as autumn is officially upon us, many restaurants have begun reflecting that seasonal shift on their menus. We first started to see new autumn-centric fast food menu items in August, but not every chain was quite that fast to switch gears. So, alongside special promotional items and exciting new twists on some fast food classics, we will get into some of the fall- and Halloween-themed delights that have truly impressed both us and the internet at large in recent weeks.

We're looking at items that were released between the very end of August and mid-September, so some drops late this month won't be included this time around. Notably, we're excluding the drinks from the highly anticipated first drop in Dunkin's new Halloween lineup because they don't officially come out until September 30. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a fresh experience at your favorite fast food restaurants, seeking out these September standouts is a great place to start.

Apple is a flavor synonymous with the autumn season, and 7 Brew is one of the many chains that is taking advantage of that. The coffee chain announced a line of specialty apple-flavored drinks to enjoy this September. 

The standout of these beverages is undoubtedly the brand-new Drizzled Apple 7 Energy Frozen Chiller, which brings together the signature 7 Brew Energy mix, green apple flavor, and caramel drizzle to deliver a quintessentially autumn flavor. Several fans have been quite fond of the new drink, although some have noted that it's quite sour and tart, with the apple flavor being more pronounced than the caramel. For that reason, one person suggested adding extra caramel to balance the flavor out a bit more.

Moving on to another chain that specializes in coffee beverages, Starbucks' 2026 fall menu is missing apple crisp menu items, much to the disappointment of fans. But it still added two new specialty drinks for fans to enjoy starting on September 15. 

Starbucks partnered with "Peanuts" to release the Charlie Brown Mocha Frappuccino — it's similar to the Pumpkin Spice Crème Frappuccino, but it adds mocha sauce and drizzle and replaces the whipped cream with Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam. The drink was released as a celebration of the 60th anniversary of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and is perfect for those who enjoy the warm, sweet, and thoroughly underrated flavor combination of pumpkin and chocolate.

You can't have "Peanuts"-themed treats without getting Snoopy involved, and Starbucks did just that by creating the Snoopy Cookie Frappuccino. The specialty drink includes white mocha sauce, Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam (instead of whipped cream), and crunchy cookie crumbles in a Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino. The drink is much sweeter than the Charlie Brown beverage, with one Redditor saying it has a rich, eggnog-like taste to it.

Our last new drink of September is one that takes an already-popular soda flavor and makes it even tastier. Taco Bell partnered with Olivia Rodrigo to create the You Seem Pretty Pink for a Baja Blast, a drink that imbues the chain's Mountain Dew Baja Blast with a burst of pink lemonade flavor. The collaboration — which is named after Rodrigo's new album "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So In Love" — was first rolled out at Taco Bell's spinoff chain, Live Más Café, at the end of August before arriving on the main chain's menu on September 24. As for the flavor of the drink itself, the addition of the sour lemonade flavor pairs remarkably well with the tropical lime Baja Blast.

Next up are the Churro Doughnut Dots, an exciting new dessert item on the Krispy Kreme menu. These bite-sized, fritter-like donut holes are tossed in cinnamon sugar and served with dulce de leche dipping sauce – a delectable milk-based, caramel topping. This sweet combination provides a warm flavor quite befitting of the autumn season. The Takeout sampled them the day they came out, September 22. Our review of Krispy Kreme's Doughnut Dots was pretty positive, though our taste tester noted that the treat is definitely very sweet.

While it's a smaller addition to White Castle's menu than other new items on this list, the Garage Beer Cheese sauce is a remarkable creation by the underrated chain. According to our own review, White Castle's new beer cheese is a crowning achievement – it really stands out because of how well it pairs with several different items on the restaurant's menu. Whether you're adding it to a burger, dipping your fries in it, or going all-out and buying the new Pretzel Nibblers, using the creamy, savory sauce is a surefire way to make your White Castle meal even better.

Despite the fact that the chain was founded in Michigan back in 1960, Domino's has never sold the Detroit-style pizza that the region is known for. However, that changed on August 31 when the chain released its very first, called The Domino, at restaurants across the country. 

The Detroit-style pie is made in a rectangular pan — parmesan-crusted buttery-flavored dough is topped with two layers of cheese and any three toppings. After it's cooked, the pizza is sliced into two large pieces for consumers to enjoy. All in all, The Domino is an item that's worth trying, especially for longtime Domino's fans looking for something new at the restaurant. Even though our Domino's Detroit pizza reviewer found it to be not quite cheesy and crispy enough to completely do the style justice, they still said it was a tasty pizza.

Starting on September 14, Jimmy John's menu got a barbecue upgrade in the form of two delightful sandwiches available for a limited time only this fall. The first of these new items, the Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ Brisket Sandwich, gets a pronounced sweetness from the Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory & Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce. The sauce and mesquite-smoked brisket are joined by cheddar cheese, crispy onions, mayo, lettuce, and oil and vinegar, all of which give the sandwich a complex and satisfying flavor profile.

The other new brisket sandwich at Jimmy John's is a much spicier take that's still able to deliver sweet barbecue flavor. The Sweet & Spicy BBQ Brisket Sandwich also features smoked brisket and cheddar cheese but uses Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet 'n Spicy Barbecue Sauce for the job. The piquant sauce is complemented by spicy Jimmy Peppers, while lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo help balance the heat.

Finally, McDonald's announced that it was bringing back the spicy version of its iconic Chicken McNuggets, exciting long-time fans of the popular item that hasn't been available since 2021. The Spicy Chicken McNuggets are a more flavorful version of the traditional ones, with a notable — but not overwhelming — heat to them. However, the fan-favorite Mighty Hot Sauce that's returning after five years is a vinegar-based hot sauce that amps up the heat for those looking for a truly spicy experience.