Fast-Food Franchises Spice Up the Holidays with Seasonal Menu Items and Holiday Merch
Updated December 4, 2024
The 2024 holiday season is upon us, and that can only mean one thing: Fast-food franchises are getting jolly and festive with their new seasonal menus and holiday-inspired merchandise. Not only are festive flavors like peppermint and gingerbread taking center stage, but franchise brands are putting their own stamps on the holidays with fun ornaments and crowd-pleasing “ugly” sweaters that can be enjoyed for years to come. These delightful holiday offerings increase brand loyalty and are an important revenue generator for franchisors as the year comes to a close.
Below is a compilation of fast-food brands decking the halls with festive specials and limited-time offers this holiday season.
Holiday 2024: Restaurant Specials and Limited-Time Offers
BIGGBY COFFEE
BIGGBY COFFEE invites guests to enjoy its new holiday menu items through Dec. 31. Seasonal drink offerings include the peppermint stick mocha, cookie butter latte and winter wonderland latte. If these don’t satisfy a sweet tooth, the chocolate brownie also is making its debut. The maple waffle sandwich is also available throughout the holiday season due to popular demand.
Corner Bakery Cafe
For a limited time only, the Corner Bakery Cafe’s holiday menu features a range of white chocolate peppermint beverages and tasty treats. These treats include the white chocolate peppermint iced latte, white chocolate peppermint creamy cold brew, white chocolate peppermint latte and cranberry orange muffin (above).
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen has brought back the peppermint hot cocoa blizzard and DQ frozen hot chocolate (above) just in time for the holidays. The peppermint hot cocoa blizzard is made with peppermint candy cane pieces, choco chunks and cocoa fudge blended with the brand\’s soft serve, garnished with whipped topping and candy cane sprinkles. To transform hot chocolate into frozen hot chocolate, Dairy Queen blends hot cocoa fudge with vanilla soft serve and Misty Slush, topped with whipped cream and a chocolatey drizzle.
Dunn Brothers Coffee
To get into the spirit of the holiday season, Dunn Brothers Coffee has rolled out its new seasonal menu. Fans can enjoy the coffee brand’s brown sugar oat nog latte, candy cane mocha, cookie butter nirvana, cookie butter dunn dirty, sprinkle sugar cookie and butter rum muffin.
Dunkin’
Dunkin’ is decking the halls with an array of new and returning delights on its holiday menu. From an all-new holiday cookie signature latte and almond croissant to the hash brown brisket scramble bowl, Dunkin’ is giving guests plenty to celebrate this holiday season. Dunkin’s cookie butter cold brew and peppermint mocha signature latte also are available for a limited time, and holiday-inspired merchandise can be ordered online.
Ellianos Coffee
Ellianos Coffee is putting a festive twist on its everyday menu with a limited-time lineup of seasonal offerings. These new menu items include the peppermint white mocha, toffee carmella, mint cookie freezer and French toast muffin.
Häagen-Dazs Shops
Häagen-Dazs Shops is making the 2024 holiday season even sweeter with the return of its seasonal peppermint bark shake, peppermint bark dazzler and peppermint bark ice cream. These decadent menu items are available in a chocolate and peppermint candy-dipped waffle cone and can be enjoyed until Jan. 31.
Handel\’s Homemade Ice Cream
At participating Handel\’s Homemade Ice Cream locations, guests can enjoy gingerbread cookie ice cream while supplies last. The new flavor features spiced gingerbread flavored ice cream swirled with crunchy gingersnap cookie pieces.
Hardee’s
Hardee’s is bringing back its cinnamon ‘n’ raisin biscuits just in time for the holidays. These delectable desserts feature buttery cinnamon swirls and raisins. Also returning is Hardee\’s cherrywood-smoked, Candied Bacon. Guests can order a breakfast biscuit with a freshly cracked egg, a candied bacon Frisco burger or grab a Candied Bacon snack pack (with one two or four strips of candied bacon) while supplies last.
HTeaO
HTeaO’s new peppermint mocha latte is on the menu through Dec. 31. This seasonal beverage combines the flavors of peppermint and dark chocolate and can be enjoyed hot or iced.
Jeff’s Bagel Run
Jeff’s Bagel Run has added new coffees and cookies to its holiday menu. The new coffees include the brown butter chai, peppermint mocha and blueberry frost latte. Fans also can satisfy their cravings with the new snickerdoodle cookie bar and gingerbread bar. The brand’s new espresso cream cheese also allows guests to elevate their morning bagels with a caffeinated twist.
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice is spicing up the 2024 holiday season by adding new Gelati flavorites to the menu. These latest additions include peppermint sugar cookie, peppermint bark and peppermint mocha.
JINYA Ramen Bar
JINYA Ramen Bar is ringing in the holidays with the addition of two seasonal menu items: Curry rice croquettes (above) and The Red Garnet. Curry rice croquettes are lightly fried, seasoned rice balls stuffed with white cheddar cheese. The Red Garnet ramen is crafted with vegetable broth, pork chashu, spinach, green onion, kikurage and white onion, topped with chili garlic sauce and served with JINYA’s signature thick noodles.
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is bringing Dr. Seuss\’ Who-ville to life with the Merry Grinchmas Doughnut Collection. Doughnuts in the collection include the Grinch doughnut, grinchy claus doughnut, Cindy-Lou Who merry berry tree doughnut, Santa belly doughnut and holiday sprinkle doughnut.
Paris Baguette
Paris Baguette is rolling out a sweet new menu to take the holiday season to new heights. Through Dec. 25, guests can enjoy the brand\’s holiday cakes, including the nutcracker strawberry soft cream cake, winter village chocolate hazelnut cake with Nutella, holiday red velvet cake (above) and Penguin pond chocolate cake. Paris Baguette is also offering new drinks and seasonal treats through Jan. 5: Pound cake loaf, peppermint mochi donut, snowman king cream donut, Chausson aux Pommes and sweet cream lattes.
PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans
PJ’s Coffee’s holiday menu is available through Jan. 2. The coffee franchise’s new cookie butter latte blends cookie butter with PJ’s espresso and steamed milk. Fan favorites making a return include the peppermint bark velvet ice, peppermint bark latte and butter rum latte. PJ’s Coffee also is spotlighting two seasonal whole-bean coffee options available for at-home brewing and in-store ordering: Santa’s Blend and Jingle Bells.
Scooter’s Coffee
The new holiday menu at Scooter’s Coffee is inspired by the popular board game, CANDY LAND. Iconic characters like Mr. Mint, Queen Frostine, Jolly Gumdrop, Gramma Nutt and King Candy are getting their own menu items to bring the magic and nostalgia of the board game to life. For example, the Mr. Mint Mocha is a signature mocha that has a cool kick of peppermint topped with whipped cream and peppermint chips. The Queen Frostine Sugar Cookie is a sugar cookie with cream cheese frosting and blue sugar crystals.
Shake Shack
Who says it’s too cold to have a milkshake in the winter? Not Shake Shack. Not only can guests enjoy the return of the fan-favorite Christmas cookie shake and apple cider donut shake, but the corporate-owned brand also is releasing its first-ever holiday merchandise collection. The collection features holiday ornaments that pay homage to Shake Shack’s hometown, New York City, created in partnership with Empire State-based Craftspring. Shake Shack is also releasing a holiday sweater and black truffle salt and oil duo to bring out the flavors of the brand’s black truffle limited-time menu at home.
Starbucks
Starbucks fans, rejoice! The coffee giant has unveiled its new holiday menu. The new cran-merry orange refresher, which can be ordered as a cran-merry orange lemonade refresher or cran-merry drink featuring coconut milk, is making its debut as the brand’s first-ever holiday refresher. Iconic menu items making their return include the peppermint mocha, caramel brulée latte, chestnut praline latte and iced sugar cookie almond milk latte. Tea fans can enjoy the iced gingerbread oat milk chai. And don’t forget the pastries: Turkey sage Danish, dark toffee bundt, snowman cake pop and penguin cookie, with the sugar plum cheese Danish and cranberry bliss bar are all back on the menu for a limited time.
Subway
Peppermint is on the menu at Subway this holiday season. The new double chocolate peppermint footlong cookie is a follow-up to the brand\’s footlong chocolate chip cookie. This seasonal menu item is available through Dec. 31.
Taco John’s
To spice up the holiday season, Taco John’s is bringing back three fan-favorite items to its seasonal menu: queso, apple grande and nachos Navidad.
- Queso: Taco John’s queso brings together flavors from three cheeses (white cheddar, Parmesan and Romano) and three peppers (Hatch chile, jalapeño and red bell) rolled out with the cheesy queso boss burrito, queso fried chicken tacos and queso nachos Navidad.
- Apple Grande: This seasonal menu item features a crispy cinnamon-sugar tortilla round topped with warm apple filling, cinnamon-candy spice and all-natural cheddar cheese topping.
- Nachos Navidad: Now available with a choice of nacho cheese or queso, nachos Navidad (above) consists of seasonal red, green and yellow chips topped with seasoned 100% North American beef, refried beans, all-natural cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream.
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons’ new holiday menu features a variety of new treats and returning fan favorites. The new holiday chai latte gives fans the opportunity to enjoy a creamier and richer hot or iced chai latte blended with peppermint or gingerbread. The returning holiday tree doughnut and hot cocoa crumble muffin also are available to sweeten any holiday occasion.
TOUS les JOURS
TOUS les JOURS is spreading joy with its new “Holiday Wishes” collection, which is available at participating locations nationwide from Dec. 4 to 25. Items on the seasonal menu include:
- Cozy snowman: This white sheet cake is filled with chocolate and caramel buttercream and frosted with snowy-white buttercream.
- Buche de Noel: The Buche de Noel offers a new take on the classic yule log cake, crafted with chocolate sheet cake, chocolate buttercream and chocolate ganache.
- Mini milk & cookies: The mini milk & cookies cake is shaped like a Christmas tree and combines milk syrup-infused vanilla layers with buttercream and hides a chocolate chip cookie surprise.
- Strawberry jam roll cake: This festive dessert is filled with sweet strawberry jam.
Wayback Burgers
Wayback Burgers\’ new seasonal menu is available through Feb. 28. Items on this menu include:
- The Spicy Melt: Two beef patties made-to-order topped with Pepper Jack cheese, fried onions and a green chili aioli.
- Garlic romano fries: Crispy golden-brown French fries tossed in garlic and Romano cheese seasoning.
- Mint chocolate chip shake: Vanilla ice cream infused with mint flavoring and chocolate chips, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips.
Wetzel’s Pretzels
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Wetzel\’s Pretzels has partnered with Ghirardelli Chocolate Company on the release of two new holiday-inspired beverages: frozen hot chocolate and peppermint frozen hot chocolate. The frozen hot chocolate release marks the final nostalgic menu offering Wetzel’s has rolled out in honor of its 30th anniversary, following the orange dream drink and strawberry funnel cake bitz.
Ziggi’s Coffee
Ziggi’s Coffee is making the holiday season merry and bright with its new seasonal menu. Seasonal items in the lineup include the eggnog latte, candy cane crunch, frosted gingerbread, sugar & spice infusion, sugar cookie cake pop and holiday cookie.
