The Best New Fast Food Menu Items We've Tried In 2023 So Far

Many fast food restaurants frequently release new items to try. These new offerings not only create a buzz around the brand but can also intrigue customers enough to keep coming back. Sometimes, the newest items are not as good as we hoped they'd be (we're looking at you, Dunkin' Breakfast Taco), but other times, they exceed our expectations or at least keep our taste buds satisfied.

That said, there have been several fast food menu item releases that we've gotten our hands on in 2023 that absolutely made us want to keep ordering more. Because we want our readers to experience the best options for themselves, we've detailed our top favorites in this guide. We've visited the restaurants, bought the food, and tried it ourselves so that you don't have to experiment with your own money. From Burger King to Culver's, these fast-food favorites have dropped some tasty new items that we think are absolute must-tries.

KFC's original Double Down—a "sandwich" made with two pieces of fried chicken rather than a traditional bun — was off the menu for an entire decade. But in March 2023, KFC announced that the beloved menu item would be returning, complete with cheese, bacon, and either mayo or spicy sauce sandwiched between the chicken filets. It took us no time to head to our local KFC to grab one and find out of the new Double Down was as good as the original version. 

Not surprisingly, it's quite similar to the original version, albeit maybe even a bit larger than it used to be. Of course, that makes eating the Double Down interesting because it can be quite a challenge to fit a full bite in your mouth. Still, if you love bacon, cheese, and fried chicken, you'll likely love this unique take on a sandwich. It's savory and full of flavor and leaves our bellies feeling full and happy after eating one. If there's one thing we wish were different, it would be the price tag of about $9, depending on your location. But when you consider that you're getting two pieces of chicken in one item, we suppose it's not too bad of a deal.

Calling all cold brew fans: You definitely are not going to want to pass up the new Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew from Starbucks. There's a reason you're probably seeing this drink all over your Instagram feed or on your TikTok For You page. Plain and simple, it's worth every bit of praise it's been getting since its March release.

This cold brew blends cinnamon and caramel flavoring into cold brew coffee and tops it off with cinnamon sweet cream cold foam and a cinnamon and caramel-blended topping. If you're already a caramel coffee fan, we don't think you'll be even slightly disappointed by the cinnamon addition. It's not overpowering but instead adds a hint of spice with each sip, helping to perk you up on even the most mundane weekday mornings.

As with other Starbucks drinks, you can always order yours to suit your taste buds, so feel free to add extra sweetener or creamer as needed. We love it through and through just the way it comes, and we think it has just the right amount of sweetness balanced with strong coffee flavors.

Hear us out on this one. We realize that a plant-based sandwich from Chick-Fil-A goes against the company's chicken offerings, and we were a little confused when we first heard about it, too. But we tried it anyway because that's what we do. And it's safe to say that we were pleasantly surprised by what the Chick-fil-A Cauliflower Sandwich brought to the table. This sandwich, which went on the menu in February 2023 for a test run in participating locations, has a breaded cauliflower filet that's topped with dill pickle chips and served on a toasted bun.

When we tried it, we weren't necessarily expecting the flavor to be the same, and we certainly didn't think the sandwich would look like Chick-Fil-A's famous chicken sandwich. However, aside from the cauliflower being thicker than the traditional chicken filet, the sandwiches were almost identical. And, yes, the flavor and texture of the cauliflower are a bit different from the chicken version, but we actually love that. In fact, this fried cauliflower was probably the tastiest we've tried, and it wasn't mushy or dry like some cauliflower-based foods can be. Overall, the Chick-fil-A Cauliflower Sandwich is a menu item we'd order again, and we urge you to try it for yourself with your favorite Chick-Fil-A sauce.

In February, Shake Shack announced the return of its White Truffle Menu, an elevated selection of burgers and fries incorporating Regalis organic white truffle oil. We were champing at the bit to try this menu because it's so unlike anything that other fast food chains offer. We left no stone unturned in our taste test, grabbing one of each of the three new items: the White Truffle Burger, the White Truffle 'Shroom Burger, and the Parmesan Fries with White Truffle Sauce.

To be honest, it's tough to choose just one item as our favorite after trying these three, which is why we've included all three on this list. The Parmesan Fries with White Truffle Sauce are a welcome change to traditional fast food fries, and they're definitely something we'll order again when we feel the need to switch up our usual fast food orders. Also, we appreciate the cheesiness of the mushroom burger and how thick the mushroom patty is. Finally, the White Truffle Burger gives us the same flavors we love from regular Shake Shack burgers with an extra touch of "Mmmm" from the truffle oil.

The best part of the menu is that it's still affordable, despite including white truffle oil, which can be extremely pricey. Each item is less than $10, so you can enjoy an upscale fast food meal for something close to traditional fast food prices.