6 Apple-Flavored Fast Food Items To Watch For In Fall 2026

Pumpkin spice might be the beloved flavor of fall, but this year, a new taste is emerging as the popular fall standby: apple. Numerous fast food chains have introduced new apple-flavored items for fall 2026. So if fall conjures up images of going apple picking (one of the nation's best apple orchards is hiding in Connecticut) or smelling the warm aroma of spiced apple cider, America's chain restaurants have you covered from morning coffee 'til your nightly dessert with their new apple products.

Much like Halloween products hitting the stores earlier and earlier every year, the crop of fall fast food menu items have come in a bit early this year. Chains like McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, Krispy Kreme, and Peet's actually introduced fall menus in August ... for maximum apple enjoyment, perhaps. And while these chains haven't specified when its fall menus end, these items are all limited-time offerings. So if these sound good to you, don't wait until the apples wither on the trees or fast food chains pull them in favor of a new slate of winter menu items.

Apple pie for breakfast might be a tradition in some parts of the United States, but McDonald's new coffee lineup could make that happen more often this fall. On August 18, the chain introduced a variety of caramel apple pie-flavored coffee drinks: hot and iced coffee, a latte, and frappe. The drinks are topped with whipped cream and apple pie crumbles. Not enough apple for you? Order one of those coffees alongside a famous McDonald's apple pie.

Wendy's is bringing a decadent apple flavor to one of its most popular menu items, launching its new Apple Crumble Frosty Fusion on August 3. The vanilla dessert is blended with a spiced apple syrup and oat crumbles. We think Wendy's got this one right. "Wendy's absolutely nailed this Frosty Fusion," our taste tester said in his review of Wendy's new seasonal frosty. "If someone served me homemade apple crisp with this as a topping, I would be thrilled."

Krispy Kreme has an apple-filled donut on its menu year-round, but this fall, the chain is taking it one step further with hot, iced, and frozen apple crisp lattes. The new items launched on August 11, and they're all made with apple-flavored syrup and topped with whipped cream, caramel, and a graham cracker-style topping. These new drinks might pair perfectly with Krispy Kreme's limited time fall donuts, like the pumpkin spice glazed cake donut.

Taco Bell is bringing back its best limited-time items on its Decades Menu. One of those is the caramel apple empanada, a fan favorite originally served from 2000 to 2019, but back since August 20. Served hot, the empanada contains soft apple chunks in a sweet caramel sauce inside a crispy pastry for only a few dollars.

Ice cream might be a summer treat, but there's no reason you can't enjoy it into the fall. That's what Dairy Queen invites you to do with the return of its limited-time Caramel Apple Cheesecake Blizzard Treat, launched on August 4. It's a standard blizzard with chunks of cheesecake and swirls of caramel, plus an apple topping. This decadent seasonal treat shouldn't be missed — we consider it to be the best Dairy Queen Blizzard flavor.

While most fast food apple items are either in the form of coffee or dessert, Peet's Coffee has gone in a different direction with its latest seasonal offering. Released August 19, the chain's Sparkling Green Apple energy drink blends Granny Smith apple purée with club soda, caffeine, and vitamins. In addition to the energy drink, Peet's has unveiled a Caramel Apple Protein Smoothie made with Granny Smith apple purée, whole milk, and caramel.