Shake Shack, Subway, Starbucks and More Introduce Holiday Offerings

The holiday season is upon us, and fast-food chains are getting into the spirit with new menu items, merchandise and deals that capture the flavors and fun of this festive time of year. Here’s a list of what’s already available:

Shake Shack is offering its first-ever holiday merchandise collection, featuring ornaments, an "ugly" sweater, and a black truffle salt and oil set to elevate your at-home Shack creations. "Since their debut earlier this year, millions of footlong cookies have delighted our fans. Now we can't wait for them to experience how we've reimagined another classic cookie flavor into even more footlong indulgence," said Paul Fabre, Subway's senior vice president for culinary and innovation.

The brand is also introducing a trio of holiday shakes: Christmas Cookie with sugar cookie custard and shortbread crumbles, Chocolate Yule Log with chocolate cake mix-ins, and Apple Cider Donut topped with cinnamon donut crunch.

Photo Credit: Shake Shack

Subway is supersizing the season with its new Double Chocolate Peppermint Footlong Cookie. The oversized treat features chocolate and white chocolate chips, peppermint extract, and a festive candy cane topping. It's even packaged in a gift box for easy sharing.

At under $5 at most locations, the footlong cookies are an affordable way to "experience warm, flavor-packed footlong indulgence," as Fabre puts it.

Photo Credit: Subway

Starbucks is keeping some secrets this season, waiting until November 7th to unveil its full holiday menu and cup designs. But a sneak peek reveals an array of colorful tumblers, mugs, and cold cups in wintry hues and eye-catching metallics and glitter. The packaging says "winter holiday" without shouting "Christmas."

On grocery shelves, look for bottled peppermint mocha beverages, flavored creamers, and coffee blends in K-Cup and ground form that bring the café into your kitchen. An influencer may have leaked new menu items like a Cran-Merry Orange Refresher and some creative foam flavors to top your favorite beverages.

The coffee giant is also simplifying its offerings overall to streamline ordering. "Oleato, the olive oil-infused beverage platform, is being eliminated with the new holiday drinks. And other beverages could be on the chopping block, too," the company stated.

Photo Credit: Starbucks

Tim Hortons has a full slate of sweets like a snowman donut, peppermint mocha ICED CAPP, and gingerbread oat milk latte to "start treating our guests to some of the most festive and feel-good flavors of the season," said President Katerina Glyptis.

Photo Credit: Tim Hortons

Meanwhile, Cracker Barrel is bringing back favorites like country fried turkey, seasonal pies, and the 'Sugar Plum Tea' billed as a "magical holiday drink." New additions include a cinnamon swirl French toast breakfast and a sparkling plum mimosa sprinkled with edible gold glitter for extra merriment.