Cheese is having a infinitesimal astatine drive-thrus and sit-down chains for illustration Freddy’s and Golden Chick.
Applebee’s conscionable launched its O-M-Cheese-adilla Burger, a burger stuffed wrong a quesadilla and dunked successful a skillet of melted cheddar and queso. Golden Chick rolled retired its ain queso for $1. Freddy’s is pouring complete its Baconfest, which layers bacon onto cheese-covered tots and burgers done Nov. 3, according to Restaurant Business.
The ooey-gooey inclination shows up everywhere. Denny’s built its full caller burger lineup astir American cheese. Panera added a Three-Cheese Lasagna Soup to its autumn lineup, and Qdoba is moving a full “Diptember” promotion built astir 14 dips and sauces, headlined by a caller Queso Fundido.
What’s truthful pleasing astir cheesing? “Comfort and worth are the copy pillars shaping America’s menus correct now,” explains Dr. Chad Moutray, main economist for the National Restaurant Association, whose 2026 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast identified comfort, worth and world spirit arsenic the industry’s biggest bets this year. Melted food checks some boxes. It’s familiar, filling, and makes a paper point consciousness indulgent without costing overmuch to produce.
