The Best Fast Food Items Launching in September
September is the in-between month when late-summer flavors meet the first wave of fall menus. Barbecue staples still hang on, but pumpkin and spiced drinks are already showing up. That overlap gives fast food chains room to experiment, and this year’s lineup leans into the contrast. Limited-time sauces, sandwiches, and sweets all hit at once, with no guarantee they’ll return. Here are the 15 most interesting fast food items hitting menus this month, each worth trying before they vanish.
McDonald’s Gold Sauce Puts A Southern Twist On Chicken
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McDonald’s is serving up a vinegar-based barbecue sauce with serious North Carolina vibes. They’re calling it Gold Sauce, and it leans smoky and tangy, meant to go with anything crispy and fried. Try it with McCrispy Strips or even a Snack Wrap if you’re lucky.
Taco Bell’s Discovery Luxe Box Is A Packed $9 Deal
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For $9, Taco Bell’s Discovery Luxe Box delivers a full lineup: Crunchwrap Supreme, Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco, Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce, plus a limited-edition Y2K-themed collectible cup. This box also celebrates the launch of Taco Bell’s nostalgia-driven Decades Menu, featuring discontinued hits priced under $3.
Popeyes Wings Return With Four Dry Rub Options
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Wings are officially back at Popeyes, but this time they’re built to be personalized. Each order starts with a mild base, and you pick your heat or flavor finish—Buffalo, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parm, or Ghost Pepper if you’re feeling bold. They’ve even timed it right for football season.
Smoothie King Adds Protein-Heavy Eats For The First Time
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Smoothie King, known chiefly for drinks, now offers a menu called Power Eats. It includes toast options like peanut butter, banana, and avocado, along with protein boxes featuring chicken skewers and Baked Egg Clouds. The full menu hit nationwide on August 26, with more items coming in early 2026.
Burger King’s Crispy Onion Whopper Goes Big On Texture
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This limited-time Whopper is stacked with crispy onions, golden onion rings, BBQ sauce, bacon, cheese, pickles, and the usual lettuce and tomato. It’s part of the chain’s “Whopper by You” initiative, where customers influence new builds through the app. A junior size starts at around $5.
Starbucks Launches Pecan Oatmilk Cortado With Fall Menu
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Starbucks isn’t retiring its seasonal heavyweight, the Pumpkin Spice Latte, but it has slipped a new option into the fall lineup. The Pecan Oatmilk Cortado comes in a smaller cup than the standard latte and pushes the coffee flavor forward. It arrives alongside returning favorites like Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and the nutty Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte.
Subway’s $3.99 Deal Is A Budget Winner
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Throughout September, Subway offers six-inch subs for $3.99 using the promo code “SIXINCHSUB.” This pricing undercuts most lunch options from competing chains while keeping nutritional flexibility. It also comes amid Subway’s attempt to win back customers through more transparent pricing and meat-forward sandwiches.
McDonald’s $8 Big Mac Meal Returns With Built-In Savings
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Starting September 8, McDonald’s put the Big Mac Meal back on the value board at a flat $8. The combo includes a Big Mac, fries, and a drink, priced to cut more than 15% off the usual cost if ordered separately. The move is part of the chain’s seasonal push to remind customers it still has bargains.
Whataburger Taps Into Nostalgia With Hank Hill’s Favorite
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Whataburger partnered with King of the Hill to bring back Hank’s favorite: the Double Meat Whataburger. Through September 12, it’s free with the purchase of a medium fry and drink, only via app or online. The full promo runs through the end of the month and plays straight into Texas nostalgia.
Pizza Hut’s $5 Flatzz Are Designed For Solo Pizza Nights
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Pizza Hut’s Crafted Flatzz are crisp-edged personal pies in flavors like Chicken Bacon Ranch and Nashville Hot Chicken. They’re oval-shaped and meant to be eaten alone, not shared. Before 5 p.m., they drop to $5—ideal for early dinners or a one-person cheat meal that doesn’t leave leftovers.
Wendy’s Meal Of Misfortune Adds Halloween Energy Early
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Wendy’s partnered with Netflix’s Wednesday to roll out a spooky limited-time meal: a four-piece nuggets, fries, two mystery-flavored dipping sauces, and a black cherry “Raven’s Blood” Frosty. It’s available for $10 and launched alongside the second season of the show.
McDonald’s Snack Wrap Finally Returns
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The long-requested Snack Wrap is back on menus at $2.99. It includes a McCrispy chicken strip, lettuce, shredded cheese, and your choice of sauce inside a soft flour tortilla. First introduced in the 2000s, the wrap disappeared in 2016, but fans kept asking for it.
Sonic’s Croissant Bites Are Built For Sweet Mornings
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New to Sonic’s fall menu are Croissant Bites coated in caramel-toffee sugar. They’re available alongside a cold brew topped with salted toffee cold foam. This pairing is part of the Salted Caramel Toffee Collection, which launched September 1. Croissant Bites have a puff-pastry texture with a soft middle.
Dunkin’ Drops A Loaded Fall Menu With Apple And Pumpkin Twists
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Dunkin’ brought back its Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte and Pumpkin Munchkins, but added some new twists. The Braided Apple Pie combines tart apple filling and a flaky pastry with sugar glaze. Also new are Chipotle Hash Browns and the Dunkin’ Cereal N’ Milk Latte.
KFC’s Potato Wedges Make A Comeback After Five Years
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KFC’s seasoned potato wedges returned this September after being cut from the menu in 2020. Unlike traditional fries, these are thicker, skin-on, and have a fluffy interior with a peppery crust. The texture sits somewhere between a fry and a roasted potato.