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Change is constant in the world of fast food. Between a need to keep up with shifting consumer habits and the simple fact that plenty of customers like new things, fast food chains are continually enacting changes both big and small. Some big changes that came to fast food chains in 2025, for example, included a renewed focus on value meals at McDonald’s and the debut of Bojangles in California, among plenty of others.
Heading into 2026, many of the largest fast food chains already had some significant changes announced for the coming year. While it’s entirely possible that some of the most impactful fast food news stories of the year will emerge in later months, enough had already been confirmed by January alone to compile this list. Based on plans announced before or in January, then, the following are the biggest changes coming to popular fast food chains in 2026.
McDonald’s is making its Big Arch burger a permanent menu item
The McDonald’s Big Arch consists of two quarter-pound beef patties, three slices of white cheese, crispy onions, raw onions, pickle slices, lettuce, and a bespoke Big Arch sauce, all on a sesame and poppy seed bun. Its sheer size makes it bigger than any other item on the standard McDonald’s menu. In the past, the Big Arch has popped up in Canada, Germany, Portugal, Ireland, and the U.K. As of the start of 2026, it has become a permanent menu item in the latter two territories.
At some point in 2026, McDonald’s is allegedly planning on debuting the Big Arch as a permanent addition to the menu of restaurants in the United States as well. While this move has yet to be confirmed by an official McDonald’s source, a purported internal company document announcing the item’s U.S. availability circulated online. Its availability at Chicago’s McDonald’s headquarters in 2024 likewise led some to anticipate a forthcoming official U.S. release. At the very least, McDonald’s customers in Ireland and the U.K. can now enjoy the Big Arch whenever they so desire, and U.S. customers may well be able to join them at some point in 2026.
Starbucks is remodeling over 1,000 locations
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Throughout 2025, sales at Starbucks cafes declined. In July, notably, Starbucks experienced its sixth consecutive quarter of negative same-store sales, stemming from an overall decrease in customer traffic. By the end of the year, Starbucks closed hundreds of U.S. locations. That said, those closures weren’t necessarily indicative of Starbucks’ demise, but rather, if all goes according to plan, a shift toward a business model that emphasizes the quality of each individual location.
Starbucks is calling a sweeping renovation initiative its “Back to Starbucks” plan, in reference to the notion that what once built up Starbucks’ reputation was a cozy coffeehouse vibe. Over the course of 2026, Starbucks will renovate more than 1,000 stores, intending to better deliver on what today’s clientele perceives as a modern coffeehouse. To start, Starbucks remodeled a few stores in New York City and Los Angeles, each of which now has its own unique, modernized style. Technically, the Back to Starbucks plan began in 2025, when the chain started to emphasize personalized service, introduced a ceramic cup option with for-here orders, and brought back condiment bars. Bolstering those changes in 2026 will be its 1,000-plus store remodels, modernizing Starbucks cafes nationwide.
Burger King will reemphasize the Whopper
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Ask a stranger to name a menu item from Burger King and, more likely than not, they will choose the Whopper. It’s Burger King’s most popular menu item by a pretty significant margin, after all. Asked to name the coolest fast food chain in 2026, meanwhile, Burger King probably wouldn’t be the first or even, say, fifth name to come to mind for most. In 2026, therefore, Burger King intends to prioritize the Whopper as its foremost offering, perceiving it to be a more favorable brand name than that of the chain itself.
Back in 2023, newly appointed Restaurant Brands International — Burger King’s corporate owner — executive chairman J. Patrick Doyle claimed that the Whopper may well be a better brand than Burger King. In a Q3 2025 earnings call, meanwhile, Restaurant Brands International CEO Joshua Kobza promised a multi-year initiative revolving around the strength of the Whopper brand and its signature flame-grilled flavor. Already, in January of 2026, Burger King debuted an Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper designed on its Whopper by You platform, which lets customers submit ideas for new Whopper variants. Burger King had previously rolled out a few different Whopper For You creations over the course of 2025. Meanwhile, a breakfast Whopper popped up in a few test markets, also in January of 2026. With two new Whoppers in just its first month, the rest of the year should be a big one for Burger King’s flagship item.
Taco Bell will include crispy chicken as a permanent menu option
Crispy chicken is a concept Taco Bell has toyed with for years. Crispy chicken nuggets, for example, debuted in December of 2024. Upon their return in April of 2025, Taco Bell announced its plans to make crispy chicken a permanent part of its menu by the end of 2026. That said, over the course of 2025, the chain rolled out a couple variations of its initial crispy chicken concept, complicating what its permanent addition to the menu might mean.
First, in June of 2025, Taco Bell reworked its initial chicken nugget concept into a chicken strip. Customers could order chicken strips as-is, in a taco, or in a burrito. Then, a few months later, crispy chicken strip tacos, burritos, and tenders returned, paired with Frank’s RedHot (or Spicy Ranch) for a limited-time collaborative menu with the hot sauce brand. At that time, Taco Bell reemphasized its intent to incorporate crispy chicken onto its menu permanently at some point in 2026. The fact that the two more recent crispy chicken promotions featured tenders suggests that tenders are what the chain hopes to add before the year’s end. Customer reviews, however, were generally more enthusiastic toward the nuggets than the tenders. Before 2026 is over, then, Taco Bell will have to decide just which kind of crispy chicken will make the jump to its menu full-time.
Wendy’s is closing a large number of locations
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According to customers, Wendy’s was among some beloved fast food chains that lost their edge in 2025. As those customers perceived the quality of the chain’s food declining, some locations began to shut down for good. In total, Wendy’s shuttered approximately 140 restaurants in 2025. That trajectory will not just continue but accelerate in 2026, as hundreds more Wendy’s restaurants will shut down over the course of the year.
Altogether, between 200 and 350 of the total 6,000 Wendy’s locations that were in operation around the end of 2025 were marked for closure. Technically, this wave of closures began in the final months of 2025, but the bulk is still slated for 2026. Determining which restaurants would shutter was as simple as identifying locations that were performing below financial expectations on a consistent basis. With that said, in October of 2025, Wendy’s announced an initiative called “Project Fresh,” intended to help the company bounce back from financial woes. While the planned steps in the Project Fresh initiative are predominately business-oriented, Wendy’s locations that survive 2026’s series of closures may end up benefitting from the chain’s revitalization plans.
Papa John’s is betting big on AI ordering
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Papa John’s may be one of America’s four leading pizza chains, but it’s firmly in fourth place on that list, behind Little Caesar’s, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s. Furthermore, the chains ahead of it are showing no signs of slowing down, with Domino’s specifically rolling out new branding to close out 2025. One way Papa John’s is aiming to separate itself from the pack is through a major AI ordering push.
In January of 2026, Papa Johns announced it would be the first restaurant business to partner with Google Cloud and implement a Google AI product called Food Ordering agent. One way Food Ordering agent will alter the ordering process is by communicating with customers through both voice and text — in drive-thrus, over the phone, on the restaurant’s app, on the restaurant website, and on in-restaurant kiosks. Furthermore, the Food Ordering agent will attempt to apply the best available deals to customers’ carts, and even ask registered customers if they would like to reorder past items. Of course, AI is a touchy subject, so time will tell whether or not consumers take to this new system that minimizes human interaction. Either way, Papa John’s is set to become one of the leading purveyors of AI ordering in 2026.
Chick-fil-A is rolling out collectible merch
The driving force behind Chick-fil-A’s 2026 is the fact that the chain is celebrating its 80th anniversary. A sort of keyword Chick-fil-A is centering for its 80th anniversary initiative is “newstalgia,” invoking the idea of simultaneous newness and nostalgic appeal. Its anniversary is something the chain is intending to celebrate throughout the year, incorporating mention of the occasion into ads, for example, and debuting new, retro-inspired packaging for food orders. Perhaps most significantly, Chick-fil-A is rolling out some collectible merch, available either as part of a Chick-fil-A order or through the company web store.
To start, Chick-fil-A is offering special collectible cups, available in-store at a $3.99 price point. Kicking off the cycle is a cup featuring Chick-fil-A’s very first mascot, with additional designs slated to follow on a week-by-week basis. Collecting every cup gives customers a chance at winning a Golden Fan Cup, which grants free Chick-fil-A for a year. Plus, the chain is introducing plenty of new merch, including themed apparel as well as stuffed cow plushies with limited-edition designs available in-restaurant. Trendy merch became something of a staple of the Taco Bell brand in recent years, and in 2026, Chick-fil-A looks to be following suit with its own lineup of collectible merch items.
Jersey Mike’s will enter the European market for the first time
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In November of 2024, private equity firm Blackstone Inc. acquired Italian-American sub chain Jersey Mike’s. One upcoming change to the Jersey Mike’s brand — and easily one of the most significant moves of the Blackstone era — is a significant expansion into the European market. Kicking things off are plans for hundreds of Jersey Mike’s restaurants in Ireland and the U.K., announced to the public in January of 2026.
Jersey Mike’s revealed that it’s partnering with the company’s founder Peter Cancro, through a U.K.-based franchising company called JM Submarines UK Ltd, for its initial European expansion. The terms of the partnership entail a total of 400 Jersey Mike’s locations. While plans beyond this initial deal have yet to be detailed, this is merely the first step in what the company hopes will become a broader European expansion. Just when Jersey Mike’s will cut the ribbon on its flagship European store is not yet a matter of public record, but given the breadth of the deal, it shouldn’t be long before Jersey Mike’s is a mainstay on the British Isles.
Jack in the Box will remodel restaurants and revamp its menu
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Business in 2025 was rough for Jack in the Box, leading to a series of restaurant closures. But just like Starbucks and Wendy’s, the Jack in the Box chain is framing those closures not as evidence of its decline but as an opportunity to rebuild.
Nearing the end of 2025, Jack in the Box announced plans to remodel nearly 1,500 locations, adding an additional 1,000 to what was already a planned 300 to 400 remodels. Details of just how the remodeled locations will differ from before are relatively vague, with CEO Lance Tucker promising broad changes like improved customer service and general modernization. The most concrete information about the forthcoming overhaul is a simplification of the chain’s menu. While variety may be one of the Jack in the Box brand’s calling cards, Tucker hopes to simplify the menu in a manner that streamlines food preparation without compromising brand identity. Even if the scope of this revitalization effort will take years, some of the planned improvements should start hitting Jack in the Box restaurants in 2026, during which the chain is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Panera Bread is attempting to offer more value to customers
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Nearing the end of 2025, it was clear that big changes were coming to Panera Bread. At that point in time, just what defined the Panera Bread brand was murkier than ever before. Meanwhile, the growth of chains like Cava and Sweetgreen encroached on the health-oriented, quick-service niche Panera once dominated.
In hopes of overcoming its struggles, Panera announced an initiative called “Panera RISE,” covering four areas the chain hoped to improve: food quality, prices, customer service, and business growth. What improving those latter three factors might look like has yet to be detailed, but Panera did outline some concrete steps toward improving its food quality. Namely, in 2026, portions will grow, more staff members will be on hand to prepare meals, salads will contain cherry tomato slices rather than whole cherry tomatoes, and salads will remove iceberg lettuce in favor of all-romaine. If all goes according to plan, Panera will once again earn a spot alongside the present day leaders in the health-focused, fast casual food space.
Einstein Bros. Bagels is expanding and modernizing
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In September of 2025, Einstein Bros. Bagels announced plans to debut a new restaurant format called “Elevate the Morning.” Some newly opened stores in Ohio, Utah, Georgia, and Nevada showcased the concept that year, but with the bulk of 100 planned store openings still slated for 2026, the chain’s new look will grow in prominence significantly. Plus, some older locations are slated for updates that will likewise showcase the new format.
Einstein Bros. Bagels’ “Elevate the Morning” restaurants revolve around a modernized look, intended to appeal to dine-in guests and emphasize the premium quality of its bagels. To that latter point, at the core of the new concept is a glass case highlighting the restaurant’s freshly baked bagel selection. While the idea of a glass case isn’t necessarily new, it serves as the centerpiece of a sleeker design that feels modern to 2026, replacing what was previously a sort of generic fast food cafe vibe. That modernization includes locally produced artwork and an increased focus on seating for dine-in customers. So, as Einstein Bros. Bagels grows across the country in 2026, it will start to look a little different than loyal Einstein Bros. customers may remember.
Firehouse Subs is offering significant cash incentives to new franchisees
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Around the start of 2025, Firehouse Subs collaborated with “Hot Ones” on two new subs that Mashed thought were straight fire. The positive momentum at the time of that successful collaboration will carry into 2026, during which the Firehouse Subs chain plans on expanding with the aid of some significant cash incentives for franchisees.
First off, anyone opening a single Firehouse Subs restaurant in 2026 will receive $75,000, whereas franchisees opening multiple locations will receive $100,000 per restaurant. Meanwhile, veteran and first responder franchisees can earn up to an additional $100,000 for each new location. Since this program was only just announced before the start of 2026, there’s no sense of just how many new Firehouse Subs restaurants will open on the strength of those cash incentives. Nevertheless, 2026 is a good time to be a Firehouse Subs franchisee, and it’s safe to assume considerable growth is in the company’s near future.
Raising Cane’s will further its goal of operating in every state
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For years now, growth has been pretty much constant for the Raising Cane’s chain. Raising Cane’s ranked, for example, among chain restaurants that were going to be everywhere in 2023. Three years later, in 2026, Raising Cane’s is still on an upward trajectory, with the chain working toward a presence in every U.S. state.
To kick off 2026, Raising Cane’s added 11 new restaurants in January, as part of a planned 29 new openings — and that number could still rise as the year progresses. One of January’s new locations, notably, marked New York City’s first drive-thru Raising Cane’s. Meanwhile, just six states lacked Raising Cane’s restaurants at the start of 2026. That said, that number was higher in 2025, before West Virginia’s first Raising Cane’s opened in December. So, as the chain continues its rapid, years-long expansion, residents of states without a Raising Cane’s restaurant can rest assured that they may not have to wait long for its iconic chicken fingers to pop up in their local market.
